Trunk lid hinge arms with torsion bar style- steel and bronze

[Knickoliss Iv]

Hello everyone. In continuing with the trunk work on my car, I made an interesting find. I came to find the arms for the trunk lid were made of either cast bronze or steel. My car (#2306) is of January 9th production and has bronze. It would be among the first cars made with torsion bars after changing from scissor hinges. In needing the torsion rods, because one snapped, I got a set of hinges with rods, and the arms on them are made of steel. I checked them with a magnet when I noticed mine are gold underneath the paint. Anyone ever heard of this production difference?

[Pat Marshall]

My #3610, February 1957 has steel arms.

[Knickoliss Iv]

I'm willing to guess earlier torsion have bronze and were switched due to cost or strength? It would be interesting to get more results from early 56 cars.