It never fails.. Take car in for one thing and another thing goes wrong.
Had a New Top put on the ' 87 and the radio/clock needed to be reset, AND the Big problem is: the antenna WILL NOT go down !! The motor just keeps running... What can I do to FIX it?? Or do I need to take it to a Radio Shop ???

 

Hate to tell you this, but the antenna is shot. Mine did the same thing. I tried the mast kit you can buy from Ecklers, Mid America, CorvetteCentral etc. but it did not work. I ended up buying a new antenna and installing it myself.

If you like to work on your car, go for it. It will take about 30-50 minutes depending on how fast you work. If not, take it into the shop.

Recommendation, buy a Delco or GM original antenna. Do not buy an aftermarket that resembles the antenna. You will pay for it twice.

Good Luck,
Dino

 

I replaced the antenna in my '87 a few months ago. Not wanting to spend $200 for an original one from GM, or $140 for a harrada upgrade, I opted for the $39 special from AutoZone. Been working fine for me so far.

Heres the fast, dirty, and cost effective way to replace it, which I can't imagine not doing unless your car is really collectable or you have time and money to burn. Mine isn't and I don't. Needed materials are the $39 antenna from autozone, the simpler one, not the one with all the adapters. A set of antenna plugs and some butt connectors from radio shack. Needed tools are a screwdriver, a torx set, a wire cutter/crimping tool, maybe some channel locks and a small socket to remove existing antenna bracket. An electric drill with bits and maybe a reemer. A bench grider helps.

1) Jack up, and support left rear of the car. 2) remove the left rear wheel and wheel well. 3) remove bracing that's in the way of the antenna. 4) remove rear and left rear interior plastic trim pieces. 5) remove left rear speaker. Time to rip and tear.

Crawl underneith the car, reach up and cut the wires to the antenna up where the ends will be out of sight. Remove the antenna support bracket and ground wire. Unscrew the nut way up high that holds the antenna to the bezel. Fade 10 and punt the old antenna. Reach up and try to unscrew the large chrome looking plastic bezel. Can't do it by hand, try the channel locks. Still can't do it, time to break out the drill. From the top, carefully reem out the inside of the hole of that black plastic piece the antenna used to come up through. When it's thin enough, you'll be able to knock the pieces apart. Now, for the installation.

Identify the wires coming out of the relay that work the antenna. One will be 12v all the time, another will be 12v with the key and radio on only. Might be a ground wire too, can't remember. Pick out the flush mount adapter out of the antenna kit. There's a cone shaped piece of metal that will have to be worked with a little to get the new antenna to fit properly...that's what the bench grinder is for. Takes seconds...no big deal. Mount the new antenna, support bracket, and install existing ground to new bracket. Drill a hole through the left rear speaker encloser and run the wires from the new antenna through that hole. There is a gromet included that plugs the hole. Cut wires at plug at relay and splice that plug onto your new antenna. Try to pull apart the antenna wire at the connector running along the left side of the car. Sometimes it don't want to come appart. That's why I mentioned the plugs from radio shack. If it doesn't pull apart easilly, cut it off and install new plugs. Don't fight it. Cut off the old wires and tuck the ends away somewhere. Now, put it all back together and it's done.

Pretty much the same proceedure as if you replaced it with the original only we're drilling a hole to feed the wires through at a place that's a bunch easier to get to. To get to the original place where the wires go through requires removal of the sun shade, and maybe a tail light. Easier just to drill a hole. If you do it this way, you should have it done in 1 to 2 hours. I really can't see doing it any faster than that no matter what.

 

I did mine with the $20 mast kit from Ecklers. Only lasted 7 years and I had to do it again about a month ago.

 

Thanks.... Have read a few threads from a while back and think I might be able to do it myself.. Will buy a GM Antenna for better quality ..

 

same problem on my 85. I bought the $20 ribbon from ecklers and replaced - it has been working fine since. The downside of this is that you need to open the motor housing by drilling out the rivets - not too difficult. Note that you can gain access to the antenna mount if you remove the tailight that is right in font of it.

 

I put in the GM mast repair kit and at the same time i installed an inline switch to the antenna so i decide when the antenna is required. Should last along time since i still get good reception with it down.

 

I replaced my mast on my 92 works fine .Two things if the motor runs it almost allways is the mast ribbon cable. The second thing is take your old mast out if the ribbon cable is shorter than the new one you will need to take the motor apart to remove missing peice of the mast.But its easy.

 

Sorry for my ignorance but my antenna sometimes works and sometimes doesn't.

I'm assuming when you change the antenna you change the motor and the antenna as a unit? right?

What is a mast?

 

The mast is the telescoping part. When you buy the repair kit you get the finial end of mast attatched to nylon rod or ribbon.
A complete replacement consists of motor and mast.