12 grand radio

[FrankWest]

At least both referenced radios are really '32s judging from the speaker brackets. The most commonly encountered so-called '32 radios are actually '33 models with much simplified speaker brackets. (The glove box radio was not released by Ford until August, 1933; that's what those rectangular depressions in the floors of '33s are for, namely where to cut to create the openings to insert the motor generator and receiver boxes)

Both referenced radios are incomplete as they are missing their original running board antennas. The antenna with the $12K version is a replacement and does not conform to the original except in general appearance. (See page A-19-7 in The 1932 Ford Book.)

Wow! Very complicated...I am so glad I fell in love with the 1933 rather than the 1932!

 

[32sedan]

I've got that exact radio in my 32 except my radio looks like it's brand new. However, I am missing the correct running board antenna. I would put a running board antenna on my car if I found one just for originality but, frankly, those running board antennas are garbage. They are fairly obstructed by the running board and they really come and go depending on the direction you are traveling and whether the antenna is aligned with the radio station's radio waves. I've heard you can turn the 'chicken wire' in the car top into a good antenna if you isolate it from the rest of the car body. I might look into that. There also used to be an aftermarket kit back in the day that you could buy to turn the rear-mounted spare tire wheel into an antenna. I don't know how well they work but it's kind of an intriguing idea as long as I don't have to drill anything on my car. No drilling! I don't do anything on my car that cannot be absolutely undone back to original

 

[Deuce-Addict]

A friend gave me a bundle of old V8 Times magazines, in an issue from 1974 there was a chap called Leo Gephart from Ohio who advertised perfect reproduction 1932 running board antennae. They were $95, not sure of equivalent today (I was aged 2 in 1974!) but in the same issue were very good condition 3 window doors for $100!

 

[Kube]

I've heard you can turn the 'chicken wire' in the car top into a good antenna if you isolate it from the rest of the car body. I might look into that.


I did this when restoring my brother's 1931 Buick. It worked very well. The chicken wire is fastened to the wooden inner body structure so isolation from metal was a non-issue.

 

[DavidG]

The rear spare wheel antenna came into being during the '33 model year for use on open cars, which of course had no chicken wire in their top construction. Dennis Carpenter at one time offered a complete kit replicating the original. The critical aspect of it is the insulation of the spare tire bracket from the body sheet metal.

Unlike in a '33-'34 closed car, the chicken wire in a '32 closed car roof is in direct contact with the sheet metal of the roof and it would have to be trimmed back away from the edges to eliminate that contact. About the only feasible way to accomplish that would entail having to redo the top insert which is a pretty big undertaking.

I'm not sure that the radio reception with both pieces of an original '32 running board antenna would be all that bad as it had both a horizontal and vertical orientation as shown in the photos below. Finding both original components would be a real challenge and then there would the momentous decisions to drill four holes through the running board to attach the horizontal section and to cut two big rectangular chunks out of the floor pan to accommodate the receiver and motor generator.

 

[Bored&Stroked]

Thanks David G! I know that as much as I appreciate original stuff, can't imagine that I'd want to mount that antennae on my car - regardless of how rare it is. It is cool to see some of these original parts in photos - just to ponder their designs.

Take Care,
Dale

 

[Kube]

The rear spare wheel antenna came into being during the '33 model year for use on open cars, which of course had no chicken wire in their top construction. Dennis Carpenter at one time offered a complete kit replicating the original. The critical aspect of it is the insulation of the spare tire bracket from the body sheet metal.

Unlike in a '33-'34 closed car, the chicken wire in a '32 closed car roof is in direct contact with the sheet metal of the roof and it would have to be trimmed back away from the edges to eliminate that contact. About the only feasible way to accomplish that would entail having to redo the top insert which is a pretty big undertaking.

I'm not sure that the radio reception with both pieces of an original '32 running board antenna would be all that bad as it had both a horizontal and vertical orientation as shown in the photos below. Finding both original components would be a real challenge and then there would the momentous decisions to drill four holes through the running board to attach the horizontal section and to cut two big rectangular chunks out of the floor pan to accommodate the receiver and motor generator.

Very interesting. That '31 Buick chicken wire was fastened directly to the wood structure within the roof area. That made my job fairly easy. I did not realize Fords were constructed differently.

 

[Steves46]

Maybe a fat finger mistake and listed one too many zeros?

 

[DavidG]

Dale,

I share your thinking with regard to the antenna. I once had it all, including both the "mud flap" and horizontal portions of the antenna and could not bring my self to make the holes in either the floor and running board. The whole 100 yards ended up with Bob Slack (r.i.p.) at the V-8 Grand National Meet in Tulsa in 1978.

Mike,

The chicken wire on '33-'34 closed cars does not touch the body sheet metal and they came with an antenna lead snaked down through the right side A-pillar. It's only the '32s where the chicken wire is not isolated.