VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 Under Body radio Antenna

I have always thought why in the world did they mount radio antennas under the car body, in the mid thirties. It seems like the worst place to pick up a radio signal. Here is an explanation in the Dec 1935 issue of Radio World. Radio World Article

That's pretty cool. Do you have the complete article?

Tiny,
thanks. The rest of the article is about antennas in general but the discussion of the underbody auto antenna is contained in those two pages. If you would like to see the whole article I can scan it and send it to you by Email.

Cool, that would be great, thanks. tiny@sutv.com

Suddenly in 1939 they decided that a cowl mounted whip antenna was OK after all.
What was the first car/year to have a whip antenna?
I believe Ford had a rood mounted antenna in 1937. Was above the center of the windshield and set at an angle and could be turned down to run along the windshield center devider if desired. Buick used this arangement for many years.
The 1990 and 1991 GM dust buster plastic bodied minivans had a sheet of copper under the roof panel - same idea as the non steel top GM cars had chicken wire under the top insert pad.

Thanks for those historical bits. The one about the van is really fascinating. I understand that some of the earlier windshield antenna designs weren't the best.

Got your email. Great article. It's going into my archive.

Do those under the body antennas really work,I really do not want to drill holes in my 37 p/u but could use a better antenna then one stuck in the a pillar. I was thinking of mounting a pair of antennas under the running boards and see how they do.

That is what they used so they must work. However, l would think that the signal level underneath the car is not optimal.

I sure didn't know there was a reception issue that caused the antenna to be located underneath the running board. Seems from the article that there was a "gain" problem caused by the engine's ignition. Guess the problem was solved by 1939. Was that owing to the change in location of the radio?

Anyway, I sure do appreciate the article explaining that there was a real need for the positioning of those antenna underneath the car. I had thought that it was owing solely to the fact that those car were so sleek looking that an aerial a-sticking up would take away from their aerodynamic style. You know, kinda like those "door guard chrome beads" that destroyed the blend of the door's edge to the rest of the car. Just awful.

Many thanks to Old216 for posting the informative article.

Charlie

BTW: I could be wrong about the "sleek" and "aerodynamic" part.

Thanks,
I don't know what is up with Photo Bucket but it shows my pictures as tiny little ones, most of the time so I am looking for another hosting site.

The problem with the antenna placement was as follows. The old chicken wire in the roof worked fairly well. However the famous turret top came along. Radios had advanced with enhanced sensitivity to pick up weak stations. The new problem was picking up ignition noise. Putting the antenna underneath seems to be a solution. I think the design of the car body evolved to the point where the ignition wasn't a big problem and external antennas worked well.

My '37 Sports Coupe has original under-the-running board antennas and surprisingly, they work quite well. My car is a "driver" and seems to pick up radio signals pretty good both when we're on trips or in the city.

Thanks Bowtie Bob, this is what I have been trying to tell them.

Bob, do you have any pictures you could post in members section? It seems like it shouldn't be too difficult to make a set of under the running boards antenna by copying the original design.

Bow Tie Bob,

You seem to pick up radio signals pretty good because you, being in upper New York, count Canadian radio signals in with the ones south of the border. Well, no wonder, that area is jam-packed with radio stations. Mercy!

Down here in good ol' NC those old 37 radios with under the running board antenna just pick up a station or two. So I've been told. Plus, who listens to AM anymore?

Charlie

"Plus, who listens to AM anymore?" That would be folks that drive old cars with tube radios.

Count me in as an AM listener to, AM740. I enjoy that in my 1951 1 Ton. Also, that is the first station I test with when I rebuild a radio.

videoranger,

I'm pretty sure I have some pics that I'd be glad to post. I'll be back home this weekend and I'll look for them then.

That would be great. Those antenna are rare and expensive when they do surface. I'd like to try and fabricate the parts and put one together since I have a correct radio head and radio chassis for a 38.

Bob, from pictures of these antenna unmounted they appear to be two flat metal straps with rubber pieces on the ends that are held to the mounting brackets by springs. Are there straps under both running boards? Is coaxial shielded wire used to connect to radio and how does the connection enter the body. It would be nice to find a link to the original instructions with pictures. Anyone have this info? I really want to avoid putting holes in the side cowl for an antenna that really isn't as original. (For reference this discussion probably could be moved to the radio section)

This is what the one looks like on my Holden built 37 roadster, not the best view but the only picture Ive got.

The one on mine is completely different from that. I'll post pics as soon as I get back home.

I have the installation instructions for installing on a 1940.

Here's the pics of the running board antenna on my '37 Sports Coupe. I'm the 3rd owner and the fellow I purchased it from had owned it since the early-'60's. He purchased it from the original owner. I'm 99.9% certain that this antenna is an original Chevrolet unit. (Note: The white wire in the 2nd & 3rd photos was a replacement for the original wire, which had deteriorated)

That is an original under running board antenna. There was another identical antenna on the other side and they were connected together by a cross wire to the other side.

That antenna is a perfect example to use as a pattern to reproduce. Not only should the antenna be reproduced the brackets at each end must also be fabricated. They are unique to the year of the vehicle.

If a NOS set of antennas turn you on they are available in the original box for just $2,500. Let me know if interested.