Electric Antenna

[Max]

I have a 1968 Datsun 2000 with an electric antenna, it looks stock, I mean it looks 40 years old. Besides a crack in the spool that holds the pusher cable I think it might still be functional. I would love to find a schematics on this unit to see if anything was or is about to be installed improperly. I have cleaned it and repainted it and want to test it but I am kind of chicken. I don’t want to do any permanent damage. Any help would be appreciated. My main concern is what holds the pusher cable in place in the spool. Thanks. I am new to this forum stuff, so if I mess up let me know.

[S Allen]

Max,

I moved your question to the tech section. There were no electric antennas stock on any of the Datsun Sports that I am aware of. I do not think it was a dealer option either. Welcome and good luck.

Steve

[Chris66]

Max, post a photo, it could be from a Z and many here also have one of those.

i might as well be the first to say it "put your location in your signature"

Chris

[Alvin]

I've run a power antenna for several years now.
I went through several bezels and found one that I liked.
Closed:
[rimg]http://inlinethumb48.webshots.com/20271/2915276020091305389S600x600Q85.jpg[/rimg]
Open:
[rimg]http://inlinethumb04.webshots.com/43715/2036128520091305389S600x600Q85.jpg[/rimg]
Switch near flasher/hood cable:
[rimg]http://inlinethumb47.webshots.com/40878/2796506570091305389S600x600Q85.jpg[/rimg]
I just took these hope they help:
Top:
[rimg]http://inlinethumb54.webshots.com/41653/2827645040091305389S600x600Q85.jpg[/rimg]
Bottom:
[rimg]http://inlinethumb50.webshots.com/42929/2544965090091305389S600x600Q85.jpg[/rimg]
Spool:
[rimg]http://inlinethumb10.webshots.com/41545/2028864750091305389S600x600Q85.jpg[/rimg]

[EScanlon]

Alvin:

I hope you don't drive in the rain or through any puddles.... the back of your speaker is getting splashed with all sorts of road detritus.

Get an empty milk bottle, the plastic kind, depending on the size of your speaker either the 1/2 gallon or full gallon size and cut the bottom to make a shield for it.

That was our "cheap" way of installing a rain-shield on speakers being installed in doors back in the 70's.

FWIW
E

[Chris66]

Full gallon size milk bottel, you Americans really are special

Chris

[Alvin]

Thanks for the great idea!
I haven't driven in rain, but the occassional puddle is unavoidable!

[dbrick]

My first choice would be Gladware, or raid the tupperware drawer. They do make a speaker baffle specifically for this, but what fun would thatbe?
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-rv7nEM86Ow ... ?i=237XT65

[EScanlon]

When I installed my 4" speakers in my car, I used some very inexpensive Dollar Store Tupperware knock-offs. At 4 for $1, it only cost me 50¢ for my speaker "cabinets".

Biggest problem is that it isn't easy to find the right size for the speakers. After that, you have to devise a way of attaching them to either the speaker, or to the mounting flange or...

The ones from Crutchfield, at $7.99 a pair wouldn't be bad, except that when you toss in shipping at $6.99 they end up being $14.98 or $7.49 each.

The big advantage with the milk containers is that you can cut them at angles, you can readily bend the plastic and create our own mounting flange, if necessary you could even use heat to re-shape them (being very careful, they melt very quickly and at relatively low heat). Plus, if you mess one up, it isn't impossible to obtain a replacement.

The older speaker cones with the construction paper cones were more susceptible to water/humidity damage than the newer speakers with plastic or film type cones. But IMO a speaker with an enclosure sounds better than a speaker that is not enclosed at all. Now, there's a world of discussion regarding whether a Port-Duct Reflex, or an Acoustic Enclosure or a passive woofer is the best way to go, and then you get into whether the housing should have insulation and what type.

My point in suggesting the plastic milk bottle is only to protect the back of the speaker from both water and other roadside debris. It doesn't take much of a "ricochet" to puncture or distort the back of the speaker cone or even to knock the coil out of alignment rendering it inoperable or "blown".

FWIW
E

[dbrick]

Enrique makes a good point, unless you are ordering other stuff, shipping is more than the parts. If you were doing this durring a body restoration/rebuild in advance, a nice option would be to weld in a nice metal box, or a small baking pan, undercoat etc so it's a part of the car.
The milk carton is way more fun, though.

[ppeters914]

Moot point for Alvin as he lives in California. The Bay Area gets rain, but that's what the Z is for, right?