The Ford Barn

jkeesey · 05-14-2013, 04:14 PM

Hey guys, I've been comissioned to install a radio and antenna in a 1940 Lincoln. What are the chances someone has a picture of where the antenna attaches so I can make some crucial notes on the location before I (gulp) drill into the cowl?

Vic Piano · 05-14-2013, 04:33 PM

I have seen '40 Zephyr's with the antenna mounted on the drivers side of the cowl and '40 Continentals with it mounted on the passenger side of the cowl. Our '39 Zephyr uses the trunk lid as the radio antenna. It is possible that the radio was a dealer installed option and the antenna was mounted where ever the installer chose to put it… Check to the photos on the LZOC.org web site, that should give you an idea.

jkeesey · 05-14-2013, 10:24 PM

This one apparently used the trunk lid from factory but he wants the cowl antenna on the drivers side. I'll check that site, thanks Vic.

jkeesey · 05-17-2013, 12:12 PM

Haven't been able to find much help on this. I have the antenna mounted now but I'm not sure how the wire attaches at the bottom of it. There was also some sort of shroud included in the kit which doesn't seem like it would fit anywhere.

Vic Piano · 05-17-2013, 12:55 PM

A photo of the "kit" would help to determine how the cable should be connected to the antenna. Is it (the antenna kit) supposed to be an original Lincoln unit, or is it a generic after-market kit? As I mentioned in my earlier post, I think that the radio was a dealer installed option, so the actual placement of the antenna was up to the car owner (if they had a preference) or at the discretion of the installer. I know that the antenna wire was factory installed in ’39 LZ’s, even if a radio was not originally ordered, as the trunk lid served as the radio antenna.

jkeesey · 05-17-2013, 01:04 PM

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From what i was reading the cowl antenna could be installed factory or at the dealer. The pieces i have are supposedly "Lincoln" pieces. I will try to post a picture shortly I have to run out to hunt some other parts now.

Clem Clement · 05-17-2013, 01:42 PM

I installed a factory radio in my Mother's 41 Ford coupe. The dealer said the antenna had to go on the passenger side because the dash gauges caused static if the antenna was on the drivers side. That was in 1955

jkeesey · 05-17-2013, 02:50 PM

Clem, I have a stack of factory pictures of the Lincoln with it on the drivers side cowl. The only problem I had with those was all of them were from far away so I couldn't use any for drilling references. I only found 1 picture that i could use for a rough estimate. My main concern at this point is the wire for the antenna. It has a standard male plug on one end for going into the radio and the other end just has a small wire with clear insulation around it. The bottom of the antenna is threaded but I wasn't provided and nut that would fit it or a terminal for the wire.

jkeesey · 05-17-2013, 04:11 PM

Heres a few pictures of what I have to work with.

jkeesey · 05-21-2013, 02:03 PM

Well, the radio and antenna are installed and the only sound is static. Supposedly the radio was checked and was good so now what?

Vic Piano · 05-21-2013, 02:10 PM

I would check the grounds and try tuning the radio to a known strong frequency in the area. I'm assuming that the radio is still 6 volt AM... I’d also check to see that all the RF suppressors are in place, as there were several installed originally.

jkeesey · 05-21-2013, 03:00 PM

I'm thinking it may be a screw up on my part. Where the antenna comes through the cowl I used a washer on the underside to hold it in place and this may be causing the interference. I had to remove the antenna anyhow to reshape the bakelite base to actually fit the cowl properly so I'm going to put a thick rubber mat between the washer and the cowl. I tried tuning the radio but all that came in was the nice sound of the v12.

rgregg · 05-21-2013, 03:24 PM

There should be an insulator that screws into the cowl trim piece that electrically isolates the antenna from ground (see picture). Also, be sure to install the rectangular metal shield on the driver side kick panel (Notice red oval super imposed on kick panel picture - the metal piece you see is the metal shield screwed into the kick panel area by some sheet metal screws.

jkeesey · 05-21-2013, 03:42 PM

Thanks rgregg, the antenna wire was not done properly I'm going to fix it now. What attaches to the stud on the bottom of the antenna? Is the shield supposed to mount to it? BTW your pictures are the only ones I've seen of this stuff.

jkeesey · 05-21-2013, 04:02 PM

Hot Damn we have sound!

rgregg · 05-21-2013, 04:34 PM

I harvested a 41 LZ Sedan last summer for my projects (40 LZ 3W Cpe, 40 LZ Conv. Cpe) and wanted to document the "anatomy" of how these cars were actually built. Even got some rare shots of how the unibody was assembled. I simply wanted to be able to answer these kinds of questions. Glad that it's been beneficial to you!

Rick Gregg
Elkhorn, NE

05-14-2013, 04:14 PM	#1
jkeesey Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Glenmoore Pa Posts: 1,644	Possible Lincoln Antenna Picture? Hey guys, I've been comissioned to install a radio and antenna in a 1940 Lincoln. What are the chances someone has a picture of where the antenna attaches so I can make some crucial notes on the location before I (gulp) drill into the cowl?

05-14-2013, 04:33 PM	#2
Vic Piano Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Odessa, FL Posts: 7,611	Re: Possible Lincoln Antenna Picture? I have seen '40 Zephyr's with the antenna mounted on the drivers side of the cowl and '40 Continentals with it mounted on the passenger side of the cowl. Our '39 Zephyr uses the trunk lid as the radio antenna. It is possible that the radio was a dealer installed option and the antenna was mounted where ever the installer chose to put it… Check to the photos on the LZOC.org web site, that should give you an idea. __________________ Imagination is more important than knowledge.

05-14-2013, 10:24 PM	#3
jkeesey Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Glenmoore Pa Posts: 1,644	Re: Possible Lincoln Antenna Picture? This one apparently used the trunk lid from factory but he wants the cowl antenna on the drivers side. I'll check that site, thanks Vic.

05-17-2013, 12:12 PM	#4
jkeesey Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Glenmoore Pa Posts: 1,644	Re: Possible Lincoln Antenna Picture? Haven't been able to find much help on this. I have the antenna mounted now but I'm not sure how the wire attaches at the bottom of it. There was also some sort of shroud included in the kit which doesn't seem like it would fit anywhere.

05-17-2013, 12:55 PM	#5
Vic Piano Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Odessa, FL Posts: 7,611	Re: Possible Lincoln Antenna Picture? A photo of the "kit" would help to determine how the cable should be connected to the antenna. Is it (the antenna kit) supposed to be an original Lincoln unit, or is it a generic after-market kit? As I mentioned in my earlier post, I think that the radio was a dealer installed option, so the actual placement of the antenna was up to the car owner (if they had a preference) or at the discretion of the installer. I know that the antenna wire was factory installed in ’39 LZ’s, even if a radio was not originally ordered, as the trunk lid served as the radio antenna. __________________ Imagination is more important than knowledge.

05-17-2013, 01:04 PM	#6
jkeesey Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Glenmoore Pa Posts: 1,644	Re: Possible Lincoln Antenna Picture? Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) From what i was reading the cowl antenna could be installed factory or at the dealer. The pieces i have are supposedly "Lincoln" pieces. I will try to post a picture shortly I have to run out to hunt some other parts now.

05-17-2013, 01:42 PM	#7
Clem Clement Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Fairfax, VA Posts: 3,393	Re: Possible Lincoln Antenna Picture? I installed a factory radio in my Mother's 41 Ford coupe. The dealer said the antenna had to go on the passenger side because the dash gauges caused static if the antenna was on the drivers side. That was in 1955

05-17-2013, 02:50 PM	#8
jkeesey Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Glenmoore Pa Posts: 1,644	Re: Possible Lincoln Antenna Picture? Clem, I have a stack of factory pictures of the Lincoln with it on the drivers side cowl. The only problem I had with those was all of them were from far away so I couldn't use any for drilling references. I only found 1 picture that i could use for a rough estimate. My main concern at this point is the wire for the antenna. It has a standard male plug on one end for going into the radio and the other end just has a small wire with clear insulation around it. The bottom of the antenna is threaded but I wasn't provided and nut that would fit it or a terminal for the wire.

05-21-2013, 02:03 PM	#10
jkeesey Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Glenmoore Pa Posts: 1,644	Re: Possible Lincoln Antenna Picture? Well, the radio and antenna are installed and the only sound is static. Supposedly the radio was checked and was good so now what?

05-21-2013, 02:10 PM	#11
Vic Piano Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Odessa, FL Posts: 7,611	Re: Possible Lincoln Antenna Picture? I would check the grounds and try tuning the radio to a known strong frequency in the area. I'm assuming that the radio is still 6 volt AM... I’d also check to see that all the RF suppressors are in place, as there were several installed originally. __________________ Imagination is more important than knowledge.

05-21-2013, 03:00 PM	#12
jkeesey Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Glenmoore Pa Posts: 1,644	Re: Possible Lincoln Antenna Picture? I'm thinking it may be a screw up on my part. Where the antenna comes through the cowl I used a washer on the underside to hold it in place and this may be causing the interference. I had to remove the antenna anyhow to reshape the bakelite base to actually fit the cowl properly so I'm going to put a thick rubber mat between the washer and the cowl. I tried tuning the radio but all that came in was the nice sound of the v12.

05-21-2013, 03:42 PM	#14
jkeesey Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Glenmoore Pa Posts: 1,644	Re: Possible Lincoln Antenna Picture? Thanks rgregg, the antenna wire was not done properly I'm going to fix it now. What attaches to the stud on the bottom of the antenna? Is the shield supposed to mount to it? BTW your pictures are the only ones I've seen of this stuff.

05-21-2013, 04:02 PM	#15
jkeesey Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Glenmoore Pa Posts: 1,644	Re: Possible Lincoln Antenna Picture? Hot Damn we have sound!

05-21-2013, 04:34 PM	#16
rgregg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Omaha, Nebraska Posts: 224	Re: Possible Lincoln Antenna Picture? I harvested a 41 LZ Sedan last summer for my projects (40 LZ 3W Cpe, 40 LZ Conv. Cpe) and wanted to document the "anatomy" of how these cars were actually built. Even got some rare shots of how the unibody was assembled. I simply wanted to be able to answer these kinds of questions. Glad that it's been beneficial to you! Rick Gregg Elkhorn, NE