1966 antenna ground strap

[Gary B.]

Hi,

Can anyone tell me what an original 1966 antenna ground strap should
look like? The strap on my car is a thin, solid, flexible metal strip, not braided copper like my other ground straps. I think the antenna strap might have been replaced when the antenna was replaced. Can anyone tell me the characteristics (copper, braided vs. solid, type of end connectors) and dimensions (length, width, thickness) of an original 1966 antenna ground strap?

Thanks,

Gary

[Bill Clupper]

Re: 1966 antenna ground strap

Solid copper alloy, (thin) with a hole in each end for the bolt to go thru. What you described sounds good

[Gary B.]

Thanks Bill *NM*

[Wayne M.]

Re: 1966 antenna ground strap

Gary --- Noland's Vol 2 (page 303) reprints a GM Engineering Drawing of the strap, part # 3832330 [15.10" overall length; 0.50" wide; 9/32" dia holes positioned 0.50" inboard of each end; thickness 0.016"; material: tin bronze or equivalent.

[Gary B.]

Other ground straps; material?

Wayne,

I assume that the other ground straps are copper braid? Yes? Not bronze or brass braid?

Thanks,

Gary

[Wayne M.]

Re: Other ground straps; material?

Gary -- Yes, I think the others are copper braid (to withstand vibration or repetitive movement, without fatigue failure). Again, Noland has a reproduced GM drawing in Vol 2 (page 174), but no composition of the braided material is given. I was always under the impression that pure copper had a low fatigue resistance factor (wit. oil pressure lines not copper, but copper-plated steel).

Interestingly, another drawing of the radio strap # 3832330 is shown on the same page, with typical chemical compostion (copper 87-89%; tin 1.5-2.5%;... zinc [about] 10%) I'm no metallurgist, so I don't know if this alloy is called bronze or brass.

[Peter L.]

Re: Other ground straps; material?

Wayne - To cure your metallugical curiousity, alloys of copper and zinc are called brass, and those of copper and tin are called bronze. Pete