The dopey fiberglass thinghy between the taillights

["John Hertzman" <johnhertzman@domain.elided>]

Brian Shorey writes "The tail light filler may have been offered as an
aftermarket part, however it also came with some factory cars, in particular
the '85 Gran Turismo GTV6 (yet another trim package)"

The "Alfa Romeo Accessories" catalogs produced by ARI offer,in the parts
numbers, very clear clues to what are factory parts, factory accessories, and
aftermarket parts, including aftermarket parts which were parts of
as-delivered US variant cars. The factory parts had twelve-digit or
fourteen-digit part numbers beginning with type numbers- 105, 115, 162. etc.,
or, in a few obvious cases, ten-digit Fiat-era part numbers. There is a second
set of fourteen digit numbers which begin with 10000, (even when applicable to
only one specific model) which are almost certainly factory accessories but
not factory production parts. The third group of numbers are invariably
four-digit numbers, and I am comfortable calling them aftermarket, even when
Italian-sourced with some degree of company connection, like the four-digit SZ
style modular-look OZ wheel which was offered in both 6 x 14 and 7 x 15 sizes.
The rear window louvers for the GTV 6 were four-digits; the tinted Plexiglas
side-window wind deflectors for the Milano were fourteen digits starting
10000; there were two different Milano tow hitches, #8549 and
#10000.95.012.09.00. In the 1986 accessories catalog the Rear Filler Panel
"Updates all GTV-6 models to current body style" (thus it was implicitly
standard on then-current US-delivered cars) but it is #6501, thus, if my
interpretation is correct, neither a factory part nor a factory accessory, but
the customer who bought a Gran Turismo probably wouldn't have the marketing
nuances spelled out for him.

As bs says, some people like 'em, some people don't.  To each his own..

John H.
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