Hi,

Are the power antennas used on 82 Vettes the same as those on other GM cars or are they unique?

Just wondering.

Tom

They may be more or less unique since during those years GM was using the hidden antenna around the edge of the windshield in many of their cars. Being fiberglass, the car body would provide no ground plane for an antenna so it necessitated a standard rod antenna that had to be grounded.

The non-retractible antenna may use the same rod portion as other cars, and maybe the bases were different for those GM cars built without the hidden antenna. I think the retractible ones may be Corvette specific since they weren't self-grounding and had the heat shield due to their proximity to the exhaust.

This is just conjecture on my part. Maybe someone like Ken with a history of GM experience can provide a better informed answer.

Electrically, they are about the same.  Same wiring diagrams apply.  The Corvette usually has an additional ground wire, but all of them also used a ground through the antenna coaxial cable.

The physical mounting is similar, but there are several differences.  Some do not secure to the top of the fender, but have extra mounting underneath.  The bezed on the top of the fender varies a lot. With some mods, you can use a lot of them on different cars, but it's not always easy, or will it look right.

The mast is the same for almost all of them in most years, but there are some small differences in some mast.

Now don't cringe.  I am actually going to use an AutoZone universial power antenna after I get the paint on my car.  I will worry about the correct way in the future, after I get several other more important thing done.