Roof mount antenna removal?

[Deleted User]
[Deleted User]
edited November -1 in HUDSON
I'd like to remove the antenna from my car for painting, but I can't seem to get the plastic bezel that's under the knob off. I don't want to pry on it much because the old plastic is so brittle. I there a trick to getting it off?

Mark R.
Oregon

Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    has a nut up inside the bezel, use a deep socket to remove the nut.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    The nut is hard to remove due to tight clearance. It sounds like you may allready have removed the nut. There is a lock washer under it that tends to squash the plastic into the shaft. This makes it nearly impossible to remove it. You just need to gently work the lock waher out then wiggle the bezzel loose.
    Roger
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    There is an 11/16th nut inside the bezel You need a deep well THIN wall socket. Trying to use a regular socket will crack the bezel. It should slip right off then.
    Be careful with the wiring to the antenna as it runs under the headliner across the top of the windshield. You don't want to remove the headliner just to retrieve the wire.
    Bob Hickson
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    I have removed the nut and washer, and yes it takes a very thin wall socket. The plastic part just won't pull out. It's not threaded to the shaft is it?
  • bent metal
    bent metal Senior Contributor
    I don't know much about these. ...But, a while back my dad had a new old stock antenna still in the box but assembled. Never on a car. He went to take it apart to install it, it wouldn't come apart. This is on the work bench mind you. And it would not come apart. Turns out, over time, that plastic thing shrinks down over the threads locking itself on. Now this has been years ago, I can't remember why, but it wouldn't unscrew either for some reason. He broke that plastic piece taking it off. He had a spare of the plastic pieces and it would not fit on the new shaft either. Over the years while it was on the shelf it too had shrunk. He had to drill it out a little to make it fit.

    At least that how I remember it. But it's been a long time.

    A while back there was another thread that brought up this very topic. Maybe some one could link it here? Or you could search to find it and see if any new info is in there?
  • bent metal
    bent metal Senior Contributor
    edited November 2011
    This all I could find and it looks like better advise than mine. They mention a set screw, and a second nut???
    http://www.classiccar.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=13&id=9287&Itemid=152#9287
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    edited November 2011
    Marker345 wrote:
    I'd like to remove the antenna from my car for painting, but I can't seem to get the plastic bezel that's under the knob off. I don't want to pry on it much because the old plastic is so brittle. I there a trick to getting it off?

    Mark R.
    Oregon

    Hopefully the attached information will provide you the assistance needed.

    Cheers

    How to remove a Hudson Stepdown Roof Top antenna

    The Hudson Stepdown antenna is mounted through the roof. It is located directly above the divider bar between the two windshield halves. Most of the antenna elements are either exterior to the car or not seen as they are behind the rotating knob and escutcheon cover.

    See the example picture.





    The knob and escutcheon plate can be removed as follows:
    1.Loosen the set screw in the knob and carefully pull it off the antenna control shaft.
    2.When the knob is removed the nut holding the escutcheon to the assembly can be seen, remove it with a deep well socket.
    3.Once the escutcheon is removed you will be able to access the additional nuts and locating assemblies and remove them.





    4.NOTE: be careful to disconnect the connector from the antenna feed. (See the yellow wire in the picture.
    5.Once the nut, washers and plastic locating washer located behind the escutcheon have been removed and the antenna disconnected… the antenna will be removable from the exterior of the car.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Thanks for the information, now I know what it looks like when I get it out. The plastic must have shrunk, as suggested. I think I'll try carving it out a little from the inside somehow. I don't imagine it's easy to find one of these if it breaks.

    Thanks Again,

    Mark R.
  • tbeilke
    tbeilke Member
    Gene Eshelman sells reproduction antenna bezel & knobs for 48-55 Hudson. The link to the web site is below.

    Tom



    http://partsbyemc.com/
  • GrimGreaser
    GrimGreaser Senior Contributor
    Rob Fayette here on the forum also makes them, as well as window crank knobs and bezels, turn signal and shifter knobs and some other small items. In many colors. I got some nice bright red turn signal and shift knobs from him, looked awesome. Send him a PM, here's the thread link:

    http://www.classiccar.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=13&id=140502&Itemid=152
  • bent metal
    bent metal Senior Contributor
    edited November 2011
    Ok, so the set screw was in the knob.
    The nut was down the hole there.
    The second nut that they were refering to is after the bezel. Is the bezel keyed or something? Even if it were shrunk down on the threads it should still spin off of the shaft. Right?
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Its just tight about 50% of the ones Ive removed crack in the process of removal. All you can do is work with it , once the nut and star washer is off there is just a tight fit holding it.
    Roger
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Possibly if you heated it with a hair dryer it may epand enough to let loose so you can slide it off,
    Roger
  • chopperchuck
    chopperchuck Expert Adviser
    tbeilke wrote:
    Gene Eshelman sells reproduction antenna bezel & knobs for 48-55 Hudson. The link to the web site is below.

    Tom



    http://partsbyemc.com/


    i didn't see em listed.where did i miss em ?
  • onerare39
    onerare39 Expert Adviser, Member
    After reading the post from Roger I had this thought.

    After you remove the nut and washer use a soldering gun to heat up the metal housing, which in turn would soften or melt the plastic escutcheon where it is stuck to the housing?


    John
  • bent metal
    bent metal Senior Contributor
    onerare39 wrote:
    After reading the post from Roger I had this thought.

    After you remove the nut and washer use a soldering gun to heat up the metal housing, which in turn would soften or melt the plastic escutcheon where it is stuck to the housing?


    John

    Hmmm? That sounds worth a try!:)
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    mmmmm i think that might work . . . .
    Roger
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Well I finally got that escucheon off. Yes, I did try warming it up with my heat gun, but no success. What did the trick was to carve out around the shaft with a long shafted burr on a Dremel.

    Thanks for all the advice.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Thats what I was trying to indicate in my first post. I've found that lock washer squash's the plastic around the shaft. I never tried a dremel just wiggled it till it worked loose.
    Glad to hear you savet it !
    Roger
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