at3reg98

My '65 doesn't have the original radio in it but it does have the antenna on the fender. As far as I know it's original, though it has a mast with a spring on the bottom. Does this imply it had an FM radio originally? They seem quite rare on these cars and I'd be surprised if it had one.

66400

First AMFM for the f85 was introduced for the 67 model year. Sounds like you have an aftermarket replacment antenna. Henry

Fred Kiehl

I can not recall any car that came OEM with a spring at the base of the antenna. I concur that it is an aftermarket antenna. The spring is there to keep you from bending the antenna, and no other reason. There are antennas with coils and such on them, but that is for tuning CB radios, because they need specific effective length antennas to transmit.

at3reg98

I should've clarified- I know the spring mast isn't original but I'm wondering if the presence of an antenna itself on the car is original. Reason I ask is as far as I know usually AM car radios use an internal antenna (inside the radio). Did the AM radios in these use an antenna outside the car?

oldcutlass

AM and Fm radios used a mast antenna. Earlier years actually had them in one of the running boards.

66400

Any GM car from the '60's or earlier with radio will have an outside antenna. By the '70's windshield antenna became the most common GM antenna. I think the 69 Pontiac Grand Prix was the 1st with windshield antenna.

Henry

at3reg98

My '70 had that windshield antenna. It worked fine for me not sure why there were complaints about reception.

bigoldscruiser

I used to commute to work with a guy who had a Chevy SW with the antenna in the windshield. If you heard what happened when the wipers were on, you wouldn't ask why they were discontinued.