47-59 Vintage radio and antenna question

[fauXGT]

I just plan on utilizing the rear 45W X 2 rears from the radio going into 2 6X9's into a 'as large as I can squeeze into behind the seat and still hide' box. Not going for the cheap 2 single boxes, but something with a bigger enclosure for lower frequencies.
Not putting in a separate sub and amp, which I do have, but don't want body panel rattling on a classic truck like these. I'll have the engine rumble from a V8 to play with. 180 watts from the radio will be plenty for this old guy. + a decent 6X9 can give you down to 35hz if in a good enclosure.

[TX3100Guy]

Originally Posted by fauXGT

I just plan on utilizing the rear 45W X 2 rears from the radio going into 2 6X9's into a 'as large as I can squeeze into behind the seat and still hide' box. Not going for the cheap 2 single boxes, but something with a bigger enclosure for lower frequencies.
Not putting in a separate sub and amp, which I do have, but don't want body panel rattling on a classic truck like these. I'll have the engine rumble from a V8 to play with. 180 watts from the radio will be plenty for this old guy. + a decent 6X9 can give you down to 35hz if in a good enclosure.

I'm with you and likely will avoid the sub and amp, plenty of other places to spend money on this truck. I'm thinking of crafting my own enclosure that would sit in the center area between the two floor braces that split that rear area into three sections. My plan would be for the speakers to be on each side of that carpeted box.

[dsraven]

I used to laugh at the kids who would see how high they could bounce a coin offtheir rear spoiler when they cramked up the woofer. i wondered if I should have invested in hearing aid companies because soon the younger crowd is gonna be deaf, haha. maybe they are already and thats why the music is so loud.

[mick53]

I need to put a GPS antenna on my roof. Will those also work for a radio or do they make one with one in it?

[leegreen]

Multifunction antennas are available, GPS, AM, FM, DAB I don't have any first hand experience how well they work. They tend to be a little bulkier and have a whole bundle of cables coming out of them.

I plan to put the GPS antenna puck for my speedometer on top of the front bumper apron somewhat hidden by either the license plate or a driving light. The roof is a better location for reception but I could not come to terms with the visual look.

[dsraven]

what, a shark fin on the roof wouldn't fit in? haha
sounds like a good spot LG.
years a go my neighbor with a 55-57 truck frenched in his poweer antenna into the pass side where the gas cap would normally be on the driver's side. it looked cool and all but I wondered back then if it would bump against the cab when powered up fully. the frenched in hole would also tend to fill with water and other junk.
I also wondered about the possibility of mounting a small stick-on antenna on top of a bed post, like a cap. not an antenna that sticks up like a wire, just a compact one like the ones that stick to the inside of a windshield. a cap could be placed on the top of each bed post and sorta look the same (but out of place). the older boxes with the angled bed rails may look a little more off than the flat topped ones I suppose. I also wondered about if a wire style antenna could be run in with the rubber windshield rubber insert or if that would negate any actual ability to pick up a signal. the old chevy's with the antenaa in the glass got me thinking about that. if you like the hat brim style winshield sun deflectors I suppose an antenna could be placed under that, horizontally, or possibly behind a front bumper but, again, lots of steel right in the area and it's low to the ground so not sure how well that would work either.

[leegreen]

I discarded the options that involved holes in roof. Including sharkfin and rubber stubby, plus those would look out of place.

Mounting under exterior visor would probably work, but getting the cable there would either need a hole or something ugly. Curious about under running board or front bumper - might work depending on your radio station choices. My impression is a GPS antenna would not work from under steel.

There is so much witchcraft around antennas I would not drill any holes in body panels before you drive around with the antenna mocked up in the location you are thinking about.

For AD cab, the factory option on cowl would look Ok and get serious consideration. If the rear window stick on option I have does not work out for the driving I do I'll probably get a single piece tapered chrome whip that unscrews from the mount and put it in factory cowl location but on passenger side. I think you can find these on most GM full size from 90's. OBS trucks for one, but not sure they would adjust to the flatter angle of cowl. '91 Camaro my son keeps leaving in the driveway would work Amazon would be my 2nd choice, but quality of an OEM would better.

[dsraven]

Im with you on that one LG, I hate drilling holes in the body.
I like the antenna style from stock vehicles where the actual antenna unscrews from the base, leaving the base on the vehicle. some have the hole in the fender but also have a couple of screws that go into the base unit from the side and they would fit on a modern vehicle close to the hood edge of the fender. they seem to be a lot more stable than the simple "hole in the fender" types. lots of those end up bending the fender sheet metal due to car washes, wind resistance when driving (?) or some kid who thinks its cool to bend antennas. in order to install an antenna like the one mentioned you would need to add the reinforcing part for the two small screws (and also need to be able to access the screws later) so unless you are still in mock up phase pre-paint, or you have a rat rod with exposed welds etc, then that negates those ones.
I have wondered if an antenna could be incorporated into the outside mirror arm, depending on the mirror used I suppose. maybe one of the stick on antennas could be used there and made to look not too much out of place? on some semi trucks I used to work on, which had the old tubular west coast style mirrors, there were some that used the mirror mounting tubes to run cb antenna cable or mirror lighting/heating wiring through. you def still see the ends of the cable though and the tubing is fairly large.
probably, like LG says, a discreet interior antenna on the inside lower windshield corner would be best but drive around with it first to check the operation before final mounting it. that or a hole bored in the rear glass with a small antenna on the outside but that is not gonna look period correct by a long shot

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

Here, between frame and rocker
Its still untested, but there were several others that had it this way and said it worked just fine

TRUK has the cheapest AutoZone antenna wire tied under the passenger step. I've checked it out for reception and it works, but I haven't used it since. I'm all mp3.

[cmayna]

My truck guard mounted on the antenna which is on the passenger side cowl

http://www.cmaynard.com/Truck/AntennaGirla.JPG