'A'

[HarleyEarl]

What is this object?

[loki]

the XM/sirius antenna if this isn't a joke.

[Intrepidation]

Shouldn't this be in trivia?

It's an antenna.

Otherwise A is for Ass.

[HarleyEarl]

the XM/sirius antenna if this isn't a joke.

It is the shark fin antenna.

A is for antenna.

The stick antenna is disappearing.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22790523/

[loki]

this is sad. my 83 buick had an antenna that was detachable... and could be a pointer or a temporary weapon, till it got bent.

[HarleyEarl]

I always liked the look of the rear mounted antenna, seemed to look classy.

I've heard the word aerial used sometimes, but seems very rare.

Edited September 6, 2008 by HarleyEarl

[ocnblu]

That's an awful short thread title, Harley. :AH-HA_wink:

[HarleyEarl]

I have no size issues.

Short or long arials, as long as the reception is good.

[HarleyEarl]

For some reason dual rear antennas were the rage in the 50s. It got me wondering, were they both hooked up?......better reception?...or just cool looks?

[ocnblu]

Where's balthy? He could answer your question. I always thought one of them was a "dummy", and was put on just for symmetry and cool looks. I could be wong.

[the_yellow_dart]

I once saw a radio shop worker install a factory radio in a '59 Chevy that originally had none. He had to drill a hole in the body for the antenna. He looked like he was going to crap himself as he brought drill to metal!

In the other bay of the shop at the time was a late '50s Thunderbird, it was quite odd to walk in and see the two of them like that.

[Oracle of Delphi]

For some reason dual rear antennas were the rage in the 50s. It got me wondering, were they both hooked up?......better reception?...or just cool looks?

They were popular in the early 60's too.

[HarleyEarl]

I've had many Cutlasses, but I do remember one of them, the '74 had the antenna in the windshield. I've read that they had reception problems. I don't ever recall having any issues with it. And then GM stopped making them. Now they are coming back and it's like wow, what a great idea. GM was there 30 years ago.

[ocnblu]

Whoa, a trivia question: when did GM first start with the windshield antennae? '69? '70? '71? I don't bemember.

[HarleyEarl]

Do you recall, GM got the rear mounted antenna bug back in the 80s and moved it there I believe on every vehicle except trucks. Even today you see it out back on the Cobalt.

Ford seemed to stay with front right fender, 'American' placement.

Chrysler had some rear mounts, as I recall.

And Euros, seemed to either have rear or roof mounted. You see more and mroe American cars with roof mount. Like the HHR has it in a very classic top of windsheld position. Early American cars sometimes had it there.

The occasional model would have it on the driver's side, it always seemed strange to my eye.

And the Japanese, most often they had it on the front pillar.

[HarleyEarl]

Do you recall, GM got the rear mounted antenna bug back in the 80s and moved it there I believe on every vehicle except trucks. Even today you see it out back on the Cobalt.

Ford seemed to stay with front right fender, 'American' placement.

Chrysler had some rear mounts, as I recall.

And Euros, seemed to either have rear or roof mounted. You see more and more American cars with roof mount. Like the HHR has it in a very classic top of windsheld position. Early American cars sometimes had it there.

The occasional model would have it on the driver's side, it always seemed strange to my eye.

And the Japanese, most often they had it on the front pillar.

[ocnblu]

I just wish the Solstice Targa had its antenna in the back glass, somehow.

[HarleyEarl]

Blu, forgot about the Solstice/Sky twins.....strangest placement of the antenna. Did they do this for anticipated coolness? Which didn't really play out.

[Sixty8panther]

Where's balthy? He could answer your question. I always thought one of them was a "dummy", and was put on just for symmetry and cool looks. I could be wong.

I'm prettty sure they were both functional on the

GMs... why NOT have them be functional? Sure, I

love the look, but if one is not wired in than that's

juststupid and lazy... back in the 1950s & 1960s,

GM was NOT lazy, it was not a hollow shell of its'

former self like today.

---

Now as far as the windshield mounted Antena, my

buddy's '79 Citation and a few of the cars I have

owned and/or driven with them 'recepted' just fine.

[Intrepidation]

Do you recall, GM got the rear mounted antenna bug back in the 80s and moved it there I believe on every vehicle except trucks. Even today you see it out back on the Cobalt.

Ford seemed to stay with front right fender, 'American' placement.

Chrysler had some rear mounts, as I recall.

And Euros, seemed to either have rear or roof mounted. You see more and more American cars with roof mount. Like the HHR has it in a very classic top of windsheld position. Early American cars sometimes had it there.

The occasional model would have it on the driver's side, it always seemed strange to my eye.

And the Japanese, most often they had it on the front pillar.

LH cars, at least the 2nd gens (not sure about the first gens) had the rear mounted antennas. I like the look better than those mounted on the fender.

[XP715]

I've had many Cutlasses, but I do remember one of them, the '74 had the antenna in the windshield. I've read that they had reception problems. I don't ever recall having any issues with it. And then GM stopped making them. Now they are coming back and it's like wow, what a great idea. GM was there 30 years ago.

Yeah, a great idea until the windshield gets broken and replacement cost is three times what a normal windshield goes for. Hope you got glass insurance!

And speaking of Cutlasses, my '77 had a windshield antenna as well

[Delta Force79]

My '78 98 had the windshield antenna and got normal AM/FM reception as far as I can recall. My '79 88 has the optional power antenna mounted on the right front fender.

[§carlet §wordfish]

From Chevrolet's Hot Ones 1955 - 1956 - 1957 (talking about a hypothetical sales situation):

"The salesoman was warming up to this buyer, so he took him over to the Bel Air on the showroom floor and demonstrated the Wonder Bar radio and left rear antenna ($112.00). The buyer was all smiles, so the salesman suggested a matching dummy right rear antenna ($6.95) to give a sleek and balanced look."