fender antenna

[Citizen]

More importantly, why on earth would you build a car with a radio, but no antenna?
[snip]
No idea

Of course I don't know for sure either, but I think the cars where intentionally shipped without the fender antenna masts so to prevent damage during transit (transfer from factory to port-of-exit, transition onto ship, off of ship, transit to QAC). Then on arrival at QAC in the United States, antennas were easily put on, then shipped to dealers.

T.

...

[DMC-81]

Absolutely....we did a bunch of them. It was a common retrofit but almost everyone just capped the fender hole or left the windshield in so the telltale was still there. Now that the holes can more readily be welded and in some cases shields have been replaced there may well be "cheater" cars out there but it's a nice refinement over the fender mount which almost no one likes.
Rob

Thanks Rob. One last question. For the windshield antenna & stock Craig unit (which I have), has anybody installed a signal booster like one of these? Do they work?

http://www.lightinthebox.com/vehicle...Fcdehgod-sYFiQ

http://www.carid.com/american-intern...FQZZhgodelEP7g

[PJ Grady Inc.]

Thanks Rob. One last question. For the windshield antenna & stock Craig unit (which I have), has anybody installed a signal booster like one of these? Do they work?

http://www.lightinthebox.com/vehicle...Fcdehgod-sYFiQ

http://www.carid.com/american-intern...FQZZhgodelEP7g

I installed a few signal boosters back in the day on fender and quarter antenna'd cars with a marked improvement but never on a W/S antenna car. Today's radios generally don't require an FM booster. I'd suggest the power antenna upgrade as the better, albeit more expensive, fix. No harm in trying one first however!
Rob

[steve6864]

Time bender stated a few posts back he had Vin 7000. September 81 build. I have 6864,November 81 build. Antennae is right front fender,electric. Biggest question is how does my car have a earlier Vin,but,later build date!?

[DMC-81]

I installed a few signal boosters back in the day on fender and quarter antenna'd cars with a marked improvement but never on a W/S antenna car. Today's radios generally don't require an FM booster. I'd suggest the power antenna upgrade as the better, albeit more expensive, fix. No harm in trying one first however!
Rob

Thanks Rob. I probably would favor the power antenna over the booster. I'll refurb/clean the head unit and then reassess. Apologies to the OP. I hope I didn't derail the thread.

[mluder]

Well... I fall into the NO ANTENNA range at 4456. If my rear mounted antenna was done at a QAC then whoever cut the rear vent for the mast clearance had the steadiest hand I've ever encountered... And the patience to finish the cut to pristine spec. because there's no sign of it being done after the fact.

Of course it's possible the rear vent piece was of the "newer" style made for the rear antenna cars and was installed at the factory without an antenna. But, it seems unlikely they would have had those pieces on hand prior to having antennas.

It's a mystery.

Cheers
Steve

[JRNY13]

Is it true that JZD didn't like the look of the fender antenna and that's why it was discontinued?

[5875]

I have an original windshield and original rear power antenna - Oct 81, VIN 5875. There's also 3 other Oct 81 cars in my hometown and all have the same as my car. Perhaps the antenna's were added on US soil at a QC depot.