Automatic Antennae/Ariel '59 Pontiac Bonneville.

Hi,

Anybody have or know where I can find a complete antennae switch, and  automatic antennae/motor assembly for a 59 Pontiac Bonneviille?

Alternatively, is there anyone can actually refurbish them?

The is is what I have at the moment ...

The switch is there on the dash but the whole of the back part that connects to the wiring harness is completely missing.

The antennae and motor is all there but doesn't do anything when power is put to it.

As far as I can tell this is the semi automatic version which works solely from the separate antennae switch, not the fully automatic version that operates from the radio on /off switch.

Any help much appreciated.

Did you ever find one? I don't know that I have ever seen one pop up for sale.

I found only two of these Casco 59 Pontiac antennas over the past 40 years, that's it.  I still have the second one and plan to put it in a 59 Bonneville I recently purchased.  I had it restored about 10 years ago by a guy back east who is no longer in business. Both correct 59 Antennas were semi-automatic and worked off the three-pole control switch.   You can find a period correct antenna that will do the job on eBay and there is a guy in Indiana who advertises power antenna repair in Hemming's.   Be prepared to spend $500 minimum before it is over. The switch is also very hard to find out you can use one out of another GM car as long as it is three pole. I bought one on eBay from a 61 Pontiac that I plan to use. Finding the chrome bezel is possible if you must have the correct 59-60 bezel but again it will take lots of digging on eBay over time.

X20.....The early built cars had the fully automatic antenna. turning the radio on with the ignition switch on caused the antenna to rise about 30-35 inches. Turning the car or radio off fully retracted the antenna to about 3-4 inches. The dash switch was, as Don points out, only used to raise the antenna higher than the automatic setting. It was only a 2poll spring loaded rotary switch. To determine if you have this antenna look at the body itself. It would have three wires coming from it (black white and orange). The manual electric antenna is solely controlled by the driver when the ignition is on. That switch is a 3poll spring loaded rotary switch. Both of those type switches are easy to find at most electronics stores. You will probably have to modify the stem to fit the knob, but that isn't beyond the realm of us hackers.

If I find the date of switchover, in my Service Craftsman News, I'll post it here......John

Don, good to see you back. A little slow right now.

Hi John,
I was locked out from this website for an extended period of time and could not post anything.  One of your guys tried to help me but it was to no avail.  Then suddenly I was able to post comments recently and was no longer locked out!    I recently purchased a 59 Bonneville from a guy here in AZ.  It is identical to the one in the picture that goes with my name except it has factory A/C and a Sportable radio!   I sold the car in the picture through Hemming's to a guy in North Carolina.  The 59 Pontiac I recently purchased is the seventh 59 Pontiac I have owned in the past 51 years.   I may get the Blue convertible currently in Michigan back someday if the present owner ever decides to sell it.

I will be heading to Michigan for the Woodward Cruise again this year on August 19th.  Plan to be in the Berkley CruiseFest again as well on August 18th driving the blue Bonneville convertible I used to own.   The current owner loans it to me every year to drive in the Cruise. He has a red one as well but it rarely gets out of the garage.

don_weston wrote:

I will be heading to Michigan for the Woodward Cruise again this year on August 19th.  Plan to be in the Berkley CruiseFest again as well on August 18th driving the blue Bonneville convertible I used to own.   The current owner loans it to me every year to drive in the Cruise.  He has a red one as well but it rarely gets out of the garage.

Your friend is really cool.

The blue 59 Bonneville convertible was painted white some years ago. My friend in Michigan was approached by GM who borrowed the car for a photo shoot. This car is on the cover of Joe Gunnell's book about the official history of Pontiac Motor Division.