I have an E30 that the PO did an antenna delete on and plugged the normal hoe and left the antenna base hanging in the trunk, so obviously reception sucks. Obviously the easy solution is to just get an antenna base and re-install the original. I want to do something different and try to set up an internal antenna. One option is the E36 M3 powered antenna set up that I have in a parts car but that seems complex. They have powered antennas but the plug is co-ax and not screw in. Any small and light antenna arrays that can be put behind metal and still have clear reception, or is there a way to use the chassis for reception?
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I just deleted mine after 15 years since the retracting stopped working so i am too looking for a solution too. being i never listen to the radio i don't really care but id like to have the option because you never know when you'll need it. Have you checked out the Z3 antenna mod? Not sure if its the same as the E36 version but i remember a lot of threads on it here. I think the E30 M3 Middle antenna is pretty cool depending on the look your going for, I'm sure you could piece together a cheeper solution close to this though.
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Don't really listen to the radio, but since it has a stereo figure I might as well make it functional. Radio has changed nowadays and many stations have closed down or don't transmit as high of watts. I live right next to the Mexican border and they have lots of 100,000 watt transmitters there, haha.
I don't know the z3 mod, please explain. The E36 system uses an amp and the antenna is spread throughout the car or sometimes in the windshield. I know there are good powered antenna bars out there that would probably work great but they usually have a female coax input not a screw in but an adapter could probably be made. I also have different lengths cb antennas that I was thinking about bending into an array type design that I could install on the left side of the trunk. I think the body panel metal will be the big issue to getting a clear signal though.Comment
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So I discovered that my car originally did have the auto antenna (sometimes when they stop working they just need lube, you can listen for the motor). Somebody chopped the co-ax cable and crappily spliced in the threaded female base for a whip antenna. If I remove that and put a female co-ax fitting on it then I can use a powered antenna. FYI you can plug those in under the dash or at the end of the cable in the trunk, you can use remote turn on for switched power.Comment
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It took a while to figure it out but the antenna connection is an rf type motorola type connector. I don't know if there are different sizes for that type tho.Comment
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