Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Does anyone has any source where to get the antenna cable for the 55 Caribbean. I have seen a post here but that is 4 years old.
Actually the cable would not be that much a problem as it is a coaxial cable, it is the connectors on both sides that I am at an end as I have tried Radio Shack as well as some other radio stores. Any information would be appreciated,
Thanks, Walter

First places I'd try would be the folks that make a living restoring these radios, Harold Rushing for example, though there are many others who advertise regularly in Hemmings, etc.

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Walt,
I don't think you can go wrong working with Harold Rushing.
Great guy, great service.
Mark

If need be can make the nut

Hi, I was able to get a NOS antenna cable for my '56 Patrician from Kanter last August. At that time, they had a few left in stock. Don't remember the price, but it saved all the hassle of looking for someone to custom build a cable that might work. Harold Rushing had just completed the rebuild of the radio, and he did not have source for the cable at that time. It is listed in the parts book, under accessories under RADIO, Antenna - DETAILS OF PA472018 - Antenna "electric" ALL 55th; 56th. Lead-in cable - part # 472052.

I do remember seeing a rear antenna cable setup on ebay some time back. If memory serves it was thru Tucson Packards, had the antenna cable as well as the motor wires but was somewhat pricy. None of my links work so don't know if they are still selling parts or if they might still have the cable.

As Fran56 mentioned, if you don't find a proper cable another option might be If Kanter still has new 55-6 front cables or maybe Mike Dulinski has good used. I believe the 55-6 front antenna is the same fitting. I have an old damaged short front cable with the proper fitting but cannot verify the year. The rear antenna has a built in male Motorola connector pin of 1/8" diameter so needs the female socket molded into the cable. That socket end actually slides into the metal receptacle attached to the antenna by about 1/2". The attaching ring or nut is threaded in what appears to be standard NEF 9/16-24.

Using those criteria to verify if 55-6 has the correct attachment, then that will take care of 5'. You can buy a cable extension for the remainder. Measuring my HT, it needs about 16' total and slightly more wouldn't hurt.

It is unfortunate there didn't seem to be much of a standard at the antenna end back then. I have an earlier postwar Packard antenna with a larger 5/8 nut and thread size and another Packard antenna also postwar with a larger nut but completely different plug arrangement.

We do have them in stock NOS if you are interested.

<a href="http://s671.photobucket.com/user/JamesRFrom/media/Packard%20400/NCM_0124.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i671.photobucket.com/albums/vv72/JamesRFrom/Packard%20400/NCM_0124.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo NCM_0124.jpg"/></a>

Thanks
James From
Kanter Auto Products

I had similar problem with bad cable for the Caribbean . The fitting on the antenna is the hard part to find. I had cable for the front fender antenna lying around- pretty easy to find. Rather than buy or try to fabricate the long cable, I attached the front fender unit to the antenna and bought a 72"inch cable on eBay for around $6 with free shipping and plugged the old unit into it. The front plug of the new cable went into the radio.
Not original, but radio plays. Probably will never turn it on again since not much I want to hear on AM
Aside from the cost of a rebuilt radio and speaker and two antennas, it may be the most expensive waste of money on the entire project.

Do you still have some of these antenna cables available? I look in my Kanter catalogue and I can't find them. Please let me know how to contact you so that I may possibly purchase one from you. Thank you.

Walter- As I posted before, the only problem connection is the one that attaches to the antenna. The front fender cables are readily available,and have the end which attaches to the rear antenna. I went on Amazon and bought the long antenna cable -'might have been 8 feet- for under. $10 with free shipping. It plugs into the radio and the other end plugs into the original short wire.
You can have one fabricated or buy an NOS unit, but it will be more expensive.
Unless you plan to have the radio revamped to receive FMV or interface with the MP3 player, it is pretty much a waste of money. My radio was rebuilt and works, but there is not much AM programming worth worrying about.
I picked up a Bose unit that picks up Bluetooth from my iPhone or iPad that sounds terrific for cruising. The battery lasts for at leat 4 hours which is more time than I plan to be on the road at one time. People who buy new
Teslas have less time.