Right now, I have the antenna wired to a temporary switch (I don't like the look of it, it works but, ugh). I was thinking, since I have to remember to lower the antenna every time I park so I can put the cover on the car, maybe I would be well off to wire the antenna to ACC power. Run it through a relay and have the antenna go up when I turn on Accessory power or run power. When I turn the ignition off, the antenna could automatically lower, keeping it safe from the vandals that broke the mirror. Does anyone see a problem doing this? I am open to all opinions. I am going to order a bank of 3 lighted switches with a voltage gauge, a USB port and a USB C port. Get rid of individual switches. I only have two, but would like it to look as nice as possible. Trying to neaten up the wiring in the car as much as possible anyway. With my memory, the fewer things to remember to do, the better off I am.
Chuck, do you have an aftermarket radio in the Cat? Some of them have a blue wire to turn on an amplifier when the radio is turned on. You could wire it to that, if it has it.
Yes I do, I never thought of that. Thank you very much. I will check that out in a couple of days. It got cold here again. Got to go, my Grandson just woke up, yup, morning in the Bridges household comes early!
Hello Rich. Yup, I got a burst of energy this afternoon (after spending the morning cleaning house, company coming in today), so I went out to the car to take care of a few little things that were bugging me. First off, the antenna. I pulled the stereo out of the console I built and low and behold, a blue wire, soldered to a wire I put in for the stereo. Hmm, where did I put the other end. I followed the wire (bad memory) and it terminated in a bundle of wires I had under the dash, right beside the switch. All right, bonus! Cut the sires to length, add heat shrink, solder, heat shrink, and then label the wire. (like I said, bad memory) Then test by turning the car on, antenna goes up. Turn it off, down she goes. So simple, so elegant. I should have remembered, but, Rich helped me, by reminding me about the blue wire. Thank you ever so much. Next, the puddle lights that go on when you turn on a signal, I had converted them into actual signals. I felt that was more useful, since, after all, Canada's worst of the worst drivers came from, you guessed it, Lethbridge, my home town... sigh. The drivers side had quit working. I took out the battery and then took out the 2 bolts holding it into the case. Hmm, bulb looks good, but the socket and the housing has oxidation all over them. I cleaned the socket and the housing, put the bulb back in and turned on the signal... nothing. Hmmm..., ah right, I'm an idiot sometimes. It is only a single wire going to the socket, needs a ground. As soon as I grounded it, on it came. I put a new bulb into it since it is a pain to get to and I had new bulbs. Seemed a no-brainer. While the battery was out, I cleaned up the wiring in the corner where the battery resides. I have a battery maintainer and, what do you know, it fits into the hole where the light socket is. I put it in there, secured it so I could see the indicator lights. . Next, on with the countdown.... sorry, where was I (certainly not Casey Kasem). I went back under the dash and removed all of the wiring and labels from the old switch I removed. If there is one thing I hate, it is unknown wiring, going nowhere (but certain to short something out, my luck). With that done, I replaced the Velcro straps I have to hold wiring neatly, next, got in, started the car and checked all of the lights. Signals, headlights and driving lights... all good. Antenna went up and down with the radio/car power. Everything I worked on is working, no new problems caused by my rooting around. All is good, all splices soldered, everything cleaned up. Ready for tomorrow (I have the kids while the rest of the family works on the garden. New compost, rototill and so on. Too early to plant yet. All of the plants Jenny started are in the kitchen right now, waiting for the May long weekend.) We are going to go out with Gampy's "Muscle Car" as they were taught to call it my their Dad and Uncle. Doesn't matter that I call it my "Personal Luxury Vehicle", Muscle Car has stuck already... sigh. Well, that's all I have for right now, I wish everyone a good night and a better day tomorrow,
Today, after my wife and sister-in-law worked me like a rented mule on the garden, I decided to go for a drive in the car. My eldest son decided to come with me. He noticed that the antenna went up with the car starting and down when we parked and shut the car off. He was impressed that I didn't require a switch. I told him that a friend on V8Buick.com helped me. That confused him as he knows that are no close members to us. I told him, with information and advise. Ahhhh! We went for our drive and, even though it was only 11 C ( ~52 F), I had the windows open. What a great time. William is the one who gets the car when I quit driving, so, he is trying to learn as well.
