So, I thought it would be cool to have a cowl-mounted radio antenna so I bought one of THESE but there's one small problem... there's no access to the inside of the cowl on an AD truck!
So, time for Plan B... What are you guys using and where do you mount it?
Those were for the Art Deco trucks Woody. The real expensive top cowl mounted antenna was the correct GM antenna for the AD's. You may be disappointed in the original reproduction antennas unless they changed them. I had to rework the one that I had to get it moounted. Once again I felt like I had just taken it in the you know what. Really felt ripped after spending $70 plus shipping and had to make a new inner mount and special sleave to get the angle right. There are some snap shots of the problem on this page: http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/accessories&page=all Denny Graham Sandwich, IL
Someone had pictures here at one time of the Art Deco antenna mounted at the rear corner on an AD. I had the same issue as Denny and made a new spacer to get it standing straight and secure. Use the template(Tim Lederman's site is one source)if drilling for the cowl antenna as the hood will hit it when opened if drilled further forward.
I don't know if Joker posts here anymore but I noticed that same antenna on his Red Ryder truck...
That's an option but I already have my heater in and not going to pull it just for an antenna. I might even drop my AutoZone and see what junk they have for sale.
It just never quits with this aftermarket crap, does it? First they advertise the antenna I bought for a '47-'54 and it's not. Then they advertise a $70 "correct" one that doesn't fit either. All of this goes along perfectly with the $500+ reproduction radio that doesn't fit either.
Are we having fun yet?
Last edited by Czechman; 11/04/20108:42 PM. Reason: typos
Czechman, FWIW, I bought a antenna for my 53 and it fit just fine. The sleeve was the correct angle and there was no problem with the bracket. The antenna sits plumb. I bought it over eight years ago.
mine was on the truck when I bought it in 97, sold it 3 yrs ago to a guy in Tulsa, he is re-doing the truck
Last edited by joker; 11/04/20107:37 PM.
Redryder pix My Hotrod A veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of "up to and including my life." I am fighting cancer and I am winning the fight | Pain is part of life; misery is an option.
I use the original-style A-D antenna (as described by Denny). The mounting template should come with the reproduction antenna kit, if not, here's the template and instructions.
I used one of the new reproduction antennas.I believe I had to gring a bit off the bottom of the top plastic piece to get access to the starting threads. It is a good antenna but with the unit fully down, the gain is down quite a bit. Once it is raised above the top of the cab, the gain goes way up.
"plan B" might be to use the original style antenna for looks, or skip it altogether, and install a modern electronic one for function ... they are usually recommended to be stuck to a glass panel [windshield!] so they are a small distance away from metal, under the dash doesn't work well under any circumstances - I figured a way to do it for a buddy who didn't want to drill a hole in his pristine fender, so it's not noticed [inset shows it]
Since this topic started on Advance-Design trucks, will "plan B" work on a 6v truck I think not - at least for the few "hidden antennae" that I have checked out. They are 12v, so a 6v to 12v inverter/converter would be needed (which I might be using)?
Also, I found that some "hidden" antennae work only for FM (but there are AM/FM versions available).
Last edited by tclederman; 11/04/201010:36 PM. Reason: added the AM/FM info
Tim - the ones that require a voltage input include amplifiers - I don't recall just where this one came from, but it's only an antenna, single lead that plugs into the antenna jack on the radio, and it works fine on AM or FM with the aftermarket radio he got - I'm sure there'd be one that would work on a 6V radio
My '50 Chevy 3100 5 window, '62-235cu, 3:55 rear My truck ....... Respect The Rust If I'm not working on my truck, '65 m00stang or VW camper, I'm fishing with the wife or smoking Salmon.
Now that the antena "thing" has come up. Most of you are in better shape than me. I was not familiar with the AD back when I got it painted earlier than I anticipated but when you "wheel and deal" you have to move when you can!!
Sooo, the hole for my antenna was on the PASENGER side and I left it!! Then a fellow bolter sent me a power antenna but guess what, it won't fit on the passenger side with the heater! Now I have an antenna, and a hole and neither one of them are of any use...that is right now! UGH.
Tim, I take it I can FLIP the template IF I want to check the hole on the passenger side? Oh well, what the heck. I'll have the hood on it by next weekend and we'll see if it hits. If ya'll remember this panel was torn apart when I got it!!
I'm really looking forward to adjusting the hood....as well as patching the antenna hole
It's worth a try flipping the template to so if your hole in the upper cowl is near the mirror-opposite location. The hood comes close to touching the antennae, so a little bit off could allow contact.
It's worth a try flipping the template to so if your hole in the upper cowl is near the mirror-opposite location. The hood comes close to touching the antennae, so a little bit off could allow contact.
Good luck - let us know.
Tim, I checked, flipped it, today and it looked like it would be find. In doing so I found out that whoever cut the hole actually cut it closer to the windshield and it would be ok for a regualar antenna...of coarse they cut a hole about one inche when it didn't need to be that big. The saga continues...this time its a problem with repop mirror and arm.. aargh!
Woody- I just saw a 53 on Youtube with one of those side cowl mount antennas. The mount posts were right above the top and just below the bottom louvers. He probably did it when the heater was out..............
2 cents, I used a motorcycle antenna. the kind that mounts in the front furring of a fully loaded bike. It plugs into the back of your radio just like a reg antenna but spreads into a "T" and I put one leg along the bottom of my dash under the guages across the steering column and the other leg under the glovebox behind the little lip so it stays put and picks up great. I also used the same type when I had a overhead console across the roofline of my truck . No holes no rust. good luck,
Redryder pix My Hotrod A veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of "up to and including my life." I am fighting cancer and I am winning the fight | Pain is part of life; misery is an option.
