Alternate power antenna

[Barney Eaton]

I have had a few Riviera owners ask if there is an alternate power antenna for their cars.....'63-65 owners in general do not like the antenna extending 7 inches out of the fender when it is all the way down.

I know that to be stock, the antenna will need to be out of the fender, but there are others that do not show their car and want an antenna that does not get damaged when down and is easy to find.

The 1980 and newer Delco Slimline was used on all GM products from 1981 until power antenna went away.   They are plentiful and with an adaptor would attach to the stock fender trim.

Also you can use the original UP/DOWN switch with very minor electrical/wiring modifications.

I have not made a working unit but just wanted to see if there is actually an interest.     I could make a sketch for an adaptor and you could make the adaptor yourself and I can show the wiring.

The one thing I would need is the dimensions of the stock (chrome) fender adaptor........if anyone has a poor guality one it would work for trial.

 

[jsgun]

I was curious about this also. I really don't like the antenna sticking out, it's a bad design IMO.

[Barney Eaton]

Sorry but I was a little premature on the Delco suggestion ......as you can see the Delco is about 3 1/2 longer than a 1963-65 Riviera unit.

I hate to suggest it but the Chinese units you can buy online and at auto parts stores are about the same length as the Riviera........see photo.

[telriv]

Someone has already figured this out as it's been posted before, but I can't find it doing a search.

[steelman]

17 hours ago, telriv said:

Someone has already figured this out as it's been posted before, but I can't find it doing a search.

I can't get the search to work either. He used a Hirschmann Hit Auta 2050. I bought one of these but have not installed it yet. Too many other irons in the fire right now. Here is an ebay link, but I bought mine on Amazon. If you find the write-up, you will see this is not a direct bolt in, but can be made to work. I printed it off when I bought the antenna, but it is in the trunk of the car with the antenna.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hirschmann-2050-Electric-Aerial-Power-Antenna-Chrome-Top-Classic-Car-Oldtimer-/172094018541

 

[Barney Eaton]

Here are my thoughts on attaching the aftermarket antenna to the factory chrome fender mount.

The chrome mount would slip inside the adaptor which would have a slit...a hose clamp would clamp the adaptor to the chrome mount.

Same with the aftermarket antenna....it would fit into the bottom of the adaptor and be held in place with another hose clamp.

 

 

My sketch shows the factory hardware on the right and the suggested adaptor on the left.

 

The aftermarket antenna come with a relay.......the attached schematic is for a late GM power antenna which should be about the same as the aftermarket.

Coming from the front of the car are two wires,  one raises the antenna the other lowers it.     You would need to ground the wire from the relay.

The wire coming from the UP position of your antenna switch would attach to the relay terminal that is for UP,   The DOWN wire would attach to the DOWN wire of the relay

Edited April 1, 2019 by Barney Eaton (see edit history)