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I would like to replace the antenna on my '76 dent with a screw on type so I can just take it off when I need to put my truck cover on. The one I have now I have to remove a nut take the chrome trim piece and rubber mount off and fold the antenna under a windshield wiper. I would love to get something where the base is permanent and the mast can just be screwed and unscrewed quickly like on my '05 F150. Anybody have any suggestions?
If you have any luck at the local boneyards, try looking for one off a '79. The antenna screws into the base. Can't say for sure about any other years....mebbe '78-'79 are the same. Mebbe a peek on e-bay or a internet search for '79 F350 antenna?
If you have any luck at the local boneyards, try looking for one off a '79. The antenna screws into the base. Can't say for sure about any other years....mebbe '78-'79 are the same. Mebbe a peek on e-bay or a internet search for '79 F350 antenna?
Could you post a picture of the '79 screw-on antenna you're referencing? I've been trying to find out if my antenna is original since I bought my truck and may be the style you're referencing.
To the OP: I assume you can't poke a hole in the cover to fit the antenna through? That's what we do with our cars, but also use them more for a dust cover inside than anything; not for keeping the weather out.
I have no experience with them, but some of the hot rod shops sell antennas that are completely under the dash or on the windshield for guys that have shaved their antennas completely. Could be an option for you.
Do a quick search on Amazon for 'car antenna', there are a variety of antennas with simple screwed-on masts - some you thread the antenna onto the base, some have a half-ball at the base through which you thread a screw into the half-ball at the base of the actual antenna mast. None are difficult to install. Worst case you may have to open up the hole in the fender to a 1" round hole, and if you want to route the cable via the original path it can be a trick the first couple of times you do it, but it isn't bad. A dealership installer could remove the front of the dash, put a 1" hole in the fender, and install speaker, antenna, and radio in well under an hour. BTDT
Bill,
Thanks for the post. Can you tell from the below photo if this is an example of a correct 78/79 style antenna as referenced above? Or is this aftermarket of some kind?
To the OP, this style can be loosened and folded down easily, but I have no idea if it is correct or not. It came on my 79 with AM factory radio. Original paint with no sign of a wide base antenna being there at any time.
Thanks for the reply Bill, that is what I always suspected. Never did a Marti-report on my truck and didn't have any of the original paperwork for it to see if the AM radio was factory or if it was radio-delete originally. Must have had the AM radio dealer (or owner) installed later.
OP, disregard my post unless you want to trade me a sweet adjustable antenna parts-store antenna for a factory original!
Agree 100% with Bill, that is the same aftermarket antenna type you find on Amazon. Note that many dealerships brought their vehicles in without radios and installed whatever unit a customer chose at the dealership; and often what was available through the dealer was not always a standard Ford part. If a dealer could buy an AM-FM cassette unit for $80 from a local place, pay the installer an hours to mount radio, speakers, antenna, and sell it for $250 - and the comparable Ford unit cost them $180, which way would they go? The customer probably didn't know any better, and forty years later...
Antenna mounts of the time were almost all standard 1" holes - if you put a 1" hole in the right spot in a fender you could probably mount 90% of the aftermarket - and many factory OEM - antennas.
Note that many dealerships brought their vehicles in without radios and installed whatever unit a customer chose at the dealership; and often what was available through the dealer was not always a standard Ford part.
If a dealer could buy an AM-FM cassette unit for $80 from a local place, pay the installer an hours to mount radio, speakers, antenna, and sell it for $250 -
and the comparable Ford unit cost them $180, which way would they go? The customer probably didn't know any better, and forty years later...
There was no comparable Ford radio for 1973/79 F100/350's and 1978/79 Bronco's with a cassette (or 8 track), because Ford didn't offer either until 1980.
You could get an AM/FM cassette or AM/FM 8 track in 1973/79 FoMoCo Passenger Cars and 1975/79 Econolines, but that was it.
In general, the point was that aftermarket units allowed dealers a shot at a better profit margin than factory units did - if a dealer had a trusted installer on tap who could do clean installations at a better price. You would know better than I which specific units were available via Ford.
I know the last time i was in pep boys they had some antenna that looked pretty close and had the rectangle base. I had put one on my fox mustang. You could look there if there is one near you.
Could you post a picture of the '79 screw-on antenna you're referencing? I've been trying to find out if my antenna is original since I bought my truck and may be the style you're referencing.
Been late getting back home these days and the pictures were taken in the dark..... from my '79 F250 4WD:
Taken in the dark, looking toward the driver's side...antenna off, yes the chrome is shiny...
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cost them $180, which way would they go? The customer probably didn't know any better, and forty years later...
