Topic: Radio antenna in trunk for 66 cars

[21.04]

Not sure if this is the proper section to post the topic or not.  I?m collecting parts for a t-bred restoration as a pre-dealer prep car.  Car is a SJ plant HP GT Conv with projected build 7/1/66.  I understand antennas came in a brain paper bag placed in the trunk before leaving the assembly plant.  I?ve run into a few versions of the bag:  one has a part number ink stamped on the outside in large characters and one version is a plain bag.  Does anyone know which version was used at the assembly plants ( or at least which was commonly used in SJ for ?66 model?
 

[J_Speegle]

Not aware of the differences - have only seen a few cars with the antenna still in the trunk. Never seen a San Jose built example where it was not installed during 66 so I don't know which support they used compared to the other two plants. Might allow my leaway in a judging situation or not. 

Most people do restorations would not worry about the detail since few build their cars to have they were delivered to the dealership or left the factory if your concerned in show situation. Guess too many unpleasant looking details you would need to reproduce but have seen a few cars presented that way.

Choosing a little before dealer prep and a few details from post dealer prep is a plan to receive deductions for not being one or another. In some organizations you don't have the option its as delivered. Have been on teams where we deduction for items once the owner stated a choice between the two.  The little window inspection and check stickers is often seen as an example of mixing.

Just a thought and consideration

[J_Speegle]

We also have to realize for a car to retain the antenna in the trunk, uninstalled the first owner would have to try real hard or have a special relationship with the dealer and to be, themselves a very different person to not want the dealer to prepare the car for them. Those people IME were typically located on the eastern part of the country with an eye on long term ownership or collectability. Buyers on the west coast were typically not that type of people. Good weather, lots of nice roads, no rust to concern themselves (in general) with and other reasons to buy and drive.

Only found one picture in my files so far. Its from a Dearborn built car and it only shows the back side of the bag. Might or likely has some form of identification on the front side of the bag. The flap is pointed up in the picture.

Would guess you have seen this example

[Bob Gaines]

I would think that there would have to be a good logical explanation if the radio was installed in the dash along with the other dealer prep things that were typically done leaving only the antenna uninstalled still in the trunk. At least if showing it uninstalled in a concours venue. Now if other dealer prep things were not done ether then the uninstalled antenna presentation would be more believable to a concours judge . That is if showing in a concours venue.

[PerkinsRestoration]

If the car was ordered with a radio it would have been installed at the assembly plant. Antenna installation was a dealer prep item. The car in Jeff's photo appears to be one of the 10 Fords from Mercer Ford in Hickman Nebraska that were ordered and not sold till the mid nineties. The cars were stored by owner Bob Mercer. The cars were not dealer prepped. The antennas were not installed, wheel covers were in the trunk, most protective plastic etc. not removed. The Mercer cars were still on original MSO's never titled with the original IBM order cards from Omaha ordering district. Mustang convertibles were shipped to the Dealers with white plastic protective covers that clipped to the top. Good luck finding one of those? Only know of one that still exist. There would be no deduction in MCA concours  classes for an antenna in original bag in trunk. Typically most cars that did not have antennas installed were customer ordered rather than dealer stock.

[21.04]

Thanks Jeff and Bob for your insight.  Bob has helped me collect a few goodies for  restoration but Still hunting for a few parts.  Yes, finding the correct parts for a pre-dealer prep car is very difficult and some details are not appealing to most.  Mainly, wanted to ask if anyone knew whether the antenna that was placed in the trunk had the part number stamped on the bag or was plain to get this detail pinned down if possible.  Photo of a bag with part number attached.  From the two radio kits I bought both came with antennas in bags with part numbers (tough finding a bag that is not wadded up), and have several antennas in plain brown bags that came inside a box. 

[J_Speegle]

Thanks for sharing an additional example. Just thinking of it I believe I should have one somewhere I removed from a radio kit also wonder if the bag is with it .... hmmm

[CharlesTurner]

I have an original paper bag/envelope with the antenna engineering number, C7ZA-18813-B stamped on it.  I would assume that type of number on the bag would be correct other than the service replacement number ('C5ZZ').

[midlife]

I have an original paper bag/envelope with the antenna engineering number, C7ZA-18813-B stamped on it.  I would assume that type of number on the bag would be correct other than the service replacement number ('C5ZZ').

Isn't that a 67 part number?

[jwc66k]

According to the 66 Mustang Electrical Assembly Manual (AM0013, pg 48) the antenna is a Falcon antenna, C5DA-18826-A. The standard service number for Mustangs is C5ZZ-18813-B for 65 thru 68. Falcon used different one for each year.
Mine are "noisy" too. However, I don't know who made them.
Jim

[CharlesTurner]

Isn't that a 67 part number?

Yes, it was just an example.

[Bob Gaines]

Of course a bag marked with a C7 prefix would have inside the different later style 67/68 antenna and ground plane part compared to a 65/66 style antenna.