VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 Antenna

Had a discussion with a guy from the "Great White North" said his dad had a 37 or 38 Chevy with the antenna under the running boards and it was original. Said they would lose the radio driving through the snow. Is this the original location.

It sure is.Al

My 41 had the antenna on the side of the cowl, was this the original and what year did Chevy move the antenna from under the car?

In 1938, the antenna could be under the running boards or up from the center of the cowl over the roof. No mention is made of an antenna on the side of the cowl. Pics from the 1938 accy catalog:

The running board antenna was available from 1935-1940.
The cowl side antenna was first available in 1939.

....Thanks for the information Hayree and Gene !

So Gene...what you're saying is that a 38 Chevy ONLY had an under runningboard or rooftop antenna? thx..Billu38

The above would be true for 1937 and 1938 models.

If that's the case why are there so few of either antenna around...I could understand ice,rocks, water, salt etc damage on the under runningboard type but I've only seen 2 rooftop antennas since early 70's on any 37 or 38 Chevy..yet I see quite a few radios, speakers and dash controls around.???? Was there a Dealer installed (non GM)cowl antenna maybe? thx..Billu38

The roof top antenna was very seldom seen.
The running board antennas were common but most were replaced with cowl side antennas (at least here in the north) after a few years.
All GM cars offered the running board antennas in those years.....but not the roof top antennas

Now that we're on the subject...how well could an under the board antenna work? Been my experience that typically any antenna is installed as high in the air as possible to better the chance of picking up radio signals..what would prompt GM to put an antenna as low as it possibly could and under the board?? Doesn't sound like a good place for an antenna to begin with?? Any radio x-perts out there to shed lite on this? thx. Billu38

I asked Gene about that a while back. If I remember correctly he advised me that in the day many folks didn't like the look of antennas on their cars so it was hidden under the running board. If I mis-spoke Gene I apologize.

I have under running board antennae on my '37 Cabriolet and my '37 demonstrator Sport Coupe. They work really very well. There's a lot of surface area with 2 long strips on each side of the car. The clips for the wire running between the two sides are built into the floor of all the cars at the factory.
I agree the whip was not mentioned because most people did not want to show an antenna but how the over the top antenna fits into that argument is unclear!
You can see these at major swap meets like Hershey. Most people are looking for a long slender package when in actuality the package is a square box about 8 or 9 inches square. I found one for a guy who had been looking very hard and when he saw the box he was surprised and sure he never would have looked at it on the seller's table.

RD37..a couple of questions...first what is a "Demonstrator '37 Chevy"? And the box you talk about...I've seen the two only turret top antennas, both at the Hershey Fall Show, but don't remember a box...can you describe where the box was/ thanks..Billu38

Hi Billu38
Demonstrator Cars were special ordered by dealers for promotion of sales. They were special paint jobs (Paint code #218). This paint job was not available to the public. They often had a ton of accesories. They could have been any body style and either Master or Master DeLuxe. My car was on the back cover of the March (I think)G&D, with a story on it. It is also on the CD from Flint with me narrating a little bit on how I got it. It has a Neon Sign in the rear window which shows up nicely on the CD. It's in the Dec. G&D on the page showing Class L.
The box I was talking about is merely the package a NOS antenna, brackets, fasteners, ground straps, etc. comes in. The antennae are rolled up end to end instead of being flat out so the box is square.

I suppose many down here in Dixie didn't like the under-the-running-board antenna owing mostly to the fact we had nothing to display our Confederate Battle Flags from. Wouldn't do to have it down there a-flopping around, a-catching all that mud and grime. It would be down-right disrespectful. And, hanging it from that outer-space thing would not have been much better.

This problem was the catalyst for the straight-up antenna. Was too! Besides the West Virginians wanted something to hand their fox tails from. As for the rest of the country, hanging old glory from an antenna never caught on.

The above is merely my idiotic speculation and offered as tongue-in-cheek. It is not intended to offend.
Best,
Charlie