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What's the width and thickness on the steel & does it return to a coil if stretched and released? McMaster-Carr has a couple of possibilities of blue tempered steel and a few other possibilities of various ribbon steels that might work. I'm thinking it is about 1/8 wide but how thick?

The ribbon is VERY thin, and on my car isn't broke, but it's the mast itself that's broke. I tried and tried to get the knob off today and it's still on there. I have a feeling I'm experiencing plastic shrinkage and the knob has welded itself to the shaft.

Dave, that's exactly like the antenna on my car, even the knob is the same.

Hi Eric,
Just a thought. Try applying a little heat from a hot air gun such as the wifes hair dryer. I have used this little trick before with some good results
regards
Terry

That's a good idea, I'll wait until she goes to bed tonight and "appropriate" her hair dryer!

Heat might do more harm than good on 60 year old plastic. The knob has a brass insert and the shaft that it slides onto is made of steel so it is likely stuck due to corrosion between the dissimilar metals. Try removing the set screw and squirting some penetrating oil into the hole to help loosen things up.

Ok, I'll try that first before I get out the wife's hair dryer.

Eric,
Another method I have used dependant on the location of the item giving problems is to apply very hot water. For example if the knob is on the top of the dash you need somthing like a bell upside down. Perhaps you could find a bottle with a neck big enough to go over the knob then you will have to carefully cut or break the bottle in half. Place it over the knob and plug the bottom with bluetack, plasticine, or putty. Fill up with hot water and let it soak in order to remove the crud and allow a little expansion of the metal.
Best of luck
Terry

If you or clipper47 could measure the steel & mast while apart it might help for future. McMasters tempered steel goes down to only a few thou at 1/8" width. Also, Online Metals has stainless steel tubing in appropriate lengths and sizes so a mast could probably be fabricated easily enough.

I'll measure a piece today. It is not much more than 1/16" wide and how long it is supposed to be I don't know. It would be a challenge but now that the transmission is back in the Super Clipper I am up to a challenge!

I just remembered that I put it all back together. Maybe Eric can do the measuring?

It ribbon measures 3/32. I've been messing with that same antenna from my '50 and want to put it back in the roof to fill the hole, but can't seem to figure out how it goes back together. Do you have a picture of it assembled, or even all the parts? I was worried that it would hit the exterior visor but it looks like it will clear it.

Thanks,
Chris