shorter antenna
07-14-2006, 11:42 PM
#3
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I chopped mine in half and it looks a LOT better than stock. I had absolutely no change in reception. I actually just recently shaved mine off and I still get reception with my antenna in the fenderwell.
07-15-2006, 12:01 AM
#4
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I did mine at roof line, and it looks prefect. Didn't cost me anything due to us having everything we needed lying around.
To make a shorty antenna that appears like a factory item this is what you need:
Hack Saw
Plyers
Vice
Bench Grinder
Black Paint (Duplicolor Engine Enamal works best)
Take a step back from the car and have a friend mark off where you want the new height of the antenna to be.
Take the antenna to a vice and put thebottom end of it into the vice and tighten it enough to keep it in place, but not too much to bend it.
Get a pair of plyers. Take them and grab onto the ball on the end. Turn and pull very hard. The ball will pop off. Use force. Hold onto the ball. It will be used later to complete the factory look.
Next take a hack saw and cut the antenna where it was marked. This takes only a few minutes of serious cutting.
This is the point where you could put the antenna back on without the ball, and get over it not looking 100% stock.
If you want it to look like it came factory that way you will need a bench grinder. Obviously by cutting the antenna the ball doesn't fit onto a fatter part of the antenna. Take the end of the antenna over to it and grind around the circumference of the very tip. You are just trying to get the end of it to fit back into the ball. You will make a point by doing this. Take the point and grind it flat. Keep testing until ball slides on easily.
The ball will not stay in place. Take some JB weld and put it on the end of the antenna. Put the ball on it and let it sit.
Last step is to take some black spray paint and repaint the sucker really quick.
It takes less than 15 mins to do, and it looks 150% better than stock or the goofy aftermarket ones.
To make a shorty antenna that appears like a factory item this is what you need:
Hack Saw
Plyers
Vice
Bench Grinder
Black Paint (Duplicolor Engine Enamal works best)
Take a step back from the car and have a friend mark off where you want the new height of the antenna to be.
Take the antenna to a vice and put thebottom end of it into the vice and tighten it enough to keep it in place, but not too much to bend it.
Get a pair of plyers. Take them and grab onto the ball on the end. Turn and pull very hard. The ball will pop off. Use force. Hold onto the ball. It will be used later to complete the factory look.
Next take a hack saw and cut the antenna where it was marked. This takes only a few minutes of serious cutting.
This is the point where you could put the antenna back on without the ball, and get over it not looking 100% stock.
If you want it to look like it came factory that way you will need a bench grinder. Obviously by cutting the antenna the ball doesn't fit onto a fatter part of the antenna. Take the end of the antenna over to it and grind around the circumference of the very tip. You are just trying to get the end of it to fit back into the ball. You will make a point by doing this. Take the point and grind it flat. Keep testing until ball slides on easily.
The ball will not stay in place. Take some JB weld and put it on the end of the antenna. Put the ball on it and let it sit.
Last step is to take some black spray paint and repaint the sucker really quick.
It takes less than 15 mins to do, and it looks 150% better than stock or the goofy aftermarket ones.
07-15-2006, 05:58 AM
#6
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bitviper has a badass antenna mod, but also if you go to pfyc.com they have a shorty z06 antenna. I have it and it still gets perfect reception and is the perfect length i think.
07-15-2006, 09:27 AM
#7
wouldnt i be able go get a bolt cutter or something like that and just chop it off the size i want then just sand it down to make it smooth? or did i need that ball on top? if i can recall my buddy shortened my antenna on my old z and it didnt have the ball tip..
