aero3113 Posted March 18, 2009 Report Posted March 18, 2009 What should I expect to pay for a correct antenna for a 50 Plymouth? Quote
JerseyHarold Posted March 18, 2009 Report Posted March 18, 2009 Depends on your definition of correct. Chevy pickup truck antennas from roughly the late-1970's have the correct fender contour and are readily available at parts stores for under $20.00 each. If you're looking for NOS, figure $75.00-up. Quote
BobT-47P15 Posted March 18, 2009 Report Posted March 18, 2009 Does your current antenna have a long tube under the fender with a metal strap to attach it to the body or inner fender. Like this (strap missing)? Here's a pic from the parts manual of the Skyway Antenna, which to my knowledge was the typical dealer installed item. They occasionally show up on ebay, with kinda hefty prices. You can eventually find an aftermarket antenna with a curved base like the one on the left. It should pretty well match up to the curve of the fender. Quote
aero3113 Posted March 18, 2009 Author Report Posted March 18, 2009 yes it does Bob, I did see one on ebay and I think it was going for $89. That's why I was asking how mush they go for. Does the tube on the bottom do anything for reception or is it to keep the antenna clean? Quote
BobT-47P15 Posted March 18, 2009 Report Posted March 18, 2009 Honestly, I don't know what the tube on the bottom does--have never seen the inside of one. Possibly it could have a winding in it to increase range of the antenna. Otherwise, it might be to protect the antenna and give it more stability by attaching toward the bottom. The 54 Plymouth I had for a while had this antenna......you can see it will go down to very short. Don''t know if this was any part of the reason for the tube. My 47 convert had the same antenna when I got it. I now use an antenna I found in my travels (don't recall where) that goes down real short......has a plastic tube underneath that is only maybe 10" long. So, I guess it depends on just what you want. Absolute originality, or something that looks appropriate and will work. You can buy replacement antennas at auto stores.......could even use one of them for now and look for a deal on an original along the way. My radio doesn't work and I have no immediate plans to make it do so. So the antenna is just dressing. Quote
aero3113 Posted March 18, 2009 Author Report Posted March 18, 2009 I bought a rebuilt radio on ebay that works great only thing is that there is play in the telescoping antenna and causes alot of fuzz.(when the car bounces around) Quote
BobT-47P15 Posted March 18, 2009 Report Posted March 18, 2009 Well, then all I can suggest for now is finding at least a temporary replacement antenna to see if that solves the problem. If you have any swap meets coming up, you might look there. Those two in my picture I bought for $1 each at a swap. Or, I think they may by $15 to $20 at the auto supply. Is there a noise suppressor on your generator? Are your plugs resistor plugs to eliminate noise? Quote
Norm's Coupe Posted March 18, 2009 Report Posted March 18, 2009 Try this place. They claim to have all types of car antennas. You can call them or email them and ask for what you want. http://stores.ebay.com/The-Antenna-Xperts Quote
BobT-47P15 Posted March 18, 2009 Report Posted March 18, 2009 What about your spark plugs?? Resistor?? I have no idea if alternators cause any radio static.....anyone else care to comment?? Quote
Norm's Coupe Posted March 18, 2009 Report Posted March 18, 2009 If you don't get any fuzz or static in the sound when the car is sitting still and running, it's probably a loose connection somewhere in the antenna, or it's connections. If the alternator was causing the problem, it would have static or fuzz anytime the engine was running, sitting still or bouncing around. Quote
aero3113 Posted March 18, 2009 Author Report Posted March 18, 2009 When the car is sitting at idle it is fine, if I go out and play with the antenna it gets all fuzzy. Spark plug resistor ? what is that? Quote
Norm's Coupe Posted March 18, 2009 Report Posted March 18, 2009 When the car is sitting at idle it is fine, if I go out and play with the antenna it gets all fuzzy. Spark plug resistor ? what is that? If the car is running and no static or fuzz until you touch the antenna the spark plugs aren't causing interference in the radio. It's either a loose connection in the antenna, or the fuzz/static is caused by you touching the antenna. When you touch the antenna, you are in a sense becoming part of the antenna wave links. Do you get any fuzz/static when driving the car. If not, it's simply you causing the problem by touching the antenna. You can actually change how the antenna receives the waves by simply wrapping a piece of tin foil around it too. Quote
aero3113 Posted March 18, 2009 Author Report Posted March 18, 2009 Yes, whenever I hit a bump it gets fuzzy Quote
BobT-47P15 Posted March 18, 2009 Report Posted March 18, 2009 Sounds like you said, aero, the antenna and it's works are just a bit shakey......and it needs to be replaced. Re: resistor spark plugs. There are resistor and non-resistor plugs. The resistor ones are designed to not produce noise that interferes with the radio reception. Just for fun, you might try putting some duct tape on the joints of the antenna and where the shaft joins the base - to hold it more steady - and see if that helps with the problem. Might indicate whether wear is in the tube. After all, the antenna is basically a tube within a tube, within a tube......with a cable going to the radio. Even that cable and its's connection could be worn. Quote
Young Ed Posted March 18, 2009 Report Posted March 18, 2009 I would think if it were the joints between the pieces of the mast that the antenna would fall down inside itself. Sounds to me like a bad connection at the cable. Quote
Norm's Coupe Posted March 18, 2009 Report Posted March 18, 2009 Then the problem is in the connections as mentioned. Could be simply a loose fit on the body of the car causing the problem. Or........it's a bad connection from the wire to the antenna connections. Also could be that the wire itself is broken somewhere between the antenna and radio. Sounds like it may be time to replace it. Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 18, 2009 Report Posted March 18, 2009 by all means check the ground of the anternna at the base where it mounts to the fender..90% of all antenna problems usually result in lose/dirty connection point to ground..the rest is in the interconnecting cable or the antennea is physically busted Quote
aero3113 Posted March 18, 2009 Author Report Posted March 18, 2009 I may have found one at a local parts store ($9.99) that might work but it is not telescoping, do you think it will not look right if it is not telescoping?. It says it will adjust up to 18 deg , will that be enough for the fender? Quote
BobT-47P15 Posted March 18, 2009 Report Posted March 18, 2009 Personally, I would keep looking for a telescoping type, with the rounded base that can be adjusted for angle of the fender. They have some with a spring at the bottom, which I don't care for. The auto store may have access to more than they have hanging on the shelf. See if they will look in their books, or on their computer. Do you have an O'Reilly Auto store? Here is one of the type I'm thinking of. That U shaped part on the bottom lets it work on the fender slope. Quote
aero3113 Posted March 18, 2009 Author Report Posted March 18, 2009 No O'Reilly's around here, the auto store that I went to does have the one you show but I do not think the base is big enough. My problem is that the previous owner had the car painted but did not remove the antenna, they just painted around the base. So I will need a base that will cover the unpainted area. Here is A Pic of the one that I have now ,you can see how much bigger the base is.I guess maybe I can make a rubber piece to go under and cover it, unless the one you show has a bigger base.Is that yours can you measure the base for me? Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 18, 2009 Report Posted March 18, 2009 bite the big one and get the real deal... Quote
Norm's Coupe Posted March 19, 2009 Report Posted March 19, 2009 You could always get one like BobT pictured, then make a base gasket type of deal to cover the spot the old one was in. Could probably make the spacer gasket type of thing using the old antenna to cover the unpainted area. That said. You may have a problem with the paint there anyway, even if you got the same type of antenna. That's because some of the paint could chip or peel off in that area as you remove the old antenna from the car. I bought a new one like BobT pictured at a swap meet for about $10 several years back. Another option would be to put a hidden antenna in the trunk or under the dash and just leave the old one where it is. Quote
steveplym Posted March 19, 2009 Report Posted March 19, 2009 I've been thinking if I ever decide to put a radio in my car I will get a hidden antenna. I would put an aftermarket radio in with speakers probably built into a wooden console. Something like 47heaven has. Found some links for hidden antennas. http://www.ecshylites.citymax.com/page/page/761353.htm http://www.carshopinc.com/product_info.php/products_id/9206/HAB http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Radio-Antennas,4586.html Quote
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