Retractable Power Antenna

RaYmO · Postby **RaYmO** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 3:09 pm

Hi Guys,

Just wondering if any of you have replaced the stock Antenna on the NA for a power retractable one (kinda sick of the flagpole being up all the time).

Can a forumite please point me in the right direction?

Cheers,

Ray

STV · Postby **STV** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 3:32 pm

just chop the stock one down from being 3ft long to being 1 ft long. i have no loss of signal and it looks loads better.

no cost = nothing to lose!
especially if you intend to get rid of it anyway

stv

Babalouie · Postby **Babalouie** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 3:32 pm

NA8s have retractable antenna...can it be retrofitted?

Babalouie · Postby **Babalouie** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 3:33 pm

Also could you fit one of those stubby S2000 antennas?

AJ · Postby AJ » Sun Feb 25, 2007 3:35 pm

or one of the NC ones.......a lot shorter & look the part

STV · Postby **STV** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 4:31 pm

can get the stubby S2K ones from ummmm... metromotorsports.. link below

http://www.metromotorsports.com/product ... prodID=539

$20US isnt too bad i guess... Group Buy to save on postage??

STV

Fatty · Postby **Fatty** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 5:21 pm

cutting it down sounds intersesting stv. did you just cut it at the top, or at the bottom and then feed it down thru the hole? photos ? i'm just having trouble picturing it in my head.

also, jaycar have a black rubbery one with a spring on it similar to the s2000 one, but it doesn't look as nice i think. i would be interested in a group buy on the s2000 one, if the cut down method doesn't look too nice.

Old EmmGee · Postby **Old EmmGee** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 5:30 pm

I tried a stubby alternative for a while - loss of reception ensued so went back to the old 'stingtail'. I reckon if you are going to cut it down, you should remove a section from the :lol:

middle....

Fatty · Postby **Fatty** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 5:31 pm

a section from the middle?

tell me how to stick the two remaining sections together and i'm there!

STV · Postby **STV** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 6:53 pm

Fatty, i took a very scientific approach to doing this.
1) I guestimated roughly where i wanted the top of the antenna to be and marked it with a marker
2) i unscrewed the antenna from the vehicle in question
3) i attacked the son-of-a-bitch with a hacksaw
4) broke a blade in the process (its seriously HARD steel!)
5) stuck on a bling valve nut with some paste/weld stuff
6) screwed the shorter version into place!

i also gave it a quick polish with some brasso while it was off (i was stuck at work waiting for my new job to start!)

http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/6016 ... 839bb1.jpg

http://img451.imageshack.us/img451/4983 ... 392ie4.jpg

qikshift · Postby **qikshift** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 7:51 pm

I was actually looking to buy an s2000 style one today as I almost took out my eye, again!

I'm up for a group buy if it will happens soonish.. otherwise i might just go ahead and get it myself

mark

RaYmO · Postby **RaYmO** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 8:08 pm

Ive got one of those rubbery stubby antennae lying around, but I really am after something powered so that the entire antenna is hidden from view when Im not in the car... just makes the exterior cleaner IMO.

Retrofitting a power antenna from a NA8 sounds like a plan... Might check Miata.net to see if there is a guide there.