1937 Packard 120 Convertible Coupe Radio Antenna Location

I assumed there was a factory radio antenna option for 1937 Packard 120's. Can anyone tell me where the radio antenna was mounted and what it looked like. I am restoring a 37 Packard 120 Convertible Coupe and it currently has an antenna mounted on the driver's side right in front of the driver's door. Two rather large holes in the body panel where it is mounted and I need to fill them in now that the body sheet metal is being worked on if there was not supposed to be an antenna mounted there. For all I know, the antenna may be aftermarket or original but I have nothing to compare it to. A photo or description of what the original looks like would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Bob

Email: pint4@new.rr.com

I believe the radio antenna on these Packards were mounted under the running board. You may get more information on this on the PAC and Packard Info web sites.

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There is a picture on http://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=15526&forum=1&post_id=156371#forumpost156371 of a 37 110 that shows the location of the antenna and it's on the drivers side in front of the door and there are two mounting brackets

I read through the comments when I visited the link and it appears the car is actually a 1939. The antenna used on the 1939 models may not have been an available option in 1937 so it may not be year correct. I was hoping for more definitive confirmation. the antenna is not listed in the accessories catalog for 1937. Couldn't find it listed as an option anywhere also. It is possible my antenna was added sometime after 1937 to improve reception.

Thanks,

Bob

Convertibles usually had the antenna sewn into the top. Sedans often had a lead that used the chicken wire in the roof insert for an antenna also. The cowl mount antenna could also have been used if the customer didn't get good reception from the top antenna.

Unsure of 1937 but 1936 120 convertibles had the radio antenna mounted beneath the running board.

I researched this many years ago when I was restoring my '37 120 Convertible Coupe. My car was an original unrestored car that I purchased from the original owner. When I had a new top put on, we found the radio antenna wire running down the driver's door frame, under the door sill, and up to the top across the center bow. It was stapled onto the top of the center bow and it looked like it had been there since Moses' day.

I also found out that there was an option of mounting the antenna under the running board. And Dave is correct, sedans had an option for either mounting the antenna it with two holes drilled into the driver's side cowl, or up the drivers side post onto chicken wire that was underneath the cloth top.

I suspect that the antenna wires attached to the center top bow or the chicken wire were factory installed radios; the cowl mounted or running board antennas were either dealer-mounted or aftermarket-mounted. That's just my guess.

No matter how the antenna was mounted, you still couldn't hear s**t from the radio. Interesting thing with my radio, when the top us up reception is OK, but when the top is down there is no reception. Another Packard feature. But when you think of it, those radios weren't very loud, and with the top down and the wind blowing by, you probably couldn't hear the radio anyway.

I recently took apart an original 37 120 sedan and the antenna lead goes to the chicken wire in the roof, even though the car had no radio. On my 37 115 coupe roadster it went to the top. Other antennas were usually installed by dealers at extra cost. They may or may not have worked better, but certainly made the dealer more money than plugging into the existing lead left by the factory.

The one I had on my '37 120CD had wire going to the chicken wire in the roof covering. Reception was poor possible due to age. It was better when the under runningboard antenna was installed.

Yesteryear radio, make a reproduction running board antenna, about $500 as I recall.

lhttp://www.yesterdaysradio.com/antenna.html