Help--time dependent--antenna
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,783
Likes: 400
From: Paoli, IN
St. Jude Donor '17, '19
Help--time dependent--antenna
Hey Guys,
I am going back to school and was placing the car cover on the corvette today. This has been such a mild winter I have been able to take the corvette out in December --- Pure Awesomeness?...I think so.
Anyway, I cannot get my antenna off. I need some help and suggestions as the car cover won't do much good on the back end if I can't pull it down over the end.
I had another thread recently where a user showed me the assembly of the antenna.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...d-antenna.html
Mine looks exactly like this, but I can get the antenna to pull out of the base. This is where I need help. I WD-40ed it today and am going to try again tomorrow. Am I missing something completely obvious? I even tried vice grips to make sure I had a good hold of the antenna but I can't pull too hard otherwise I will start cracking the paint around the edge of the antenna hole.
I leave tomorrow to go back to school and really need to try to have this resolved before than. I am leaving early afternoon.
Thank you for your help.
I am going back to school and was placing the car cover on the corvette today. This has been such a mild winter I have been able to take the corvette out in December --- Pure Awesomeness?...I think so.
Anyway, I cannot get my antenna off. I need some help and suggestions as the car cover won't do much good on the back end if I can't pull it down over the end.
I had another thread recently where a user showed me the assembly of the antenna.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...d-antenna.html
Mine looks exactly like this, but I can get the antenna to pull out of the base. This is where I need help. I WD-40ed it today and am going to try again tomorrow. Am I missing something completely obvious? I even tried vice grips to make sure I had a good hold of the antenna but I can't pull too hard otherwise I will start cracking the paint around the edge of the antenna hole.
I leave tomorrow to go back to school and really need to try to have this resolved before than. I am leaving early afternoon.
Thank you for your help.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 1
From: Port Clinton Ohio
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
I can't see the image here at work but if your antenna is the same as my '73, there should be a nut at the base of the antenna shaft. You loosen that and then can pull the antenna out.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,315
Likes: 4,418
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi,
It sounds like you've loosened the large nut that holds the antenna base to the rear deck.
You need to loosen the small barrel shaped nut above the big nut. It has only 2 flat surfaces so an open-end wrench works just fine.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
It sounds like you've loosened the large nut that holds the antenna base to the rear deck.
You need to loosen the small barrel shaped nut above the big nut. It has only 2 flat surfaces so an open-end wrench works just fine.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,783
Likes: 400
From: Paoli, IN
St. Jude Donor '17, '19
I have done that. I have the big nut off that tightens the antenna mast to the car and the little nut (the one with two flat sides that Alan 71 described) off. The Antenna just won't pull out.
NOTE: I leave the large nut (the one that holds the mast to the body of the car) on so if I were to get the antenna out and let go of the mast on accident, it wouldn't fall into the wheel well.
NOTE: I leave the large nut (the one that holds the mast to the body of the car) on so if I were to get the antenna out and let go of the mast on accident, it wouldn't fall into the wheel well.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,783
Likes: 400
From: Paoli, IN
St. Jude Donor '17, '19
But how did you know exactly where to cut? I mean, this has to be perfect otherwise your car cover would sit on the car lop-sidded.
Last edited by ~Stingray; Jan 5, 2012 at 06:41 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,315
Likes: 4,418
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi,
Since the barrel nut is off can you grab the shaft where the nut was with a channel lock pliers and turn the antenna shaft to break it free.
You can hold the large nut to stop the mount from turning.
Maybe?
Regards,
Alan
Since the barrel nut is off can you grab the shaft where the nut was with a channel lock pliers and turn the antenna shaft to break it free.
You can hold the large nut to stop the mount from turning.
Maybe?
Regards,
Alan
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,124
Likes: 140
From: Western New York
Have you ever had the antenna mast off before? If not, then you are assuming that yours is like the one you referred to at the beginning. Your antenna may appear to look like the one in the other post (which is like an original style antenna) but it may have different internals and is not removable. I had one on my boat that looked like the one on my '72, and when I tried to remove it I found that the mast was attached to the base and I totally destroyed the antenna.
On the other hand, if you've had it off before, then try holding the base with pliers or something similar, and grab the mast with the visegrips and twist. It should come off!! Good luck.
Duane
On the other hand, if you've had it off before, then try holding the base with pliers or something similar, and grab the mast with the visegrips and twist. It should come off!! Good luck.
Duane
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers
Joe Kucinski
The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained
Joe Kucinski
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!
Joe Kucinski
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,703
Likes: 3,153
From: Shamong, NJ
If it is the original antenna for the car, and has never had the mast removed (or not removed in many years), it could very well be rusted, corroded, or just plain stuck into the antenna body.
I believe the antenna body is white metal (which is prone to corroding) and the mast base is steel. It's quite possible that they are "frozen" together. I've had a few over the years on cars we've parted out, that just wouldn't come apart.
I would try a few applications of a good penetrating oil, and let it sit awhile.
I believe the antenna body is white metal (which is prone to corroding) and the mast base is steel. It's quite possible that they are "frozen" together. I've had a few over the years on cars we've parted out, that just wouldn't come apart.
I would try a few applications of a good penetrating oil, and let it sit awhile.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,783
Likes: 400
From: Paoli, IN
St. Jude Donor '17, '19
I have never had it off. I bought the car used a little over a month ago and don't know about its removal status since its creation.
So does WD-40 not count in your book?
Pro
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 673
Likes: 2
From: Melbourne Victoria
It also has "custom painted" arrows on it
(so I can find the hole
).It's a cheap cover made for a sedan and
I only use it in the garage to keep the dust off.
Gav
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,703
Likes: 3,153
From: Shamong, NJ
What I meant though, was to give it a few applications of the penetrating oil, and give it a chance to work. Your not going to be able to apply it once, and have the mast come out a half hour later. It may take some time for the oil to find it's way down into the antenna body and work.
I understand that your heading back to school, but it may take multiple applications of the penetrating oil, over a few days, to loosen the mast up.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,783
Likes: 400
From: Paoli, IN
St. Jude Donor '17, '19
Thanks everyone for your help. I finally got it off.
All it took was WD-40, overnight sitting, pliers, vice grips, and a rag.
No damage to anything.
Thanks again.
All it took was WD-40, overnight sitting, pliers, vice grips, and a rag.
No damage to anything.
Thanks again.