Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Has anyone ever replaced the antenna mast on a Caribbean?
Are there any instructions for this anywhere?

I've never seen anything official for the 55-6 rear antenna. There was a procedure published in 51 for the front antenna which was useful on all fronts thru 56. This subject came up a few months ago so you might read thru this threadpackardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb ... lat&order=ASC&type=&mode=0&start=0& and see if anything would be of help.

I just talked to Sandy at Tuscon Packards. They repair the rear Caribbean antennas or will supply the masts. I don't think this repair is something I want to do, so I will sent the antenna to them for repair. I let you know how it turns out.

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Almost all of the V-8 rear-mounted antenna mast replacements I have seen over the past 20-25 years have been wrong. Most use masts for a front-mounted antenna which of course are incorrect and different from a rear-mounted and V-8 Caribbean antenna mast.

The only accurate masts were being sold years ago by the Antenna Masters operation which I understand no longer exists.

Anyway, rear mount masts had one (1) pressed ring on the lower mast section. Front antenna masts have two (2) pressed rings, different cap nut, different rack rope inside (front type is flat... rear is round).

Of course the antenna instructions that have been posted in another tread are not for mast replacement, but rather for the entire rear assemblies (including motor, rack rope case and mast assembly).

And yes, I have replaced at least two mast assemblies in the past with accurate masts. It is not a particularly easy job, but certainly can be done. The messy part comes with getting the nylon rack rope (which is quite greasy and slippery) back into the case, wound right and no kinks.

Above all, make absolutely sure your masts are completely retracted prior to even thinking about removing the assemblies out of your rear fenders.

Leeedy, I agree about Antenna Masters and it's unfortunate they are no longer in the business - they were the only game in town that did them correctly. They did both my 56 Carib antennas some years back, the new masts were perfect duplicates of the originals and the workmanship was A-1. At the end there was some anxiety, the phone sometimes being "out of service" and the like which led one to worry if you'd ever see your antennas again, but in the end it all worked out. Glad I got to them while they were still in the business.

I bought mine from Antenna masters at Carlisle. He was set up outside the fence. I thought price was reasonable.
His wife said he walked out of the house one morning and never came home - just disappeared. Both antennas on my 400 are from Antenna Masters - damn shame he quit.

My antennas were done by him also. I think mine are about the last ones he restored.

It was my understanding A-M was making new masts, not restoring them??

The question is what happened to his "tooling" or manufacturing place. It seems no one knows.

Sandy doesn't seem to be advertising the mast availability much so his stock must be limited. Perhaps he's the one that bought the remaining A.M. inventory.

If stock is very limited seems like a possible venture for a region or even a vendor. I'd buy a couple if the price were reasonable. There have been refurbished units on ebay over the last year or so that were advertised as having new masts. I choked and almost fell out of the chair at the price that was being asked for most of them.