Power Antenna using Original Antenna Bezel

[cataclysm80]

Here is what you'll find when you pull the mast out of the flex housing.

The drive cable is internally attached to the mast.  Don't try to separate them.

The down stop is a bumper that the antenna hits when retracting.  This keeps it from retracting to far into the motor.  Save this, it will be reused.

[cataclysm80]

There are two screws which attach the flex housing to the motor housing. 
They're not directly opposite each other, one of them is offset from the other one. 

Remove these two screws and set the flex housing aside.  It's finally out of the way.  Keep the screws.

Next will by mounting the mast tube to the motor housing.

The motor housing has two offset mounting holes, and the mast tube has two directly opposite mounting holes.
You can reuse one of the existing mast tube screw holes, but the offset hole will have to be drilled into the mast tube before fastening it with the screws.
The screw marked with the arrow in this picture is the hole that aligns with the existing mast tube holes.
Insert the mast tube into the motor housing, and rotate it until one of the screw holes lines up.  You can use either hole, but rotating the mast tube affects which direction the antenna lead will point when you're done, so choose the hole that you like best. 
Using this hole, fasten the mast tube in place with one of the screws.

[cataclysm80]

With the mast tube now held in the proper location, I used a 7/64 drill bit through the offset hole in the motor housing, to drill the new mast tube hole in the correct location.

After drilling, I removed the mast tube from the motor housing to clean up any burs or drill shavings.  Don't want those getting into the antenna motor.

[cataclysm80]

Next I put the down stop at the bottom of the mast tube, inserted them into the motor housing, and fastened them in place with the two screws.

[cataclysm80]

This nylon drive cable guide just slides in and out.  I had taken it out to get a better picture of the down stop.  If you take it out, remember to put it back in.

[cataclysm80]

Almost Done.

Without the flex housing installed, the drive cable is to long to fit inside the drum.
Measure the flex housing (I think it was about 16 inches), and cut that much off the end of the drive cable.
Measure twice, cut once.

Now slide the antenna all the way into the mast tube, and install the nylon roller to hold the drive cable in place against the drive gear.

Reinstall the nylon guide plate with the three screws.

This is the tricky part... coil the drive cable inside the drum and reinstall the drum. 
The drive cable is slippery from all the grease.  If you need more grease for some reason, it's white lithium.

Now reinstall the motor housing cover.

Done!

[cataclysm80]

It may look like a lot, but it's really not that difficult.  A few screws and drill a little hole.  Anyone can do this.
Phillips screwdriver
little wrench for the motor housing nut
drill with 7/64 bit to drill one hole
side cutters to cut the drive cable.


I like this power antenna a lot better now that it doesn't have the flexible section in the middle.  I think it fits under fenders a lot better now, and it still uses the original style antenna bezel.  It fit great in my 70 Road Runner, and I was able to make a support bracket that didn't require drilling any extra holes in the car.

The real question though was how well it would fit in a T/A quarter panel location.
It does fit, but just barely.  The antenna mast is still taller than the Metra antenna, which puts the motor very near to the surface of the trunk floor.  You could use about two washers as spacers, and support the antenna motor with holes drilled through the trunk floor.
I'd rather not drill extra holes in my trunk floor, so it's a bit to close to the trunk floor for my tastes.

Seeing how the adapter for the original antenna bezel works has given me an idea though.  I need to find a machinist who can make me an original bezel adapter for the Metra antenna.  There must be a way to make this work the way I want.

[1 Wild R/T]

I've changed out hundreds of broken masts, unless the white nylon track is broken you don't need to take everything apart, just remove the nut that captures the antenna & the light steady pull on the antenna it will pull right out... To reinstall just slide the nylon track down the tube till it stops then have one person continue to push in lightly while a second person hits the down switch... It's best to have the mast extended so you can guide the mast down the tube easily...

[cataclysm80]

Wow, hundreds is a LOT!

Yeah, I was tempted to put power to the antenna when reinstalling the mast (to suck it in), but the nylon drive cable had a pretty good curl to it from having already been coiled inside the drum, plus I already had it apart anyway by that point.