Installing a CB unit
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St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13, '16-'17-'18
Got a link?
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From: I live my life by 2 rules. 1) Never share everything you know. 2)
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13, '16-'17-'18
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From: Jacksonville Florida BWO Dayton, Cincinnati, Bloomsbury NJ, Cincinnati
2015 C7 of the Year Finalist
Browse this, it might give you additional thoughts.
I use this setup in lieu of the hand held GMRS radios.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1589862556
There might be a CB antenna freq covered in the license plate frame setup. Dunno...
Elmer
I use this setup in lieu of the hand held GMRS radios.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1589862556
There might be a CB antenna freq covered in the license plate frame setup. Dunno...
Elmer
Moderator emeritus
Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Jacksonville Florida BWO Dayton, Cincinnati, Bloomsbury NJ, Cincinnati
2015 C7 of the Year Finalist
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Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2013
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From: Brentwood Ca
Thanks. I called Ecklers and ordered the mount kit for the C-7 and it should be here in about 10 days. I'm a little nervous drilling a hole in the rear facia to get the cable through. Any pics would be helpful.
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From: I live my life by 2 rules. 1) Never share everything you know. 2)
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13, '16-'17-'18
Super easy to do (you don't need to drill any holes in the outside fascia itself, just the inner liner. Do you have a coupe or vert?
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From: Brentwood Ca
Sounds like your install turned out really clean. Any chance you could shoot me pics of the area where you drilled through the back valance for the antenna cable, and the space where you put the unit next to the fuse box? Also, where did you have the pl59 extended cable made? Thanks for all your help.
Team Owner
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From: I live my life by 2 rules. 1) Never share everything you know. 2)
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13, '16-'17-'18
Sounds like your install turned out really clean. Any chance you could shoot me pics of the area where you drilled through the back valance for the antenna cable, and the space where you put the unit next to the fuse box? Also, where did you have the pl59 extended cable made? Thanks for all your help.
Can't help with the pics as I didn't take any at the time but trust me, it is super easy. The hardest part of the whole job is fishing the cable down from where you drill your 1/4" hole, down to the existing opening behind the license plate (I used a piece of twine with a plumber's fish and then pulled the twine back up). The whole job takes less than 10 minutes to do.
You just pop the rear piece trim off the back (you don't have to completely remove it, just enough to get behind it to drill the hole and run the coax)
Last edited by KenHorse; Mar 2, 2019 at 07:17 PM.
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From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
You ordered just the mount from Eckler or their mount/antenna package?
Can't help with the pics as I didn't take any at the time but trust me, it is super easy. The hardest part of the whole job is fishing the cable down from where you drill your 1/4" hole, down to the existing opening behind the license plate (I used a piece of twine with a plumber's fish and then pulled the twine back up). The whole job takes less than 10 minutes to do.
You just pop the rear piece trim off the back (you don't have to completely remove it, just enough to get behind it to drill the hole and run the coax)
Can't help with the pics as I didn't take any at the time but trust me, it is super easy. The hardest part of the whole job is fishing the cable down from where you drill your 1/4" hole, down to the existing opening behind the license plate (I used a piece of twine with a plumber's fish and then pulled the twine back up). The whole job takes less than 10 minutes to do.
You just pop the rear piece trim off the back (you don't have to completely remove it, just enough to get behind it to drill the hole and run the coax)
Not sure if the later cars are different, or you found a better way to drill & route the cable.
The instructions that came with the Mid America kit were pathetically bad and even had a note something like "if you find a better way to do this, please let us know."
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St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13, '16-'17-'18
Jim, I didn't notice any difference between doing my '14 and my '19.
There is no need whatsoever to remove the sub woofer assembly. In fact, you don't even need to remove the trim piece completely either. I'll try to get some pics of the parts of the rear trim that need to be "popped" off but you only need do the top edge (that is under the weatherstripping) and move it out far enough to get a drill in (only takes an inch or two).
The hardest part of the whole job is fishing the coax past all the energy absorbers that make up the rear bumper and out the holes that already exist behind the license plate.
There is no need whatsoever to remove the sub woofer assembly. In fact, you don't even need to remove the trim piece completely either. I'll try to get some pics of the parts of the rear trim that need to be "popped" off but you only need do the top edge (that is under the weatherstripping) and move it out far enough to get a drill in (only takes an inch or two).
The hardest part of the whole job is fishing the coax past all the energy absorbers that make up the rear bumper and out the holes that already exist behind the license plate.
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From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
That's interesting, we had to remove/replace the rear speaker which is a PITA, but the actual fishing of the antenna cable was 0- we drilled down low from the outside and could see the end of the cable when we poked it through from inside.
It sounds like people have the choice of working to remove the speaker and having an easy time with the cable, or easy drilling but tough cable fishing.
I don't have any pictures of my installation from almost two years ago, and didn't try to remember the details, so I can't help a lot. But any pics you can post will probably be useful to others.
The instructions that came with our Mid America kit applied only to a 2014 coupe with the vent door at the back, for any other C7 the kit merely supplied some poor quality drawings of the trunk area from the GM parts catalog and let the owner figure out how to handle the cable issue.
It sounds like people have the choice of working to remove the speaker and having an easy time with the cable, or easy drilling but tough cable fishing.
I don't have any pictures of my installation from almost two years ago, and didn't try to remember the details, so I can't help a lot. But any pics you can post will probably be useful to others.
The instructions that came with our Mid America kit applied only to a 2014 coupe with the vent door at the back, for any other C7 the kit merely supplied some poor quality drawings of the trunk area from the GM parts catalog and let the owner figure out how to handle the cable issue.
Safety Car
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From: Buckeye, AZ
St. Jude Donor '12-'13
It is actually very easy to get the coax pulled. The back end is kind of a double layer of glass in back with a hollow between. I drilled a hole inside to out, just under the hatch latch mechanism. Behind tge license plate is a large opening to draw tge wire through. Dont fear removal of the interior panels. They all snap off, but have a strange feel when removing, as if they may break. They wont and are just mounted on snap fasteners. I found it much easier to remove the sub woofer. It is easy....4 screws, leave it plugged in and just set it down.
Last edited by gliot1; Mar 4, 2019 at 09:44 AM.
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From: I live my life by 2 rules. 1) Never share everything you know. 2)
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13, '16-'17-'18
(not to mention the number of states cracking down on using handheld devices while driving. )
Last edited by KenHorse; Mar 4, 2019 at 02:27 PM.
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From: West Burbs of Chicago IL
Trust me...As I'm a Ham (Amateur Radio Op) AND a Commercial RadioTelephone Licensee, using a CB is kind of an anathema to me BUT it is far superior to GMRS/Family Radio Service Handie Talkies for communicating between vehicles and an several different levels
(not to mention the number of states cracking down on using handheld devices while driving. )
(not to mention the number of states cracking down on using handheld devices while driving. )
