C2 Power Antenna Installation

[John L.]

I just replaced the antenna cable on my '66 coupe and the radio now works great. BTW, I purchased the cable from Paragon. Anyhow, to do the job I took off the lower back valance panel and removed the power atenna to give me more room to operate and to install the antenna spacer which was missing.

I have re-installed the antenna (not so easy with rear exhaust) hooked-up all the wires and was about to install the rubber grommet, antenna mast spacer and mast nut when I noted that with the rubber grommet and mast spacer installed, the antenna mast does not protrude high enough to allow for any exposed thread surface to get the mast bolt installed. Looking underneath from the back of the car, the radio spacer sits flush against the gounding plate.

Any ideas as to what I may have done wrong as I assume it likely results from the way I installed the antenna spacer? Thanks for the feedback!

[James W.]

Re: C2 Power Antenna Installation

I just replaced the antenna cable on my '66 coupe and the radio now works great. BTW, I purchased the cable from Paragon. Anyhow, to do the job I took off the lower back valance panel and removed the power atenna to give me more room to operate and to install the antenna spacer which was missing.

I have re-installed the antenna (not so easy with rear exhaust) hooked-up all the wires and was about to install the rubber grommet, antenna mast spacer and mast nut when I noted that with the rubber grommet and mast spacer installed, the antenna mast does not protrude high enough to allow for any exposed thread surface to get the mast bolt installed. Looking underneath from the back of the car, the radio spacer sits flush against the gounding plate.

Any ideas as to what I may have done wrong as I assume it likely results from the way I installed the antenna spacer? Thanks for the feedback!

John,

Do you have this Chevrolet Service News instruction sheet from GM? My only comment would be is the grounding plate installed in the correct orientation?

James West

[Wayne M.]

Re: C2 Power Antenna Installation

.....I have re-installed the antenna (not so easy with rear exhaust) hooked-up all the wires and was about to install the rubber grommet, antenna mast spacer and mast nut when I noted that with the rubber grommet and mast spacer installed, the antenna mast does not protrude high enough to allow for any exposed thread surface to get the mast bolt installed. Looking underneath from the back of the car, the radio spacer sits flush against the gounding plate.

Any ideas as to what I may have done wrong as I assume it likely results from the way I installed the antenna spacer? Thanks for the feedback!

John -- not sure what the rubber grommet (at the rear vertical body panel ?) has to do with lack of thread insertion to the topside of your rear deck. IIRC, the spacer can go on the upper shaft (the part with the Chev bow-tie) two ways, according to what side the flats of the bevelled spacer is installed. In addition, there's some rotational "play" in the interface between the bevelled surface of the spacer and the underside of the ground plane, which might allow the PA assy. to draw up a little higher.

Following pic may not be of help with your problem; only to show orientation of mount bracket (looking vertically up, you can see the chrome bezel at the mast hole in the rear deck).

[Greg T.]

Re: C2 Power Antenna Installation

If you purchased a new spacer from LIC or another vendor they are too long. You have to grind down the base of the spacer to shorten them. The original spacers are also ground down, not as cast. There is quite a variation in the heights of the original spacers. The spacer height on the short side should be around .7 inches.