Antenna location?

[Sporto]

On my '77 the antenna is on the passenger side. The antenna looks to be aftermarket and the base wobbles, so I have bought an electronically retractable antenna I would like to install but my mechanic is too lazy every time I ask him. If anyone has time to comment, how hard is it to replace a fixed antenna with a new retractable one on the passenger side? Thank you.

Actually, I did this exact thing in the 80's (although it was on the driver's side using the OEM location that I had). It was not really hard to do at all, the trick was to get the right kind of antenna to fit the OEM bezel that mounts it to the fender on the curve of the metal. I got the antenna from JC Whitney or somewhere like that, and my OEM mounting hardware threaded right onto it at the top (so I was lucky), and I used some metal strapping to mount it to the inner fender. The rest was just wiring it up, and that was not hard.

Only thing was back then I drove the Bronco through PA winters and the salt spray rotted that motor mechanism out in about a year or two. That location is really susceptible to corrosion from the tire throwing everything at it.

Good luck.

Rich

 

[Blue Bastard]

FYI.
There are even dimples on trucks that didn’t have factory installed radios on the drivers side metal. Those are the for location when drilling.
I would suspect that most all of the passengers side were dealer installed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DirtDonk]

For all those that have theirs on the passenger side, was it always a factory style antenna, or aftermarket?
Where exactly is the hole in the inner panel for the cable to pass through?

Paul

 

[1strodeo]

I’ve got you all beat, mine was on the bumper ;D

 

[Crush]

^^^^^that is a cb ant mount^^^^

 

[1strodeo]

^^^^^that is a cb ant mount^^^^

That was my obviously poor attempt at humor, sorry

 

[Crush]

sorry man.....maybe my dry sense of humor didnt get it..lol

 

[Fostertn]

Hey folks,

I’m installing new fenders without any antenna holes. I have a repop antenna from one of our friendly vendors. Does anyone know the correct location on the fender? Drivers side mine was originally....I didn’t take the measurement though before getting rid of the original fenders. Thanks !

I have enough detail on location, but am curious if you had any trouble drilling the hole? I have a Bronco shop manual that advises a 1.187" hole and location, but that puts the center point slightly on the downside slope of the fender...too bad it cant just be at the peak of the fender where there is less chance of screwing up the drilling of the hole. Any suggestions? I assume you found a way to safely drill that hole. I made the mistake of painting before installing the antennae!

 

[tampabronco]

My 76 had it on the drivers side. My 77 has it in the passenger side both factory am radios
Maybe somebody knows Maybe somebody in 77 drilled a hole on the wrong fender that's why mine is on the pass side

My 76 is on the passenger side

 

[69_Sport]

If Broncos are like other Fords of the era, and I believe they are, then the antennas were ALL installed by the dealership.
Radios were extra cost options, so a Marti report will show whether a particular Bronco had a factory radio or not.
But either way, the antenna was dealer installed which may explain why they aren't all alike...

 

[DirtDonk]

I have a Bronco shop manual that advises a 1.187" hole and location, but that puts the center point slightly on the downside slope of the fender...too bad it cant just be at the peak of the fender where there is less chance of screwing up the drilling of the hole.

I think that’s correct simply because of the design of the antenna.
If you remember they were not designed to sit on a flat surface or at the center peak, but in fact had that large-ish bezel with much more material on the outside / down side of the fender.

Can’t say myself whether more of the hole is on one side or the other of the peak of the fender, but if you grab the bezel part of the antenna and line it up with where you expect the hole to go, you can see how it will fit.

 

[sprdv1]

My 76 is on the passenger side

think mine was too before it disappeared