1969 Shelby Power Antenna Questions

[nightmist67]

I am attempting to sort out fact from fiction regarding the type of radio antenna originally installed on my car.  In the course of restoring my 1969 Shelby GT350 convertible, we found that it currently has an aftermarket power antenna installed on the passenger side rear quarter panel approximately in line with the upper lip of the trunk opening.  The rear quarter panels are original to the car with all factory welds in place.  There is no evidence of a plugged hole for a Ward PM-300 manual antenna located elsewhere on either rear quarter panel that would correspond with the Marcus Anghel article on Mustang and Shelby radio antennae.  The hole in the passenger side rear quarter panel for the power antenna is almost directly above the center seam of the right rear wheelhouse such that the portion of a PM-300 antenna mast inside of the trunk does not appear to be able to reside in that location without the antenna being canted toward the front of the car in order to clear the wheelhouse.  The power antenna is oriented vertically, and the power antenna motor casing is pressing against the wheelhouse center seam.  Clearance was achieved apparently via hammer blows along the wheelhouse seam where it interfered with the antenna motor case.

Could this anomaly be due to a failure to follow the installation template for the PM-300 manual antenna by the dealer and his subsequent attempt to rectify his error by installing an antenna that would fit within that confined space?  If that was the case, what would be a period correct (Ford?) power antenna for such an application?         

[Coralsnake]

Dealers installed antennas on 68-70 Shelbys. They drilled the holes. In this case it appears the original dealer failed to follow the directions from Shelby.

They could install them wherever they wanted.

The 69 Shelby antennas were designed to be installed on the drivers side rear quarter panel.

[Bob Gaines]

Dealers installed antennas on 68-70 Shelbys. They drilled the holes. In this case it appears the original dealer failed to follow the directions from Shelby.

They could install them wherever they wanted.

The 69 Shelby antennas were designed to be installed on the drivers side rear quarter panel.

+1 . There is a 1965 part number accessory power antenna typically meant for full size cars but many have found their way on the rear quarter of 69/70 Shelby's as a retro fit. There is a spare unused mounting hole hidden from view above off center (convert top switch if equipped goes in center) from the radio face plate that can conveniently be used for a up and down switch that comes with the antenna. I have mentioned it before but can't come up with the number of the kit or a picture. They are frequently available NOS and used on ebay although a quick search doesn't turn up any as of this posting date.

[Special Ed]

The nos rotunda power antenna i had was in the box and went on little red and i thought it was a c7az #.  Little red had a nos power antenna still on it when found.

[Bob Gaines]

The nos rotunda power antenna i had was in the box and went on little red and i thought it was a c7az #.  Little red had a nos power antenna still on it when found.

Ed ,sorry but I am a just a little skeptical that little red had a NOS power antenna when it was found ? Did someone take a NOS (New Old Stock) one out of the box and install it the night before it was found ? You probably meant little red  had "A" power antenna on it when it was found or are you sticking with the NOS story? 

[Special Ed]

I meant it had an old poor condition original power antenna on  it when found and i supplied my nos one for the restoration

[Bob Gaines]

I meant it had an old poor condition original power antenna on  it when found and i supplied my nos one for the restoration

I knew that was what you meant . I just couldn't resist.

[nightmist67]

Understood that per the Marcus Anghel article the typical mounting location was on the driver's side rear quarter panel.  What I find unusual are that (1) the mounting hole for the antenna on my car is on the passenger side and (2) it is so far forward on the rear quarter panel relative to other cars that I have seen that have the PM-300/other manual radio antenna mounted on the driver's side.  As I mentioned earlier, the vertical clearance between the top of the rear quarter panel and the wheelhouse doesn't provide enough room to install the PM-300 manual antenna.  For that reason, it appears that for whatever type of antenna that was originally installed, the choice was driven by that portion that was inside the trunk such that it had to be shorter than the length of the PM-300 antenna mast that would be inside the trunk.

My car is a convertible, but there is no evidence of a switch for a power antenna anywhere on the dash.  Is it possible that power for the antenna could have been jury rigged into the power feed to the radio itself?  Based upon the crude surgery performed on the wheelhouse to accommodate the power antenna motor casing, I'm wondering if the dealer simply hacked into the power feed to the radio rather than go to the trouble to install a separate switch for the antenna on the dash.  We have not yet pulled the dash apart to trace any wiring back to the antenna.

[Royce Peterson]

Don't see how that would work. The Ford power antennas need a toggle switch to decide if the power is going to be used to put the antenna up, or if the power is going to be used to put the antenna down.

I met and talked with a former Philco engineer who was the original owner of a 1968 Cougar XR7-G which is of course a Shelby Automotive built car. He demanded that the dealer put a power antenna in the right rear quarter of his new car. The car is unrestored and original today and the antenna is still there. It has a toggle switch under the ignition switch.

Understood that per the Marcus Anghel article the typical mounting location was on the driver's side rear quarter panel.  What I find unusual are that (1) the mounting hole for the antenna on my car is on the passenger side and (2) it is so far forward on the rear quarter panel relative to other cars that I have seen that have the PM-300/other manual radio antenna mounted on the driver's side.  As I mentioned earlier, the vertical clearance between the top of the rear quarter panel and the wheelhouse doesn't provide enough room to install the PM-300 manual antenna.  For that reason, it appears that for whatever type of antenna that was originally installed, the choice was driven by that portion that was inside the trunk such that it had to be shorter than the length of the PM-300 antenna mast that would be inside the trunk.

My car is a convertible, but there is no evidence of a switch for a power antenna anywhere on the dash.  Is it possible that power for the antenna could have been jury rigged into the power feed to the radio itself?  Based upon the crude surgery performed on the wheelhouse to accommodate the power antenna motor casing, I'm wondering if the dealer simply hacked into the power feed to the radio rather than go to the trouble to install a separate switch for the antenna on the dash.  We have not yet pulled the dash apart to trace any wiring back to the antenna.

[Bob Gaines]

Understood that per the Marcus Anghel article the typical mounting location was on the driver's side rear quarter panel.  What I find unusual are that (1) the mounting hole for the antenna on my car is on the passenger side and (2) it is so far forward on the rear quarter panel relative to other cars that I have seen that have the PM-300/other manual radio antenna mounted on the driver's side.  As I mentioned earlier, the vertical clearance between the top of the rear quarter panel and the wheelhouse doesn't provide enough room to install the PM-300 manual antenna.  For that reason, it appears that for whatever type of antenna that was originally installed, the choice was driven by that portion that was inside the trunk such that it had to be shorter than the length of the PM-300 antenna mast that would be inside the trunk.

My car is a convertible, but there is no evidence of a switch for a power antenna anywhere on the dash.  Is it possible that power for the antenna could have been jury rigged into the power feed to the radio itself?  Based upon the crude surgery performed on the wheelhouse to accommodate the power antenna motor casing, I'm wondering if the dealer simply hacked into the power feed to the radio rather than go to the trouble to install a separate switch for the antenna on the dash.  We have not yet pulled the dash apart to trace any wiring back to the antenna.

If a power antenna was installed back in the day by the Ford dealer prior to delivery (which is a stretch for a number of reasons ) it is almost a certainty that no hacking into the radio for a power on source when the radio was turned on was tried. That type of out of the box level of ingenuity and capability is too much to expect any Ford dealer to do in 1969 . Like I said before the ready made switch hole would leave no evidence . I have installed several of that type Ford available power antennas myself on Shelby's I have owned and seen many more on others (although in the typical spot) . The most likely scenario is that the dealer lost the antenna and instructions and with nothing to go by installed a readily available fixed none collapsible antenna in the odd ball location. I can't think of a better explanation for that location choice. Sometime later a power antenna was installed or attempted to be installed forcing the wheel well damage to make it fit. That is assuming that no body/metal work was done in the typical location indicating the likely hood of the odd ball location being not original. Any number of scenarios are possible just some more likely then others given the context of the typical 1969 era Ford dealer's MO . The burden of proof will always fall on the owner for the odd ball location and antenna. I know what I would have to do if it were my car

[propayne]

Not sure if this hurts or helps, but just in case it helps a bit here is a photo I took of a power antenna installed on the passenger side in the trunk of a 1968 GT-E Cougar.

- Phillip

[propayne]

And here is a pic of the power antenna switch (toggle on the far right) on my '68 XR7-G.

- Phillip

[nightmist67]

This has been a productive discussion, and the photographs have also been very helpful.  Based upon how far forward the hole for my antenna is in relationship to the Propayne's photo of the power antenna installation shown above, I doubt that the Ford power antenna would have enough vertical room to fit between the top of the wheelhouse and the top of the rear quarter panel where my antenna is located.

As far as my question about the power source for the antenna, I offered that comment simply because the antenna's location is so odd that I wondered what else the dealership might have done as a quick fix using whatever was available from the parts department that would fit within the available space and could be done with minimal effort.

As to whether or not the location of the hole for my antenna is the original spot as drilled by the dealership, all that I can offer is that there is no obvious evidence that either rear quarter panel has been repaired or replaced such that the location of the hole for the antenna was shifted from the typical placement along the driver's side rear quarter panel.  If as Bob Gaines postulates that possibly the PM-300 antenna was somehow lost (or that it wouldn't fit anyway due to the location of the antenna hole) and some fixed length antenna was installed in its place, that then begs the question as to what antenna was in fact originally installed on the car.  I don't know that it would be worth going down that rabbit hole since we're talking about something a dealership did over 50 years ago.

In summary, it appears that I have two options:  (1) Retain the antenna in its current location and install a period correct fixed length antenna, both of which would appear difficult to explain for judging purposes, or (2) Plug the antenna hole in the right rear quarter panel, repair the right rear wheelhouse center seam damage, and install a PM-300 antenna on the driver's side rear quarter panel in its typical location.  Of the two options, I am inclined to go with option (2).  Any thoughts on that approach?
   

[Royce Peterson]

I've worked on that GT-E. Great car, and the antenna installation is (along with the exterior paint color) identical to the XR7-G I mentioned. Interesting that both cars have survived with original paint for this length of time, and both had the identical power antennas installed when new.

Not sure if this hurts or helps, but just in case it helps a bit here is a photo I took of a power antenna installed on the passenger side in the trunk of a 1968 GT-E Cougar.

- Phillip

[TOBKOB]

In summary, it appears that I have two options:  (1) Retain the antenna in its current location and install a period correct fixed length antenna, both of which would appear difficult to explain for judging purposes, or (2) Plug the antenna hole in the right rear quarter panel, repair the right rear wheelhouse center seam damage, and install a PM-300 antenna on the driver's side rear quarter panel in its typical location.  Of the two options, I am inclined to go with option (2).  Any thoughts on that approach?

Good choice...

TOB