Antenna - fully retract or not?

[4WDVETTE]

My original antenna had the shaft broken off by kids many years ago. The replacement I purchased, installed last night, does not fully retract. Is it supposed to? Brain is not working yet and I cannot remember. Also, has anyone had their original antenna repaired/restored? If so where and were you satisfied with the job?

Thanks for any input.

Steve

 

[Subfixer]

My original antenna had the shaft broken off by kids many years ago. The replacement I purchased, installed last night, does not fully retract. Is it supposed to? Brain is not working yet and I cannot remember. Also, has anyone had their original antenna repaired/restored? If so where and were you satisfied with the job?

Thanks for any input.

Steve

Wow, that was quick..... I wasn't sure if you have a power antenna or not. The non-power antenna sticks up about a foot when fully retracted. Not sure about the power one.

 

[BarryK]

4WD

don't know for sure on the '66's, but on my '65 the power antenna sticks up about about a foot when it's fully retracted down.

 

[4WDVETTE]

Paul and Barry, mine is a power antenna. The shaft on the replacement unit also sticks up about a foot or so. I just seem to remember that it fully retracted. Haven't paid much attention to other cars since and mine ceased to function in 1984. Maybe it will be OK. Did either of you have originals rebuilt?

Steve

 

[JL66REDCPE]

Steve -- the height in the lowered position is approximately 13.5 inches. By the way what are your plans for the old broken ratty original antennae ???

 

[BarryK]

Steve
no, my power antenna is not rebuilt - unless it had been previous to my owning the car.

 

[4WDVETTE]

John - the old ratty one is on the shelf with numerous other old ratty items that I have replaced. I don't throw nuthin' out. The shaft on the original antenna was broken off years ago. I would like to get it rebuilt and replace the 'reproduction' unit I installed last night. Does anyone rebuild/restore them that you know of?

Steve

 

[JL66REDCPE]

Steve - OEM Glass used to rebuild them for a lot of money !!!! They are the only folks I am aware of. You will not lose a lot of points for the repro if you are concerned about judging. Did the old antennae motor work ?? There are a couple Restorer articles on this subject. However if the mast is broken ............. that is a problem. I dont know of anyone repro'ng just the masts.

 

[4WDVETTE]

John - the motor still works but, the mast is broken at the base. Maybe I could get one with a bad motor but a good mast and make one out of two. In my spare time!

Steve

 

[ctjackster]

original power antenna unit did not fully retract, and good repros mimick this (annoying) fact. At the same time, if you are pursuing some sort of NCRS judging, I am advised that the repros out now, even those that do not fully retract, are not to hard to spot as repros.


Point being that, if you are going to buy a repro, and don't pursue judging, might just as well get one that fully retracts. I didn't, and kinda wish I did - have to cut holes in car covers, and it presents an attractive snap it off exposure when parked unattended (or to one's own kids, it seems), etc.

 

[JL66REDCPE]

Steve -- good luck in finding a mast. I have been looking forever. I did find one at carlisle this year however the top part is frozen and I am trying to unfreeze it with penetraing oil.

Ctjackster - the repros are indeed very good. The difference being the original motor and casing were dipped and coated in a wax material. Also the housing on the repros is some kind of plastic. Some of the repro masts dont have the ring 1/2 below each extension and others that do sometime have a machined look to them.

As I said earlier, the points that you lose for a repro antennae are minimal and unless you look under the car you cant really tell. Also if you have regular mufflers as opposed to sidepipes, you cant even see under there. Cutting a hole in the car cover is a pain. I put a gym sock over the antennae to cover it up and keep dust from getting down into the car cover.

 

[4WDVETTE]

Wish I would have known about a fully retracting mast replacement being available. Not looking for NCRS judging so it would have been more practical for me. I will be keeping the original on the shelf. Who knows, someone might start restoring these items.

Steve

 

[ctjackster]

Wish I would have known about a fully retracting mast replacement being available. Not looking for NCRS judging so it would have been more practical for me. I will be keeping the original on the shelf. Who knows, someone might start restoring these items.

Steve

OEM glass still does, I think - $500 per job as I recall. nothing is cheap in el correcto-land

 

[Tom Bryant]

For power antenna restoration try Corvette Specialities of Maryland. It seems that they restore most midyear components. I sold them a bunch of parts years ago including a perfect midyear power antenna with mast. I doubt that they still have it though. I ran an ad in Hemmings and they bought the whole ad. I thought I had everything priced up a little high but I guess I was wrong. :L

Tom