Hidden antenna
 

I am going to be mounting my stereo/cd player in an overhead console. I have seen an antenna from auto loc(hidden) and I am thinking of putting it in the area above the windshield and under the headliner. I know it doesn't work for A.M. but I,m wondering if any of you have experience with this typea for F.M. reception, or can recommend any other that can be hidden?

Wayne

B/B- A couple of options here. They sell the windshield type antennas that actually attach to the windshield via a fine wire. Similar to a rear window defroster. They are tough to put on and easily break. I'm not running my CD player on an overhead console, but I merely tucked a standard antenna under my dash and above my glovebox. I get good reception on both AM and FM channels. Another option is to purchase the small rubber antennas or short stainless wire ones and simply mount it inside the console between the headliner and console. They sell small 6-8" wire antennas on ebay. Being in Riverside, you shouldn't have a problem with reception so you won't need a large antenna to get reception. Hope this helps. Ed

The stock antenna idea sounds good to me Ed, I never considered it, I,m thinking that is what I,ll try. Radio is not all that important to me as I will probably be using the cd player more for smokin oldies. But if I can have the radio functioning too, all the better.

Thanks

I can tell you that there is a hidden antenna sold on ebay that I tried, don't remember the name but was something Italian. Two major problems, the intructions were in Italian only, and I only speak Missourian, and it didn't pick up squat. It had the wire to the radio, but also two other black wires that went to ?? If there was just one I'd suspect a ground but there were two identical ones both with bare wire ends. Anyway, mounted in the cab it picked up only a couple nearby stations.

I ended up mounting a short whip antenna under the passenger side wheel well, mounted as high up on the cowl as I could and pointing down. It picks up just about every station possible now. I do have fiberglass fenders, metal ones might impede performance doing it this way.

Scott

B/B Ford-

I have used the one sold by Dakota Digital twice with good reception on FM both times. They actuall have a module that glues to the glass. The last one used was in the 56 I sold. I mounted it in the center as high as possible on the glass by the mirror and it wasn't very noticeable. Prior to that one I used one in a 34 Ford and mounted it to a bracket behind the headliner. Hope this helps.

Here's a pic of that Dakota Digital un-tenna.

http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.c...rod/prd105.htm

Ditto on the Dakota Digital unit

Yep thats the one I have now (Dakota Digital) seems to work just fine.

Wayne,

Did you fabricate your own overhead console or did you buy one? If you fabbed it do you have some pics? I'm kicking around the idea to try and bend something up for my 49

Thanks
Bobby

Bobby, ck my gallery, under ''top cutz'' there is a pic that shows the console I built with tubing and sheet metal, it's pretty simple and maybe will be of some help. http://campaigns.ford-trucks.net/for...ons/icon14.gif

Looks cool! I like the 1/2" tubing idea to round out the corners, it really smooths things out.

I'm going to try and build and overhead console and was wondering about how to attach it.

Bobby

Bobby, I,m letting my upholsterer build my overhead console. I,m just getting everything ready for him. It was supposed to be this morning, but due to weather conditions I decided to wait until tomorrow.

FF56, your center console is awsome! I shied away from something like that because I wanted three people to fit in cab.

Wayne,

Thanks for the info.

I figure I'll start cutting up some poster board and see if I can make it look like anything. I'm in no big hurry and Lord knows, I have plenty of other chores on the truck to keep me busy.


Bobby

Bobby, on my truck there is a piece of U shaped sheet metal that runs from the front to the back, It has about 3/4" gap between it and the roof. It is a couple of inches wide and was also used for the original courtesy light.

B/B ford, isn't that center piece near the ceiling of the cab use to hold up the headliner?