While at the Plymouth Owners Club Grand National this weekend, the question came up while my car was being judged regarding the correctness of my radio antenna. I have the telescoping version on my AM radio equipped 71 GTX. I have owned two 69 Road Runners, a 71 Cuda and 71 Challenger and all had the telescoping antennas. I just assumed this was always correct and that the single mast units didn't come along until later on. Just wondering if perhaps the single mast is correct for a 1971 car that was equipped with an AM/FM radio?

Thanks

Rod

Rod, I thought the single mast came along somewhere after '71, (like maybe even'73?). I know that my '69 RR had a telescoping antenna and back then ('69/'70) I was doing some part time help installing car audio (8-tracks and FM radios) and was instructed to set the telescoping antennas at 32" when we installed an FM radio for best FM reception. Later when AM/FM radios became the standard most all of the manufactures went to the fixed length antenna to benefit the FM reception overall. Okay who has the answer?????

The first model year to use the single piece whip antenna was 1972.

Let me find my image, I posted it here before......

Here is the old thread, I bumped it;

https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/show...e=0#Post4312212

Thanks!

I know this is a touchy subject that has been addressed before,but I have to agree with the line of thinking that "snoopy" had from the previous thread about service manuals not being updated until 1972.I have a '71 Cuda with a whip antenna (AM/FM CASSETTE)and from the research I have done it looks to be about 50/50 to me on whip vs. telescopic.It would seem like a high number of cars that had their antennas replaced to me!I respect Barry and A12's opinion very much but something is missing on this one....

According to the 70-71 Parts Book, this antenna mast was first available on 71 C-Bodies p/n 3513745.

Keep in mind that this was a new part number, for the mast only, and was not listed in any previous parts book before the January 72 revision.

The 70 only Parts Book (May 70) does not show a 31" antenna mast for any of the cars. The only ones available at that time were the 60" & 76.5" telescopic masts and the power antenna.

The 70-71 Parts book only list the 31" antenna mast as being available for the 71 C-Bodies only, and this wasn't until the Jan 72 revision. Neither of the parts books (70 Only or 70-71) list a 31" antenna package, only the mast is mentioned in the Jan 72 edition of the 70-71 parts book.
It looks like the only way you could get the 31" mast was to purchase it separately as a replacement for a telescopic antenna. Even then, it was only recommended for the 71 C-Bodies.

BeepBeeps' original post.

The way I remember it in the day was that in 1971 the non telescopic was standard with AM/FM ONLY. All others had the telescopic.

Are you and that beauty coming to the Nats???