Radio delete antenna hole

[Jack H.]

Re: Radio delete antenna hole

There was no 'radio delete' option on the early Corvettes. The radio was an option and the antenna + hole drilling came as part of the option package.

Starting in '79, the base car was equipped with AM/FM radio and the option became the choice of stereo radio (base stereo, with CB, with 8-track, with cassette). One year later, 1980, there was a legitimate factory option, UL5, for radio deletion.

That's the era folks need to go/look for the telltale of the rear fender being plugged/patched...

[Dick W.]

Re: Radio delete antenna hole

Tom, that is what I am used to seeing on the '68 and '69 cars.

I restored a '65 no radio coupe quite a few years ago and do not remember seeing any evidence of a patched hole similar to the later cars.

[George C.]

Re: Radio delete antenna hole

There was no 'radio delete' option on the early Corvettes. The radio was an option and the antenna + hole drilling came as part of the option package.

Starting in '79, the base car was equipped with AM/FM radio and the option became the choice of stereo radio (base stereo, with CB, with 8-track, with cassette). One year later, 1980, there was a legitimate factory option, UL5, for radio deletion.

That's the era folks need to go/look for the telltale of the rear fender being plugged/patched...

There was no technical option #(code) back when I ordered the Corvettes. All I did was use the -U59 on old style order forms.
Just like when I ordered the Corvettes with no paint. Left the boxes for color blank and wrote in big letters on bottom of order NO PAINT, send Corvette In PRIMER. SPECIAL ORDER . And made sure to initial order guide and follow up order calling my man at the Buffalo zone.

[Jim W.]

Re: Radio delete antenna hole

While on the subject, is it possible to plug an antenna hole so it doesn't look obvious from the underside of a 64 convertible? My non-radio car had one added at some point, however the hole is in the wrong location (several inches forward and a little outboard). In fact, about 3/4 of it is cut through the rear bulkhead reinforcement strip so there is double thick fiberglass to work with which I thought may help with the shrinkage and appearance problems encountered with a patch job.

[Jack H.]

Re: Radio delete antenna hole

Is it possible to plug an antenna hole so it doesn't look obvious from the underside of a 64 convertible?

Yes, but you have to do the repair job CORRECTLY. That means using fiberglass (NOT just a slurry of bond), doping it with the correct color additives to match the factory original glass, and laying it in via multiple THIN layers.

Where most go wrong with repairs is by using 'boat glass' (woven cloth) instead of finely chopped, thin, glass strands nicely mixed with resin and trying to accomplish the fill in 1-2 layers vs. 8-12 individual THIN layers.

I've seen hand laid repairs done properly that were as good and long lasting as the factory original press molded panel. But, it's a labor of love to do the job right...

[George C.]

Re: Radio delete antenna hole

Hi Tom, Thanks for pic. Found a shot of a 70 ZR-1 I took in Fall of 1989 at NCRS Mystic, CT meet. Take a look. >George

[Wayne M.]

Re: Radio delete antenna hole

......There are also many other clues to a real no radio C2.

Michael --- In '65-6 would one of those be the lack of the two holes in the vertical panel used to mount the power antenna support bracket ? [you can see both sides of this location, so a patch job on the rear of the panel would be visible].

How about the hole in the frame for the antenna ground plane copper ribbon ground strap ? Or were they in all frames (like other frame braided copper ground strap locations, radio or not ?

[Michael H.]

Re: Radio delete antenna hole

Michael --- In '65-6 would one of those be the lack of the two holes in the vertical panel used to mount the power antenna support bracket ? [you can see both sides of this location, so a patch job on the rear of the panel would be visible].

How about the hole in the frame for the antenna ground plane copper ribbon ground strap ? Or were they in all frames (like other frame braided copper ground strap locations, radio or not ?

Wayne,

For 65-66, the holes for the antenna brackets in the splash panel behind the rear tire would be drilled at the source so all cars would have the holes. (my 66 does) It appears there was no attempt to fill the holes, and no reason to do so.
If the brackets on a car with radio were removed decades later, I'm sure there would be a rust stained area on both sides of the panel where the tapping plate was. I posted a pic of back side of this panel below.

I don't remember if the hole in the frame for the antenna ground strap was present on my car. I'll look. (it wasn't for the ground strap at the #2 body mount)

One more item in the area of the antenna is the grommet at the rear bulkhead that the antenna cable passes through. Non radio cars should have a grommet with the membrane still in place? (hole for antenna cable not pierced)