Tag Archives: Antenna

Rockland

Body Repair

Leave a comment

Although the body on the CitiCar has many cracks, it’s in excellent condition compared to its siblings. The ABS Plastic is susceptible to daily and seasonal temperature changes. The vibration of the car on the road and poor suspension makes it easier for the cracks to get out of control.

PlastiFix Kit and Super Prep

One of CiticarTom’s videos goes over repairing large cracks on the body of his CitiCar. He used PlastiFix and Super Prep. I was able to find the products and start my repairs.

I located just over 20 cracks. It took about an hour to go over the various cracks. I was finding even more as I went along.

It was a pretty sloppy job. Some cracks are difficult to apply the PlastiFix. Vertical cracks that are tapered up towards me are nearly impossible to fix inside the passenger door. I found that sometimes it was easier to smudge the plastic into the cracks with the gloves I was wearing.

Close-up of large crack in CitiCar door filled in with PlastiFix before sanding

I need to go back and fill a few more cracks that were found after cleaning up. I’ll also need to sand and cleanup the cracks that I fixed up today.

Repairing cracks in CitiCar ABS Plastic Body

Taco Day

Today was National Taco day. Teddy and I headed over to Riverton Commons and picked up a few crunchy tacos. Teddy hung out by the charging station while sharing a few tacos.

Teddy waits patiently for me to start charging the CitiCar
Wild flowers growing at the end of a road

We also had a walk around Rockland Park and Crooked Run Plaza. Teddy stopped by to check out some of the wild flowers.

It feels like every day is getting a little bit more chillier than the last. I took a look at my backyard garden to see what was left.

Marigolds blooming in my garden

The Marigold bush is blooming all over. I’ve planted over 200 seeds, and only one was able to survive to product flowers. I didn’t realize they were such late bloomers. I’ve got a few ideas for what I’ll do next year.

In Other News

Battery Monitor

My first order on AliExpress was for an AiLi Voltage/Current meter with a 350A shunt. I had ordered it over two months ago, and it has yet to leave Hangzhou, China. When I contacted the seller two weeks ago, they claimed that it had already been delivered.

I sent all of the shipping logs that I had as evidence for my refund request, including the screenshot the seller sent me – as it verified that the shipping company sent the package back to them. My order was refunded within a day.

I found the same product on Amazon for $10 more and it’s arriving tomorrow. It may be a 28% markup, but there is a guarantee that it is arriving.

AliExpress Opinion

Things are fairly cheap on AliExpress compared to Amazon. The main differences are time to ship, trust that you get what you think you paid for, and language barriers. You are often inundated with coupons, but they are for specific stores. Searching for a product may end up showing fifty different listings, pictures, and prices for the same product across different stores. It feels like an online flea market.

Radio Antenna

I noticed that the end of the antenna that slides into a radio had broken off and is just bare wire. I’m curious how to came off. I’ve been taking too long to move along on various projects.

Radio

Volkswagen Antenna

Leave a comment
Base of Volkswagen Beetle/Van antenna

After discussing the trouble I ran into with a few other CitiCar/Comuta-Car owners, they provided a few solutions. Once installed, one of the owners had a vertical antenna that could be configured to stand at an angle. Another owner pointed me to an antenna he used for his own CitiCar. The product was a replica for a classic Volkswagen Beetle “Bug” / Bus.

The base of these antennas sits flush against the body and mounts using two screws. My guess, is that other than the roof, the beetle and van appear to lack a flat horizontal surface to mount a standard antenna. The beetle had theirs mounted vertically behind the drivers front fender. The bus had it mounted vertically on the its hood. The side mounted antennas had the benefit of being fairly secure due to the use of two bolts to mount them.

Aluminum plate to support CitiCar antenna

The aluminum plate had two separate holes in it. A larger one under the dimple, and a smaller one that went unused – or so I thought. I took the base of the Volkswagen antenna and stuck its screws against the plates holes. At this point, I was certain that Sebring-Vanguard had designed this car specifically for this style of antenna.

CitiCar antenna on passenger side

I marked the spot and drilled a smaller hole. I was a bit concerned about how the antenna seemed to overlap the passenger window along the edge. I did my best to align it, but the “impervious” aluminum limits your options.

Lock Washer

The antenna came with two screws and two washers. I was unfamiliar with one of the washers, which I believe is a lock washer or an overlap washer. Due to how thick the plastic and aluminum plate are, I wasn’t able to get the washer on. I was barely able to get the nut onto the threading.

Nuts on threads for antenna
Antenna wire screwed into bolt

I was setting in odd positions with my back against the edge of CitiCar, looking strait up inside at the plate. With a pair of vice grips, I was slowly continuing to tighten the nut. I was trying to see if the threads on the end of the antenna wire would catch onto the bolt if I could tighten the nut down far enough. After quite some time, I was able to tighten the nut down and catch onto the threads.

My job was done. I have an antenna installed onto the car. Extending the antenna fully allows it to go above the roof. I’ll have to get an antenna ball topper to add some character – not that it needs any more than it already has…

Volkswagen Beetle/Van antenna installed on Sebring-Vanguard 1976 SV-48 CitiCar
Radio

Antenna Installation

Leave a comment
Collapsed Antenna

I am hungry for some tunes. I was considering where I should place the antenna for the radio on the CitiCar. I’ve looked over quite a few videos and images. There are a few main places that the radio antenna is often placed:

  • Standing vertical next to passenger right headlight
  • Standing vertical next to passenger lower right window
  • Standing 45 degrees along passenger window
  • Standing vertical next to drivers left headlight (rare)

I liked the quirkiness of the placement next to the passenger headlight. I had a few concerns about how well a tall classic antenna would be supported against a plastic body and ran it past a few CitiCar and Comuta-Car owners.

A dimple

It seemed there was a variety of antenna placements among us C-Car owners. One of the owners mentioned that the body should have a dimple for where the antenna should be installed. Curious, I took a closer inspection and there it was – a dimple. Hardly noticeable unless you look for it.

Antenna support plate

It seemed like a weak spot compared to how ridged the plastic would be around the headlight. Intrigued, I went ahead and took a look at the underside of the body. Much to my satisfaction, I found that the manufacturer installed an aluminum plate specifically for this reason. It had a hole punched out, and I could faintly see the underside of the dimple in the center. The drivers side of the frame did not have a plate.

Drilling Cycolac

I started to get to work making a hole. This is old plastic. To prevent cracking, or tearing up the plastic, I started off with a small drill bit, and worked my way up in size.

Base of antenna

Finally, the hole was large enough for the threads to poke through. This is where I started to run into problems.

I purchased a classic car radio antenna. It seemed to support going up to a 45 degree angle. I was having a tough time getting it to go through far enough to start getting the nut onto the top. I removed the rubber grommet, but I shill had trouble. I flipped the metal supports upside down to help pull the threads higher.

Removing the guide

I found that I wasn’t able to set the antenna up to a full 45 degree angle because there was some plastic at the last part acting as a guide. It took awhile, but I was able to nibble away most of the excess plastic. I was able to get much closer to threading the nut onto the shaft.

Bending nubs

I was in a quandary. I decided it was time to take a bit more drastic measures. I picked up a set of vice grips and started bending the nubs on the top of the antennas base. It may not be much – but it’s something.

Something… but it just wasn’t enough.

I took a breather and considered my next stop. Rather than using an antenna that is fixed vertically on a 45 degree base, I started looking for antennas that could be adjusted at any angle. I found one online and put in a new order.

The hole…

For now, there is the hole.

Looking at me.

Unfinished.

Judging.

Update

One of the C-Car owners recommended a side mount antenna he had used from a Volkswagen Beetle. An order has been placed for one of those antennas as well.

Radio

Radio Badge

Leave a comment

On my way out to walk Teddy, I happened to walk past a box setting by the back door.

Car Radio Antenna

Car Antenna

Along with my little old car radio that I had purchased, I realized that I needed an antenna and the wiring to plug into the back of the radio. I didn’t know much about them, so I searched for things like “Classic Car Antenna”, “Antique Car Antenna”, and “Vintage Car Antenna”. I was getting mixed results. Some were overly expensive, compatible with specific cars, looked ugly, missing a few things, or just wasn’t for me. I was focused on how easy it appeared to be to install, and ideally one that could retract, either manually or with its own motor.

I finally settled on one that looked fairly new that was for vintage vehicles. I assume this is actually a reproduction, as the seller had already sold 210 of them and he claimed that it was “New”, so… yea.

CitiCar/SV-48 Specifications & Answers to Questions
Sebring Vanguard, May 1975

A radio was an option that could be installed for a few extra dollars on a CitiCar. Mine didn’t come with one, but there is room just above the accessory light where it appears that the radio would go. I’ve seen a few photographs where the antenna is close to the front bumper beside the passenger headlight, and another where it’s close to the windshield.

Antenna by windshieldAntenna by bumper
Motor Trend
November 1976		Car and Driver
November 1977
My Sebring Vanguard Badge

Upon further inspection of various photographs, I noticed that one had a CitiCar badge where another had a radio. I’ve had a loose “Sebring Vanguard” plastic plate that came with the car, but I was unsure where it should go. I looked pretty close at the blank area and noticed some faint residue from the adhesive on the back of the plastic plate.

No radioWith Radio
Consumer Reports
October 1975		Motor Trend
November 1976

Once I get the radio, I’ll have the parts needed to experiment with. Hopefully I can get it operating. I don’t know anything about cars, but I do know a bit about electrical diagrams and pin outs.

STAINLESS STEEL REMOVABLE MAST ANTENNA VINTAGE ANTIQUE CARS + TRUCKS RETRACTABLE