Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Maybe worth a try. I believe ours are Casco which is probably a well obsolete brand by now. Believe Stude used Pioneers on the 57 rears but no idea if Packard used them too or how much difference there might be.

As Leeedy mentioned, the finish on the mast ends is an identifying characteristic and most modern masts don't bother with those niceties. Since automatic car washes came into prominence almost all antennas that move use smooth telescoping tubes that retract almost, if not fully down into the fender.

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There was a fellow in Illinois back in the 1980s who was supplying repopped Packard V-8 front and rear antenna masts... and they were accurate masts. No idea what ever happened to the biz, but he had a very nice-looking product. If I recall the name was "Antenna Masters" or some similar clever name.

As I recall they ran ads in Hemmings and in Packard Club publications. Guess I'm showing my age here, but it just seems like yesterday, despite this being 2016.

Lots wish he was still around but he gave up the business years ago. I think he was in school and the business was a side. Finally got his degree and then gave the sideline up. Someone said he sold what stock he had but no one today seems to know who might have bought it. IIRC the same or maybe a similar business was restarted for a short time by someone else and then quit again. Don't believe any masts were mfg after that so whatever stock there was is probably all long gone by now.

thank you for your help and actually this is what I was looking for. I should get my new mast in the next day or so and from what I understand it is a original one. I know they are rare and maybe I just lucked out... will let you know when I get it!
Now I have a simple question.... is there a arrester that stops the motor when the antenna is fully extended and/or retracted. It seem to me when I extended the mast, while out of the care, using my battery terminals for power the motor seem to be running even after the mast was fully out. Needless to say I disconnected before burning up the motor.
Just like to know how it works when it is on the car.
Thanks again for the help so far..... this is an awesome site to get information and has helped me a lot in the past.
Walter

There is nothing to stop the motor in either direction. On the front antennas with the flat nylon, if the antenna mast jammed in the middle or stopped at an end and the motor was kept going it would burn or wear a half moon shape in the edges of the flat cable. The next time the antenna was moved, if that worn spot happened to hit just right the antenna would stop moving at that location.

The round nylon on the rears don't seem to be quite as prone to problems -- probably because there is a large surface area on the drive reel grabbing the nylon instead of the tiny area on the brass wheels of the front antenna just pressing against the edges of nylon.

the guy was in Indiana near Indy and was called "Tenna Masters" He had two 1955 Caribbeans for sale in about 1998 when i visited his shop. One was rusty and one was rust free but burned and a factory a/c car. He had some 1953 Caribbean parts also including a pair of full quarter panels taken off of a wrecked car in the early 1960's

This shows the repairs of a 1951 antenna

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