Power Antenna

[wes edwards]

Happy New Year to the Corvette Community!

I'm looking for thoughts/comments about the power antenna on my 1978.

The antenna mast is broken off at about the halfway point but does not move at all except manually. I can hear the motor running when the ignition is turned off and on. The radio gets OK reception on FM and no reception at all on AM.

Is there a rebuild kit? Is it worth trying?

How about a full replacement? After market brand that is reliable?

Thanks,

Wes Edwards
St. Louis, MO

[Robert S.]

Re: Power Antenna

I don't believe a NCRS correct replacement is available. I order a repair kit from one of the normal Vette suppliers, CC or Ecklers, when the nylon line on mine broke. I came with a new mast...it worked out okay.

[Jack H.]

Re: Power Antenna

Seems to me there are two issues here:

(1) Your original power antenna has a broken mast. The 'fix' is either to replace the antenna or send your original out to a restoration specialist. The former will be reasonable in cost and some of the catalog houses sell a replacement antenna that 'looks' like a factory original from the mast up. The second approach is going to cost a LOT... Restoration service typically run $400 and up!

(2) The fact that you receive FM reasonably and get no AM indicates another issue. AM is VERY sensitive to antenna integrity while FM reception tends to be insensitive making a difference only under fringe signal reception conditions. I'd be questioning the integrity of your antenna lead-in wiring...it's often damaged by rough handling during interior restoration (carpet replacement).

You can test this pretty cheaply. Go to WalMart and buy the least expensive replacement antenna they have in the auto parts section. Typically, you'll pay $8 for a mast with captive lead-in cable on it.

Now, remove the access panel on the passenger side of the console, unplug the existing lead-in cable from the rear of the radio and connect your 'test' antenna. Move the antenna outside the car and toward the rear as far as it'll go. If all of a sudden, you start to get AM radio, you know you've got a problem with the integrity of your cable from the radio back to the antenna!

[Robert S.]

Re: Power Antenna

As long as you hear the antenna motor running all you need to do is replace the mast. Here is the mast repair kit for the power antenna that I used. You will have to replace the ball/knob on the top of the replacement mast with the original from your old mast and if I remember correctly, you may need to modify the nylon line where it attaches to the motor reel.




Power antenna repair kit

[Jack H.]

Whoops!

It's a '78... My first comment about it being expensive to restore was aimed at '65-66 cars. However, the second comment about low/no AM reception still holds. You should verify the integrity of the lead-in cable...