Base?

Square or round based antenna? Which one matches my Marchals better? I'm ordering a new one I understand both are correct?

Hook

Hooked,
this has been a big topic for a long time, even in the latest Mustang Monthly they discuss this issue. Why...because all antennas came from the factory in the trunk and were installed by the dealer. They did not always follow the template in placing it and if it got misplaced in the prep-work they just grapped one in the inventory.

Now to your question, everything I have ever heard about the '68 antenna is it should be round to be factory correct, NOTE I did not say DEALER correct because you could have bought your car with a dealer inventory one not factory.

As a sidenote, Mustang Monthly stated that some dealers ordered cars without radios (and of course there would be no antenna) and then put in what the buyer wanted, that way they did not have to guess what was wanted and the dealer installed radio kits (radio, antenna, and bracket) cost more so they made a little more profit on the deal.

Doug

Before I painted my car, I didn't check my antenna hole so after the paint job I purchased a round one . When I went to install the antenna didn't cover the holes up so I purchased a rectangular one and it worked perfect. The place where I purchased my parts from had a NOS one and it was rectangular.So who is right.

The reason I'm leaning toward a rectangular base is that my memory tells me that is what was on the car when I bought it. At some point it got busted and I bought a cheap aftermarket round one, I can remember looking for a rectangular base and couldn't find one. The round one I bought, probably at K-Mart is junk so I'm going to replace it with the correct type and I think I'll go back to the rectangular base because I'd have to say it was the original as that's the only one I know was ever on the car. From the sounds of it we can pretty much decide what the original was on our own as no one can dispute it. So I say get the one I like and stand by it, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. ;D

Hook

Hey Hook, mine is a round base but my 2 1969's are both rectangular. I would say the dead giveaway is the presence of the 4 small screw holes around the large hole in the fender, if the 68 and 69 antenna's are the same. No holes= round base, screw holes= rectangular. As a side note, the correct mast should have an airfoil or teardrop shape to it, not be a round shaft.
Steve

In the April Mustang Monthly magazine, Bob Perkins (MCA Head Judge) stated, "All Mustang antennas, 1965 to 1972, have round masts and are telesopic. Teardrop masts are not Mustang antennas. The '73 Mustangs also have round masts, but they are not-telescoping."

I know this still does not answer the initial question on round or square base.

Doug

Maybe I'll take a trip to some of the local junk yards and see if I can't find some 68ish cars and take a look at what antenna's they have if they still have one. Make for a fun day out pilfering through the yards.

Hook

[quote author=68sunlitgold link=board=1;threadid=1580;start=0#msg9550 date=1113569639]
In the April Mustang Monthly magazine, Bob Perkins (MCA Head Judge) stated, "All Mustang antennas, 1965 to 1972, have round masts and are telesopic. Teardrop masts are not Mustang antennas. The '73 Mustangs also have round masts, but they are not-telescoping."

I know this still does not answer the initial question on round or square base.

Doug
[/quote]

Learn something everyday. My '69's are "non-Mustang" and I just figured Ford used the same part on the whole line.
Steve

We put a round one back on ours because each of our 68 fenders that we tried all had round holes. But, to be honest, when we bought our car, a round hole was cut in the drivers rear quarter panel. We had to patch this hole and drill our new hole for the new front fender.

Paul

Paul,
the antenna in the rear quarter is not uncommon, as I stated the dealer installed all antennas in 68 so if a owner wanted it there that's where the dealer put it. In the same Mustang Monthly article it also talked about this variation and how it is judged. They said if you are showing a car in a none restored category, leave the antenna where it is, to include having the wrong antenna. But if you are in the concourse restored category, you need to put the antenna where Ford intended it to be along with the correct antenna.

I forgot to include that 2 of my cars (both from San Jose) have round based antenna, the convertible's antenna was gone when I purchased it.

Doug

I was always led to believe that all San Jose cars came with round antenna bases from the factory no matter where they were installed. One of the keys to identifying a true GT/CS.
Can anyone verify this?

Ok from all the reading I'm leaning the other way, round, just don't get me going in circles or I might get dizzy.

Hook