Hello guys,

I am trying to use my old AM radio due to a $15 dollar radio budget. Another point is of all the radios I have collected over the Delco 1970 model is the only model that has identification to where each wire goes ie ground, speaker, power etc....All the others are just plugs that I can't figure out. I am just going to wire each outlet directly.

Another point is that I don't have any room in the dash to put it in it's stock location so I am putting it under the seat. I am extening the knob to be able to operate it we only have one AM music station in town anyways. Therefore I can't use the stock hookups.

The only variable is an antenna. I have lots of old stereos would I be able to modify anything to work??? Is an antenna powered?? This sounds really cheap but would a coat hanger work?????????



Thanks

Kris

I have used small screwdrivers and short pieces of wire in antenna plug holes on radio's to get a signal into them. When testing for AM to get the strongest signal I need about 28-30 inches of wire (or coat hanger) in the radio's antenna plug unshielded but whatever conductor you choose it must make good electrical connection inside the radio (not like painted coat hangers or plastic ones).
If you want to go low budget you could use a flexible multistand wire (like 16-18 gauge) as an antenna but if this wire is under the seat or inside the car reception will be limited as a lot will be blocked by the steel in the car. It will only get signal through openings like the windshield, side windows, and rear glass.
What I've done in street rods or on cars I don't want to have antenna's on the exterior is modify an antenna extension cable (48" or up to 100" depending on the radio's mounting location). The one end will plug into the radio and then the cable is routed to the windshield frame. At that point the outer insulation and shielding is removed from the coax cable to where I am left with 30" of center conductor exposed (this would be considered the mast of my antenna). Since this conductor cannot touch metal on the car I take 32" of small shrink wrap tubing and place it over the exposed center conductor and over the cut end where the outer shield was removed and using a heat gun shrink it down. I then tuck it into the inside of the front windshield caulking going up the A pillar and across the top by the roof.
I now have an antenna that is not having a lot of signal blocked and there is no outside antenna mast.
Jim

Thanks again Jim,

Well I bench tested the old unit and it worked fine!! I just used a coat hanger and next thing you know Eric Clapton's "I Shot the Shariff" was blasting!! I was thinking since the radio will be bolted to the floor why not make a hole in the floor pan and run some 16-18 guage flexible multistand (Do you mean multistrand??) wire through the hole as an antenna?

I noticed that the radio seems to be sensitive to the position of antenna, it would probably take some tuning to get it right.

Here is a pic of the scene,


Kris

They usually pick up a bunch of motor noise without a shielded antena.

Thanks again Jim,
I was thinking since the radio will be bolted to the floor why not make a hole in the floor pan and run some 16-18 guage flexible multistand (Do you mean multistrand??) wire through the hole as an antenna?

I noticed that the radio seems to be sensitive to the position of antenna, it would probably take some tuning to get it right.

Kris

Your welcome.

What are you planning to do with the wire once it's through this hole in the floor ?. I have seen street rodders run antenna's under running boards before and you might be able to do the same thing on yours but you need to insulate the mast so if it is wire tied to the frame it won't short out or if you do go with a multistrand wire either way you might have to play with positioning. A short run like right out of the radio and then through the floor you may not pick up any interference.

I think too, looking at your picture the hole right above the tuning shaft there might be a phillips or flat head screw and it might even be labeled as such but I think those radio's had antenna trimmer's. This was to match the antenna to the radio to maximize reception. It's been many, many years since I installed something like that but I think you tuned to a weak station up high on the dial (1200-1400) and then twisted the antenna trimmer screw to get the most volume and signal and then you were done. Some of the old dashes had a corresponding hole in them to where you popped of the tuning knob off of the radio's shaft to access it and not have to remove the radio.

Jim

One guy mentioned mounting the antenna in the front bumper. Do you think that would be to much metal and interfere with the signal? I like the idea of stripping the antenna cable and running it up the pillar post. How did that work out? It sounds like a cool idea.

Since you have to have your antenna grounded I suppose that the front bumper is as good a place as any. It wouldn't be my first choice tho. Asthetically I mean. Whats wrong with your windshield antenna?

One guy mentioned mounting the antenna in the front bumper. Do you think that would be to much metal and interfere with the signal? I like the idea of stripping the antenna cable and running it up the pillar post. How did that work out? It sounds like a cool idea.

It doesn't work bad at all but I have not conducted any test compared to a mast on the front fender. Most of the time just about anything will work for FM and few people listen to AM any more. The ones I have done this way the customer's are happy with just about any air wave signal. Times have changed also as most now are listening to CD's or CDR's or switching to satellite radio. On the satellite radio antenna's out of about 2 dozen I've installed I have only put two of the antenna's outside the car. All the other's were under the plastic dash pad tops, on top of the dash boards by the base of the windshield or on top of or under the rear package shelf.

I would really question how well even a mast antenna would work behind a bumper with steel above and below it and also in front of it. If all else fails try it temporarily with an antenna extension and some zip ties.

Jim

Not to hijack the thread but.....Charbilly2001 asked about the windshield antenna...what do you do if the leads to the windshield antenna are broken off?
steve