Antenna wire

[Guy M.]

Has anyone replaced the antenna wire on a 54? Any hints on how to do it correctly

[Troy P.]

Re: Antenna wire

Where did you get your new part? Before you attempt to install it make sure you have the correct wire with fittings that work at both ends. I have heard stories of them looking right at first glance but either not fitting properly into the radio or into the connector in the trunk.

Have you done your trunk light harness yet? If so, the process is similar, except you need to deal with the ground connection to the frame under the passenger side rocker panel.

You can tape the new antenna wire to the old on and as you pull out the old antenna you'll be pulling in the new.

[Guy M.]

Re: Antenna wire

Thanks Troy, I havnt picked up an atenna yet which is why I'm asking beforehand. I dont want to pick up the wrong thing. Great tip on the connectors. The old one has been cut but still in there. Taping them together and fishing them through seems to be the way to go. Is there a trick to fish the ground wire out at the right moment?

[Troy P.]

Re: Antenna wire

Remove the rubber grommets from the holes in the fiberglass floorpan that the antenna goes through. They are old and hard like rock. Hit them with a heat gun to soften them up so you can more easily pry them out.

Before you start dig out all the dum dum from the space above the wheel where the antenna goes. Sometimes you will have to chisel out some bonding resin too to make a passage for the wire. The wire was laid into the trunk before the fiberglass pieces of the car were bonded together and thus the antenna is often "glued" in.

Before pulling the old antenna wire out undo the bolt holding the ground strap to the frame and attach a string or small wire to the lug on the ground strap. As you pull the old antenna out the pull wire will feed into the rocker area and follow the antenna wire until it reaches the trunk area. Then you can disconnect this string or wire and attach it to the lug on the ground of the new antenna wire. Use it to pull the new ground strap through the floor pan as the new antenna wire is pulled in through the rocker area.

Tape a pull wire (I used small diameter braided steel cable because it is strong and flexible) to the radio end of your existing antenna. Pull the old antenna out and thus the new pull wire in from front to rear out through the trunk.

You will want to pull your new antenna in from the rear (trunk) to the front. The connector that goes to the radio is smaller than the serrated nut that goes to the antenna connector. The smaller the object you are pulling the easier it will be to get over the rear wheel which is the tricky part. By pulling rear to front the serrated nut never has to go over the wheel.

[Guy M.]

Re: Antenna wire

Fantastic, this is excellent info for all. Thanks so much for the help!!!

[Troy P.]

Re: Antenna wire

One other tip. The dum dum is really sticky and hard when cold. Easier to dig out if you heat it with a heat gun or hair dryer first. Put dish soap on the wire to get it to slide through the dum dum easier.

When you get your antenna please let me know what you think of it, where you got it and the cost.

[Guy M.]

Re: Antenna wire

Will do, one dum question, I guess dum dum is mastic of some sort

[Troy P.]

Re: Antenna wire

Not the bonding compound that they used to glue the fiberglass sections together, although you will likely run into some of that too. The dum dum is a sticky putty that they used as a sealant or caulk. Although it does get harder over time it is still flexible after all these years - and sticky! Dum Dum was used to seal the hole between the trunk and gas tank area that the antenna cable passed through. Same thing on the other side with the rear wiring harness.

[Guy M.]

Re: Antenna wire

Wow, I didnt know that, Thanks. Your a great resource!! Since the gas tank area entered the conversation, are the two large round holes in the bottom of the tank well suposed to remain open??

[Troy P.]

Re: Antenna wire

Yes. Vent fumes and drain leakage I suppose. But outside of tank is often rusty in those spots.

[George J.]

Re: Antenna wire

Will this procedure, or one similar, work for a C2?

George

[Troy P.]

Re: Antenna wire

Seems to me the C2 wire may be much easier. I don't think it was laid in before the various sections of the fiberglass body were bonded together. Also the C1 wire is inside the rocker which is an enclosed space whereas I believe the C2 rocker is open. Of course, since there is no trunk, the C2 wire does not get pulled into the trunk. It goes up under the gas tank area. The general concept of pulling in a wire using the old wire or a fish tape is valid though.