Where to get inexpensive quality antenna assy?

[Skunksmash]

My antenna on the 87 has always been a little junky. Finally getting around to fixing it. Had a couple different new radios and they had lousy reception. So Im going to try a new antenna, and cable. ACdelco wants a little more than I think its all worth. Bout $35 after shipping.

There should be some aftermarket company that makes a decent setup, but which one? Autozone and oriellys don't list one on their website and Rockauto seems to only sell Acdelco.

Ebay is clogged with all manner of junk so I was hoping someone here just knew where to find what I'm looking for.

[Skunksmash]

Bump

[SilverMiner]

Originally Posted by Skunksmash

My antenna on the 87 has always been a little junky. Finally getting around to fixing it. Had a couple different new radios and they had lousy reception. So Im going to try a new antenna, and cable. ACdelco wants a little more than I think its all worth. Bout $35 after shipping.

There should be some aftermarket company that makes a decent setup, but which one? Autozone and oriellys don't list one on their website and Rockauto seems to only sell Acdelco.

Ebay is clogged with all manner of junk so I was hoping someone here just knew where to find what I'm looking for.

I'm assuming you are looking to replace a whip style antenna, correct? So you already have an installation hole in the fender to use?

A few months ago I bought this antenna from Amazon: Amazon.com: Pyramid 3800 AM/FM Antenna with...
I've been very happy with it. It was a noticable improvement over what I had before, and the quality seems to be just fine. Not sure if there may not be something better out there, but I was pleased with the price and it is quite a bit less than the $35 you mentioned.

[87 STEPPER]

87's Had the factory antenna inbeded in the windshield not mounted on the fender.

If that's what you have now I would just go digin' around the junk yard's just about anything from any other GM vehicle should work.

Best of all you'll probably only pay 5 or 10 bux!

Good luck.

[Skunksmash]

Originally Posted by 87 STEPPER

87's Had the factory antenna inbeded in the windshield not mounted on the fender.

If that's what you have now I would just go digin' around the junk yard's just about anything from any other GM vehicle should work.

Best of all you'll probably only pay 5 or 10 bux!

Good luck.

Mine has a tiny crack, going right across the base of the antenna wire lol. Of course that's where it would be. I'm guessing it messed up the antenna and someone went ahead and installed one in the fender. Or something.

And since my fender antenna seems to somehow perform so poorly, I figured I probably shouldn't risk getting one from the junkyard. Cause I might just be buying the same problem. I had heard from some car show that antennas can eventually go bad, and you just buy a new one to fix it. Not real sure exactly what the root cause is. Perhaps weakness and/or stress cracking internally, who knows. Something begins to impede the signal I guess.

Originally Posted by SilverMiner

I'm assuming you are looking to replace a whip style antenna, correct? So you already have an installation hole in the fender to use?

A few months ago I bought this antenna from Amazon: Amazon.com: Pyramid 3800 AM/FM Antenna with BuiltIn Power Booster: Car Electronics

I've been very happy with it. It was a noticable improvement over what I had before, and the quality seems to be just fine. Not sure if there may not be something better out there, but I was pleased with the price and it is quite a bit less than the $35 you mentioned.

Yes I have a hole in the fender. How well does that antenna work with the stock chrome setup? You know how you have all those little pieces that slide over the antenna and go down around the base.

[BONUSCAB]

I have an antenna like the one linked to above. It works well, but doesn't fit well. With how the tops of our fenders are, it slants it off to the side. I suggest you hit up a junk yard and get a factory one off a suburban. I plan on doing that this summer. Here is a picture of how mine hangs off to the side. And there is no way for an antenna to "wear out," it's just a piece if wire.

[Skunksmash]

I have to disagree there, I've replaced plenty of wore out wire.

Chips, cracks, oxidization, rubbing, etc etc

Even wire that was subjected to no outside forces like old cable wire inside a building. Sometimes they have to replace old coaxial cable because its not good enough for the internet anymore, you get packet loss because the wire is simply too old. And its been the the wall the whole time. And they replace it with just more coaxial cable, just new.

[Malo83]

http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/cc/full.aspx?Page=180