Ground Wire?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 338
Likes: 56
Ground Wire?
Hello to all. I have a question about a ground strap on my 69. It is the ground strap that is connected to the radio antenna reinforcement plate and goes to the frame about a foot below. Mine has an end of a wire connector at the frame connection and no signs of the missing wire. The AIM, page J444,calls it a ground wire, but I'm confused what it is suppose to be grounding. The nearby alarm horn appears to have a separate ground and works. Was this missing ground wire for the alarm horn and the present horn ground simply added or is something else need to grounded? Thanks in advance.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 832
Likes: 810
From: Chapin SC 29036
The metal plate at the base of the antenna is a Ground Plane. Its purpose is to improve the reception of the antenna for better radio reception.
I am not an expert in antenna technology but in almost all other cars you have the sheet metal to do that function.
I am not real sure how much good it does as the radios in most of the older Corvettes that I have been in don't work all that well.
Don't really care as the Vette tends to be on the noisy side and I would much rather listen to the exhaust and the sounds of my 3X2 carbs.
I am not an expert in antenna technology but in almost all other cars you have the sheet metal to do that function.
I am not real sure how much good it does as the radios in most of the older Corvettes that I have been in don't work all that well.
Don't really care as the Vette tends to be on the noisy side and I would much rather listen to the exhaust and the sounds of my 3X2 carbs.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 124
Likes: 99
From: Wayne, IL
On my 1972, that is the grounding point for both the antenna and the tail lights. The antenna ground is a thin strip of metal about 1/4" wide and the tail light ground is a normal wire with a ring connector on the end. One screw and two star washers secure these to the frame rail.
