64 Fuelie Non-radio

[Larry M.]

I asked this question years ago but never got a conclusive answer. Probably can only be answered by someone with a non-radio car who knows or is willing to go look.

My car was originally non-radio, owned by an Indiana highway patrolman, who had a relationship with the Kokomo Delco plant who installed a radio in it for free....with all the components. The radio was later removed and the dash recovered and all vestages of a radio taken off except one, the support bracket for the antenna which is riveted to the rear bulkhead just behind the read tire wheelwell.

If Delco put the radio in I find it difficult to believe they had the equipment to do a peened rivet and they would had needed to pull back the carpet inside to back the rivet up for installation/peening. This leads me to "guess" that this bracket was put on all bodies since radio installation, and the holes required, was an assembly variation; therefore, even non-radio cars would have the bracket. But I don't know this.

Does anyone have a non-radio car that has always been non-radio who would look at their car and tell me what they see. Hard to see with the muffler in place but it can be done.

Thanks.

[John H.]

Re: 64 Fuelie Non-radio

The radio was later removed and the dash recovered and all vestages of a radio taken off except one, the support bracket for the antenna which is riveted to the rear bulkhead just behind the read tire wheelwell.

If Delco put the radio in I find it difficult to believe they had the equipment to do a peened rivet and they would had needed to pull back the carpet inside to back the rivet up for installation/peening. This leads me to "guess" that this bracket was put on all bodies since radio installation, and the holes required, was an assembly variation; therefore, even non-radio cars would have the bracket. But I don't know this.

Larry -

That riveted-on antenna bracket on the rear bulkhead is shown in the '64 Assembly Manual in UPC 1-Bolt/Weld, sheet B4.00, items #6 and 3, and the rivet holes have no callout for drilling, which means the two rivet holes were already in the rear bulkhead from the panel molder. Since it's in the base car/standard equipment portion of the Assembly Manual, that indicates that the bracket was riveted on every car, even if it didn't specify an optional radio.

[Mike E.]

Re: 64 Fuelie Non-radio

Larry
I hope you don't mine me asking a related question in your thread. I remember helping my dad repack the front wheel bearing once on his '66 Impala and I noticed the anti-static collectors on the front bearing dust caps. At the time I asked him what they were, he knew and explained to me why they were there. When I took my radio equipped '65 apart I noticed it didn't have the anti-static collectors inside the dust cap.

My question is, should it? I see CC sells them but I didn’t want to add them if they were not originally on the car. I don't think they are on the AIM because the whole spindle, hub, rotor & bearing was shipped to the factory as a complete assembly.





Mike

[Dan D.]

Re: 64 Fuelie Non-radio

These were used on 1954 (maybe 53) up to at least 1957. I thought they were dropped at some point after that.

They are used to ground out precipitation static caused by the rolling wheels on the pavement. I have never seen a metal car with them - the metal will usually block out the noise.

The effect you see (or hear) is static in AM, and only if the car is moving. So do you need them? Tune in an AM radio station, put the car in motion, and see if you hear any static. But don't get it confused with ignition static that occurs when the motor is running,

-Dan-

[Larry M.]

Re: 64 Fuelie Non-radio

This was my original post. Delco, when they installed the radio, or someone else, put the anti static collectors as shown in the picture above from Mike Eby in my 64. I took them out and, if Mike sends me his address I'll send them to him. I saw them yesterday so I'm sure I have them, and I think they are in good shape. I've seen prior posts on this years ago and I think they are part of the package (e.g. original); therefore mine are likely vintatge, not repro. That's why I was confident when I took them out.

[Mike E.]

Re: 64 Fuelie Non-radio

Larry,
Private message sent.

Thank!

Mike

[Jim W.]

Re: 64 Fuelie Non-radio

Larry
My 64 non-radio car also has the attached bracket. Congradulations, you and I own two of the 1295 produced that way out of 22,229 64 vettes. I wonder how many more are still around ? BTW, how did you treat filling in the antenna and dash holes ?

[Larry M.]

Re: 64 Fuelie Non-radio

Jim,

I didn't do the work. The radio was gone when I got the car, dash recovered, paint job. You can see the antenna hole in certain light if you're looking for it. The car also had a 3rd tail light on each side dealer installed but removed. the paint is stressed where the holes were filled. And you know that to recover the dash it had to come out.....so how many things were damaged or put back wrong....I'll find out over time.

[John H.]

Re: 64 Fuelie Non-radio

The front hub static collectors were used at least through 1967 on radio cars, and were installed at St. Louis, on the Chassis Line; the installation is shown in the U69 section of the Assembly Manual. In the photo below (shot in 1966) you can see the left front grease cap parked temporarily on top of the steering gear; after the engine drop, each operator installed the static collectors in the cap and re-installed the caps on the front hubs. The original image is 3MB, too large to post here - I can crop the original if anyone wants to see it closer.


66L79DropFrt1024.jpg

[Bill W.]

Re: 64 Fuelie Non-radio

Larry . my 65 does not have a radio . It does have the two holes but there is no ant. mtg. brkts. or groundstraps or cables . It also does not have any condensers .

[Joe R.]

Re: 64 Fuelie Non-radio

John,

Sure, I'll bite. Please crop the image so we can see what you're talking about a little better.

Thanks,
Joe

[John H.]

Re: 64 Fuelie Non-radio

John,

Sure, I'll bite. Please crop the image so we can see what you're talking about a little better.

Thanks,
Joe

Joe -

See cropped version below, showing the cap parked on the steering gear.


66L79DropFrt (2).jpg

[John H.]

Re: 64 Fuelie Non-radio

Larry . my 65 does not have a radio . It does have the two holes but there is no ant. mtg. brkts. or groundstraps or cables . It also does not have any condensers .

Bill -

'64 and '65 were different designs - the '64 had the (manual) antenna bracket riveted to holes in the vertical rear bulkhead portion of the underbody, and '65-'66 had the (power) antenna bracket attached with screws and a tapped anchor plate through two existing (from the panel molder) holes in the rear wheelhouse splash panel. The '67 (manual) antenna didn't use a bracket, but they all have the two (existing) empty holes in the splash panel, carried over from '65-'66.

[Jim T.]

Re: 64 Fuelie Non-radio

John H. my original owner 1968 convertible built February 1968 with factory installed AM/FM radio still has the static collectors in the front caps. My 1970 does not have the static collectors.

[Wayne M.]

Re: 64 Fuelie Non-radio

Bill -

'64 and '65 were different designs - the '64 had the (manual) antenna bracket riveted to holes in the vertical rear bulkhead portion of the underbody, and '65-'66 had the (power) antenna bracket attached with screws and a tapped anchor plate through two existing (from the panel molder) holes in the rear wheelhouse splash panel. The '67 (manual) antenna didn't use a bracket, but they all have the two (existing) empty holes in the splash panel, carried over from '65-'66.

Here's a shot (from the floor looking up -- see the hole for the antenna) of a '65, showing the copper P.Ant ground strap attached to one of the screws of the bracket; the (threaded) anchor plate, that John mentions is on the other side of the splash panel.



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