2002 Camaro - Convert fixed antenna to power antenna
08-28-2017, 02:53 PM
#1
Teching In
Thread Starter
2002 Camaro - Convert fixed antenna to power antenna 2002 Camaro SS Convertible - convert static/fixed antenna to power attenna
I was tired of having to unscrew my fixed antenna every time I want to put the car cover on... and did not want to poke a hole in my $$$ cover either. SO... I did this:
PARTS:
AC Delco Antenna, new: 10269280 $149
Pigtail for antenna connector: S1132 ( Standard Parts) $11
Pin for radio connector: 7101858 ( Metra connector for GM radio $7
16 gauge tee-splice connector - 2
16 gauge butt splice connector - 4
16 gauge ground crimp connector - 1
1 foot black 16 gauge wire
I have seen several posts and a few web pages describing how to accomplish this. My writeup applies to a 2002 Camaro and might apply backwards for several years, depending on how long GM placed a connector in the trunk for a remote CD deck.
That connector has a fused source of 12 volts as well as a 18 gauge signal wire from the radio that will function as a 'antenna up/down' signal. This signal is one most say needs a wire run from the back of the radio to the trunk. If your Camaro has a remote CD deck connector, you are all set to avoid that.
That remote CD deck connector is behind the driver's side trunk cover. If no remote CD deck is installed like mine, I found the connector taped to another harness back there. There is an orange wire in pin 5, a smaller gauge green wire in pin 10. A black ground wire on pin 7, and then speaker wires on pins 1 and 2. It will also have a drain/shield wire.
You can tap into that orange wire on pin 5, and extend it over to the antenna location on the passenger side using a tee type tap crimp connector.
The AC Delco antenna comes with the mounting bracket, the correct bezel and a 3 pin male connector attached. I purchased a Standard parts S1132 female pigtail to retain functionality of the connector. The 10269280 antenna's mounting bracket was about 3 inches too short to reach the OE hard mount retaining bolt hole. I extended the bracket down with a short section of flat stock from my local hardware store.
I clipped the green wire at pin 10 of the remote CD deck connector, taped the end going to the connector, then extended the end from the cable harness to the green wire of the pigtail. I tapped into the orange wire at pin 5 and ran that to the orange wire on the pigtail. I ran new short wire from the black wire of the pigtail to the sheet metal screw that attaches the antenna mounting bracket to the car using a round 16 gauge crimp connector.
In order to get the antenna to power up and down I had to remove the radio, and cut the other end of the green wire from the trunk, at connector C3 pin over to one side of the back of the radio, and taped the end of end. I removed the C1/C2 connector and put a new pin removed from the Metra connector into the pin 8 opening on connector C1. (the top connector ), then spliced the green wire I cut from C3 into this new wire. Done.
I was tired of having to unscrew my fixed antenna every time I want to put the car cover on... and did not want to poke a hole in my $$$ cover either. SO... I did this:
PARTS:
AC Delco Antenna, new: 10269280 $149
Pigtail for antenna connector: S1132 ( Standard Parts) $11
Pin for radio connector: 7101858 ( Metra connector for GM radio $7
16 gauge tee-splice connector - 2
16 gauge butt splice connector - 4
16 gauge ground crimp connector - 1
1 foot black 16 gauge wire
I have seen several posts and a few web pages describing how to accomplish this. My writeup applies to a 2002 Camaro and might apply backwards for several years, depending on how long GM placed a connector in the trunk for a remote CD deck.
That connector has a fused source of 12 volts as well as a 18 gauge signal wire from the radio that will function as a 'antenna up/down' signal. This signal is one most say needs a wire run from the back of the radio to the trunk. If your Camaro has a remote CD deck connector, you are all set to avoid that.
That remote CD deck connector is behind the driver's side trunk cover. If no remote CD deck is installed like mine, I found the connector taped to another harness back there. There is an orange wire in pin 5, a smaller gauge green wire in pin 10. A black ground wire on pin 7, and then speaker wires on pins 1 and 2. It will also have a drain/shield wire.
You can tap into that orange wire on pin 5, and extend it over to the antenna location on the passenger side using a tee type tap crimp connector.
The AC Delco antenna comes with the mounting bracket, the correct bezel and a 3 pin male connector attached. I purchased a Standard parts S1132 female pigtail to retain functionality of the connector. The 10269280 antenna's mounting bracket was about 3 inches too short to reach the OE hard mount retaining bolt hole. I extended the bracket down with a short section of flat stock from my local hardware store.
I clipped the green wire at pin 10 of the remote CD deck connector, taped the end going to the connector, then extended the end from the cable harness to the green wire of the pigtail. I tapped into the orange wire at pin 5 and ran that to the orange wire on the pigtail. I ran new short wire from the black wire of the pigtail to the sheet metal screw that attaches the antenna mounting bracket to the car using a round 16 gauge crimp connector.
In order to get the antenna to power up and down I had to remove the radio, and cut the other end of the green wire from the trunk, at connector C3 pin over to one side of the back of the radio, and taped the end of end. I removed the C1/C2 connector and put a new pin removed from the Metra connector into the pin 8 opening on connector C1. (the top connector ), then spliced the green wire I cut from C3 into this new wire. Done.
Last edited by gerry; 08-29-2017 at 12:31 PM.
09-21-2017, 04:33 PM
#3
Teching In
Thread Starter
Yes, kept it. The most interesting find in this was the existence of a factory wire that runs from the trunk to the back of the radio, i.e. I did not have to run one.