Hello, I am needing to replace my rear mounted antenna.. What I have appears to be the original one, but it is showing some wear and the mast is broken at the base.. It looks like the mast was screwed into the base and part of the threads are still stuck in the base. Is this typical with the telescoping style? On some of the newer cars I have played with only fixed mast had a screw in base.

I am asking this for another reason.. I read in my searches that a fixed mast = AM/FM and telescoping = AM only.

I have also read that a 68 with a rear mount antenna would be AM only and telescoping.

The original radio was not in my car when I got it and I would like to know what it came with from the factory. I have only been able to locate the Trim Broadcast sheet which indicates a U80 auxiliary rear speaker and the factory wires are still there.

Another strange option code I can not seem to find anywhere was D15. Is there a way to tell if your car had an AM or AM/FM originally.. I thought I was on to something with the antenna thing..

One other thing to note: (not sure if it matters) is my 68 is a strike car with Buick GS interior.

Any help would be great and some close ups of rear antenna bases would help..

Thanks, Dave

http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/500/medium/Picture_029.jpg

http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/500/medium/Picture_0301.jpg

Bill Rose has a rear antenna on his '68. If he'll stop working on the Elky long enough, he could help you out. :D
You're correct about the rear antenna being AM only. There's not any way I know of to tell which radio you had w/o the build sheet or original window sticker.:(
BillL

If Mr Lessenberry would spend a small fraction of his "computer time" helping me with the Elky project, it would be finished by now and I could spend more time helping out the 68'ers here on TC.

Not sure if this answers the question, but yes, the rear antenna is an adjustable mast and it does screw into the base. So if the base you have is original to the car, it came with an AM only radio. If you measure the location of the antenna, I can tell you if it's in the original location. Chances are, if someone added the antenna, they wouldn't have drilled the hole in the exact location as the factory did.

Thanks guys..

Yes, you all answered my questions about the antenna and AM/FM deal.. I am sure the antenna is original because when I had the carpet out it was routed and secured very nice.. (see pic)

Some day I would also like to fully decode what is on my broadcast sheet…. But for now Bill get back to work on the Elky… :thumbsup: Progress is looking great!

Thanks again Dave

http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/500/medium/Picture_0252.jpg

I will second that.

It has always been my understanding that the rear antenna were AM only.

Not sure i this will help, or just muddy the waters, but...

My first 68SS (1976-1981) had the factory installed rear antenna, and an AM radio. Antenna cable routing as I recall, looked just like what is pictured above, and of course, no hole on top of the right front fender. However, the antenna itself was of the fixed mast variety. I cannot verify the originality of the setup, but as this car only had one previous owner, and nothing else on the car (other than tires, battery, points, etc.), had been changed, I have no reason to believe that it was not as it was originally delivered.

For what its worth... Atlanta built, December car. Low horse 4-speed.

My 68SS also had a fixed mast rear mount antenna with AM and rear seat speaker. I thought maybe someone put it on there because it was a replacement for the factory antenna.

During restoration I purchased an NOS telescoping antenna and now I wonder if I should put the fixed mast back on.