67 Notchback Cuda

Yeah the chrome look lock cord has been used (trucks mostly) for many years.
I suspect production cost was the determining factor for the new 67 model.
If the public had booo'ed the entire car in 67 the company wouldn't suffer as much.
Evidently they only booo'ed the window treatment. In 68 the invesment to upgrade to stainless there was offset by savings in light fixtures, (plastic front park lamps, no reverse fixtures) and those round side marker fixtures were already tooled.
This is common practice. Ford finally perfected the Escort in 1990. It's every fault had been addressed. Then they scraped it and started over.