Radio aerial / antenna - looking for ideas.

[Colin Lindsay]

I need a radio aerial for my 13/60, but there are particular requirements, so all ideas welcome. It's for the hole in the bulkhead currently blanked off, to the front of the windscreen pillar, so it's more for looks than performance. (I have those screen-mounted versions which are good, but it's more to fill in the hole and look good than any other reason.) I've blanked the hole with a rubber grommet, due to the double-skinned fabrication some of the chrome blanking plugs won't fit as they cannot be tightened from below.

Under the dash, space is limited - one like that in the photograph actually sticks out below the dash and so hits my legs as I drive. It's also got a bare minimum of bling - the shiny metal bit has gotten smaller over the years until it's almost non-existent. I want one that looks shiny and period, doesn't go below the dash, but isn't permanently ten feet tall either. I've seen a few pillar-mounted versions that may be adaptable, especially the semi-retractable versions, but I want one that will fit the same mounting point that's already there. Anyone else got the same problem and found a good solution? 

 

 

  

 

[Steve P]

Hi Colin,

I have the same on both my Herald and Vitesse with an adaptor for DAB.Where is yours mounted?, mine are sort of on the corner in line with screen pillar and the lower part goes down the recess at the side where the cover trim is so no interference and no  cable showing.

Steve 

[Mjit]

If it's for show rather than go, find the shiniest one you can find and just cut it off under the dash?

Edited May 31, 2023 by Mjit

[Colin Lindsay]

1 hour ago, Mjit said:

If it's for show rather than go, find the shiniest one you can find and just cut it off under the dash?

Lol my thinking exactly!! I've seen a few that could be adapted.

Re Steve's post - I trial fitted one similar to the photo above, it sat down below the dash too far for my liking, and also at a funny angle so that when extended it was outwards of the car body. Something rakish and period looking, methinks...  this one is American, but blingy.

Edited May 31, 2023 by Colin Lindsay

[PeteH]

3 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said:

chrome blanking plugs won't fit as they cannot be tightened from below.

Considered Bonding one in?. Some of the modern adhesives will stick S***t to a blanket or anything else for that matter?

Pete

[Colin Lindsay]

2 minutes ago, PeteH said:

Considered Bonding one in?. Some of the modern adhesives will stick S***t to a blanket or anything else for that matter?

Pete

Could do but it's still a blanked-off hole, albeit shiny. I want a nice chrome aerial!!!!

[Chris A]

when I got my car there was an old one fitted that needed replacing, didn't fully retract. Fitted a replacement, not that I listen to the radio, no problem with space under dash/bulkhead. I once got back to the car at a show to find a couple of 'youngtimers' looking at it trying to figure out what it was . .

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/401143244279?hash=item5d660025f7:g:ffYAAOxyzHxROtv8

[Colin Lindsay]

I may have sorted it - will report further when eBay delivers; but in the meantime I've fallen in love with this one. Too pricey but I just love the concept.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124563315283?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D777008%26algo%3DPERSONAL.TOPIC%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20201018205123%26meid%3Da01591c437694847a2d44aabaa0273c3%26pid%3D101286%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26mehot%3Dnone%26itm%3D124563315283%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2380057%26algv%3DWatchlistVariantWithMLR&_trksid=p2380057.c101286.m47999&_trkparms=pageci%3A26dcfdd2-088a-11ee-86ba-5a0295e4dee9|parentrq%3Aabd441de1880aa7139a54adcfffcfdf4|iid%3A1

 

[Chris A]

Never seen one like that before

[Peter Truman]

Suggest mount electric aerial on drivers side around 64 dad with his Merc 300SE which had an elect aerial had stopped at lights with cyclist very close on the inside think he must of had hand resting on wing, dad put radio on aerial started to go up cyclists coat sleeve fortunately he quickly moved his hand I don’t think dad saw what was happening.

[Colin Lindsay]

Well, found a stopgap... which knowing me will go on for some time. Spotted a very strange but nice looking alloy antenna on eBay, cost me £3. A little bit of drill work this afternoon and I managed to get it at a jaunty angle on the chrome blanking plug, threaded the hole and screwed a bolt into it, then just cut the top off the bolt. Result: mounts the same, sits at an offset and slightly tilted back as required against the screen, and looks like a mostly-retracted telescopic. It'll do for a while, but definitely a one-off...

     

[Josef]

It has the look of a late 50s American car styling, like the massive chrome bullet bumpers etc.