Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

Folks most of you know about a week and a half ago a security gate arm dynamically seperated my rear antenna mast off of my car as the gate arm swung downwards before my car cleared. If your using an OEM BOSE factory head unit you are well aware that the lack of power to the antenna makes the antenna retract when the radio is off.

What do you do however if you are running non factory stereo equipment and the antenna stays up all the time? More yet what if your a Sirius or XM listener and dont even listen to AM/FM radio anymore? You can save the wear and tear on the power antenna by installing the solution which is a simple radio antenna defeat switch.

To do this mod you can order the 84-96 Antenna Switch bypass kit from, MADVET part number 616250 @ $17.99. What you will receive is a Micro switch wired to about 6 ft, two pieces of shrink wrap and some instuctions. GC reccomendation is to buy a mirco switch from Radio Shack and take your significant other to Subway with the savings. A standard microswitch is all you need the kind with two poles for a simple off and on function. Or in this case and up or down function. LOL

First pull the 15 AMP blue fuse in the panel (the upper left most fuse) to kill the interior lamps and power to the antenna. You can now open the hatch without running down the battery. Next decide where you want to place the switch I put mine behind my seat facing the back of the seat mounted to the place where your extra top stores. Two screws hold in the plastic cover to the top storage point and the wires and be easily run under the carpet to the back package tray area. Remove the rear tray by pulling the top sliding lock off the top of the tray and start unscrewing the 6 screws that retain the rear package tray. Now look for a power antenna relay underneath the factory foam on the drivers side of the car the relay has two sides to it. One side plugs into the power antenna the other side into the cars main harness you can actually pull up this entire relay and loom to work on it.

Find the Two pink wires that run to power antenna relay. The wires (one light pink the other dark pink) while seperate both plug into the relay together. Cut both these wires, strip them and now combine them with one side the switch wires then combine the other side of the switch wire to the other side of the break. All you are doing is installing a switch in between in order to be abe to manually break the power to the circuit. (Which will cause the radio antenna to now go up and down or staydown for that matter when ever the car is running)

Solder it all together, Heat shrink it and reinstall the rear tray. DONE.

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

Thanks for the research and the great write up.

Jim

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

Thanks Jim one for the good of the cause. :mrgreen:

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

Darryl:

A great write up of a mod that some of us could use.
:thumbsup:
I for one won't, but that's not all that much of a surprise.
In my 5 years of ZR1 ownership, I have *NEVER* turned on the radio while the car was running.
It's quite simple.
The symphony playing under the hood sounds infinitely better than anything that the radio could produce.
:mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:

TomC
"Crabs"

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

Come on Tom not even once to play "Magic Carpet Ride" ? ;)

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

I think Tom is a NKOTB fan. :thumbsup:

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

You guys are just hurtful.
I might be tempted to blast at high volume "Radar Love", or "I Can't Drive 55", or "Back In Black".:dancing
But you can be sure that I'd NEVER listen to anything by New Kids On The Block.
Ever.

Cirius.

TomC
"Crabs"

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

LMAO. Come on Tom. It's ok.

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

Them's fighting words.
:handshak:
I'd rather kiss Hillary Clinton full on the lips than to deface my Z with NKOTB.
:eek:

TomC
"Crabs"

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

Brave man you are.

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

Id pay a dollar to see that Tom!!!!

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

Tom, are you sure that your radio isn't on???:confused: Maybe some of that 60's music made you a little deaf??:mrgreen: Just kidding buddy!!!:handshak:

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

Tom discovered that the radio does infact not work. Jeffvette told me a "Lord of the Dance" soundtrack was stuck in there :razz:

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

Tom corrected me, it was this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FeIF-7fhkE

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P_5EWjVNr4
:cry::cry:

You guys are brutal.

TomC
"Crabs"

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

OMG hahaha .... vids have come along way but there is nothing that could ever help that song...Jeff must have that in his faves. :mrgreen:

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

Daryll,

I'm going to do a Dynomite and bring back an old thread. Thanks for this tip as I was watching the guys try to start my Z at the port when it arrived the other day and connecting battery power to my dead battery with the antenna going up and down, up and down when trying to start it.

I decided to disconnect or put a switch that I have been meaning to do for years, but it was the least important of mods at the time. I will not be listening to radio for 5 years since I can't understand Japanese so figured to disconnect or switch when I found your thread. I actually would like to just remove the antenna as I have an aftermarket stereo too and never, ever use the radio. Plus the antenna on our cars just do not look cool to me when up. I wonder if there is a 1 pound saving of weight?.....lol. Every pound counts sometimes. If someone knows the approximate weight of the antenna I'll yank it and store it if there is a nice so called "antenna delete plug".

Anyway, thanks for the instructions. I don't have a radio shack here to find a switch, but I'll find one at the Autobacs.

:salute:

Craig

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

hum...sounds like something to look into.

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

Danger Zone

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

I did this mod to my old LT-1 and was the first mod to my Z. If you ever have a need to R&R the antenna as a unit, you will understand. FWIW.... I mounted the switch in the center console.

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

A while back someone on CF forum suggested this place for antenna mast replacements:

http://antennamastsrus.com/

I've used them for a couple of non-Corvette antenna mast replacements and the installation was fairly simple and I was pleased with the results. Haven't done the ZR-1 replacement but I'm sure it would be similar.

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

i had to replace the antenna in my zr-1 after tom henry chevy broke it and wouldn't man up to it. I went from MAD or ecklers or one of those places. it was and easy fix but I do like how the 91+ cars antenna stays down with the cd player is used

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

Awesome BTW I have flipped that switch only once to power up the antenna. I was getting my AVIC hard drive GPS maps upgraded and had to listen to the FM Radio for 3 days. Oh the horror lol. Glad to have helpd. Daryll

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

My car came with the switch mod already done...I use it frequently after the carwash incident in my old LT1 C4.

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

Just got my AVIC installed, this was an awesome mod!!! Thanks for posting! Works like a champ!!

Rich

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

Rich,

Great news! I am thinking about the AVIC and you guys keep tempting me with new projects. I just capped off my antenna hole and removed the antenna entirely last week. I installed a Tune Trapper antenna (http://www.tunetrapper.com/Hidden_Car_Antennas.html) in the rear under the cover along by the glass latch. I am waiting for a body plug and a new connector and will post photos and review of the install. Still waiting for the front speaker amp rebuild (both sides) to come back and then I will determine if I am satisfied or not with my JVC Chameleon head unit.

Craig:handshak:

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

Cool glad to have helped. It's a cheap easy mod for those of us who listen to Sirius/XM on our after market stereo's

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

Hey Craig,
You'd love the AVIC, Secondchance helped me get it installed and it works great. I am familar with the tune trapper, I use on on my Harley, I mounted it under the front faring, it works OK, not really good. I would be interested in seeing how you plugged your antenna hole.
Rich

Re: Antenna Defeat switch an easy install MOD
 

My Turq car has a switch in the dash glove box. I never put the antenna UP and always seem to get good reception. I think I may have put it UP when traveling to Bowling Green last year.