radio antenna replacement

[Guest]

Strange, my 73 TR6 came with a factory radio and the antenna mounted in a hole in the RIGHT fender. Couldn't hear it anyway, so I pulled it out, put in a blanking plate where the radio once was and fitted a smooth rubber plug in the hole in the fender. Exhausts are too loud....

Bill

 

[Steven]

thanks Mickey...your idea sounds like a good one if in fact I can get that **** clamp off under the antenna hole. Is there a set procedure for taking the antenna out? There must be some special trick to it. I don't understand why the Bentley manual doesn't give instructions. Has anyone else out there actually pulled one of these out??????

 

[steve99]

It may be a radio added to the vehicle once it reached this country. That would explain no procedure in the Bentley manual.

 

[Steven]

I was planning on replacing the radio antenna on my 75 TR6, and began to disassemble it from the outside of the car....It's held on by a clip under the left front fender, which i could probably get off and pull the entire antenna up with the cable from outside the car. I'm worried about installing a new one, and wonder how to feed the cable back to the inside of the car. There's no room to reach my hand up from inside. In a brief moment of thought I referred to the Bentley Manual, and found absolutely nothing in it on how to remove or install the radio antenna.
I find it difficult to believe that there's not some simple method, procedure, or trick to get this simple thing out, and a new one in. I mean after all, how many of us have had our radio antenna's snapped by some idiot. It happens at least once in our driving lives. I'd welcome any suggestions on installing a new antenna. I'm hoping to somehow figure out how to get a new antenna in or else I'll be stuck with just putting a mast on the stub of the original antenna.

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Steven -

Tie some string to the end of the cable and when you pull the antenna and cable out, you'll have the string to pull the new cable back through the other way.

 

[Steven]

an update on the radio antenna replacement...found out that the new replacements can be mounted without underneath access. Mickey's idea of fishing a line on the end of the old, and pulling it through when removing...and then tying it to the new cable to pull it on home is the way I'm gonna do it. The new antenna masts allow for you to push the antenna all the way down, and lock it, thereby doing the following:
1. avoid the wrath of vandals
2. avoid cutting a hole in your car cover
3. allow easier access to cleaning the windscreen, or waxing the car.
Best thing of all....it only costs $10

 

[Saff]

One other option you may consider (not for purists!) is a non-mast (i.e. electronic) antenna. This is a small box that mounts typically on the pillar between the windscreen and the door and provides radio reception/amplification. It requires a +12V power source and connects directly to the antenna jack on your radio. Cost is $20. Let me know if you want a source for one.

 

[Steven]

Thanks for the idea Saff...but part of my intention was to get rid of the lousy mast replacement I had on the car when I bought it back in 1984. It looks like it belongs more on a Chevy Truck than on a TR6. Moss Motors sells a locking replacement antenna for $10. That electronic antenna thing sounds like it should be used on all cars...a great idea to avoid vandals and have better access to waxing, cleaning the front windshield, etc.