Antenna solution

[alan ream]

I just found a power antenna that fits on the Z06 from Mid America. Have any of you bought and installed one of these?? Instructions say it takes about 2 hours (but you know instructions can exagerate).

 

[korvettekarl]

Alan, that looks like a OEM antenna. It will probably plug into your radio with no mods. The hardest part will running the wire harness from antenna to radio and then taking radio out of dash. And the copy says for the AVID do it yourselfer. I would count on probably 3 or more if you haven't worked on any newer cars for a while. Good luck.

 

[alan ream]

Alan, that looks like a OEM antenna. It will probably plug into your radio with no mods. The hardest part will running the wire harness from antenna to radio and then taking radio out of dash. And the copy says for the AVID do it yourselfer. I would count on probably 3 or more if you haven't worked on any newer cars for a while. Good luck.

I dropped by my local Chevy dealer's body shop. They showed me the path to route the wires, and which electrical block to connect into. I'll let you know, should get the antellan through the mail in a day or so.

 

[Don]

I had a power antenna installed on my Z and I love it. My local Chevy dealer installed it in less than an hour.

 

[Pseudomind]

To Alan Ream or Don

What happens when you turn off the ignition or the radio with the power antenna you have installed? Does it retract or do you have to use the switch as in Alan's case/

Thanks

 

[Don]

It goes down automaticly. Like it should.

 

[Hitman1]

What's the need for the power antenna? Are you trying to minimize the possibility of it getting damaged while not in use?

When it retracts, does it go down all the way into the body of the car?

 

[Don]

Yes it does.

 

[Pseudomind]

Thanks Don,

I guess I am not the only one with a few questions. I have a few more do you by chance have any specifics. E.g. is this an antenna for a corvette coupe? Hitman1 asked,” What's the need for the power antenna?” For myself I just happen to prefer a power antenna which is down when the car is not in use. How did they mount the antenna in the trunk? Are there mounting spots already on the body panels which were just not used for the Z06? I am guessing since your local Chevy dealer did this if one looks inside the trunk, the installation would appear to be professional. I can understand you would still see the antenna body, but I would hope that the cable routing and all would appear to be pretty clean in appearance.

Maybe someone out here has also done this and has a picture or two taking from the inside.

I have to admit at the moment I do not have a corvette, but I have been planning on a purchase for about two years as a graduation present for myself, this July 13th when I complete my MBA. That is if nothing major happens. At one time I owned an 81 coupe, which I enjoyed, except for all of the EPA garbage which choked it down somewhat. Well I am older, 55, life situations are different now, and I can afford more, so what I am looking to get is probably a 2003 model Z06. I am pretty much set on this point.

This brings up another question I like red, but am somewhat hesitant about red and the old saw about “red colored cars get more tickets." I have attempted to obtain some research data on this, but have not found much which quantifies or qualifies this point. Anyone out here have any experience with this issue? If not red, then it will probably be silver.

Anyone have any comments.

Thanks

 

[abowtieguy]

I bought a power antenna for a vert and the bracket from a GM dealer. By buying a GM antenna for a Vette, it looks stock and has a black finish and not chrome. It was a staight forward instalation mounting the antenna. You have to run the wiring to the front since Zo6's don't have the existng wiring for the power antenna. I am also installing a subwoofer so I had to run the wires up to the front anyways so I decided this was the best time to do the antenna. I also had a switch installed in the console to manually lower the antenna. I did this for a couple reasons,1)makes puting car cover on and off easier and you don't need to cut a hole in the cover, 2)when driving especially on the highway and listening to either a CD or ipod I can lower the antenna. For the extra pound or two, it's worth it. That little bit of extra weight doesn't change anything for me (I'll loose the weight myself).:L
Hope this helps you.

Doug

 

[alan ream]

I bought the retro antenna kit and it installed just like they said. Mounting the actual antenna was simple. All the work is done through the far right tail light, takes about 1/2 hr. You then run the wires to the front, hiding them under the plastic panels. They terminate in the wiring harness located just below the passenger foot well. The instructions were simple and easy to understand.

 

[TODD L GRIFFITH]

I like the whipping action my stock antenna gets along with the lope of my cam. :L

 

[Robert YellowVette]

This brings up another question I like red, but am somewhat hesitant about red and the old saw about “red colored cars get more tickets." I have attempted to obtain some research data on this, but have not found much which quantifies or qualifies this point. Anyone out here have any experience with this issue? If not red, then it will probably be silver.

Did some googling:

http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/fascinating-facts/safe-vehicle-colours.html

http://www.aaafoundation.org/pdf/CarColorAndSafety.pdf

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/327/7429/1455

If you think about the human eye which is most sensitive to color in the middle of its range from near IR red to near UV purple, which is yellow-green, a bright yellow car such as the Corvette in Millienium Yellow is visible for a very long range.

Many communities paint their fire trucks a bright lime green which are a lot more noticeable than the red traditionally used. [See Schuman, 1991 on fire truck safety.]

German police use a combination of bright white and bright international lime green on their cars which make them very noticeable.

There is some benefit to being very visible, it may reduce your chances of being hit; there are a lot more inattentive drivers out there than there are cops.

Silver is pretty but dusk, dawn and fog tend to swallow it up...

 

[Pseudomind]

Well after getting mine

I will have to wait a bit longer regarding the power antenna, maybe after I have had it for a while. I keep this thread bookmarked, so I will know who to contact in the future if I have additional questions.

Thanks to all who replied.