Antennea vacuum switch

[jbento]

Howdy!

There are 3 ports on the back of the antennea switch on the 40-72.  My question: what feeds into/out of these ports. Where do they go?

[Fred Zwicker #23106]

These 3 ports are for vacuum hoses to attach. One of the ports is for the main vacuum feed (small vacuum hose from your engine). 
One port is to move the antenna UP and leads one of the antenna ports. (below the cowl). The other is to move the antenna DOWN and connects to a different part of the antenna.

I do not know which is which on the 1940 model, but it should be easy enough to figure out (trial and error method).

Attached are pictures from my files of two original old cars - first is a 1940 LaSalle antenna as viewed from the top - the other is the vacuum control switch from an older LaSalle or Cadillac (not mine) as viewed from the bottom and looks exactly like the one on my restored LaSalle.  My antenna and control both work perfectly (antenna was purchased on eBay 2 years ago and was restored by the seller).

Fred

[jbento]

Looks the same as mine.

I thought there was only one port on the antennea. Guess I will need to investigate that.

Not even sure my antennea still works. I know of only one guy who restores these old antenneas and I refuse to work with him.

[Doug Houston #2257]

Joe, Fred has it pretty right. For the most part, the vacuum antennas aren't wirth the trouble. I have them on all of my '41 Cadillacs, and they onlywork for a couple of years, then need service.

As I have said earlier, send me a note via my e-mail. I have a few things to talk about.

[jbento]

Thanks Doug.

I sent you an email last night. If you didn't get it, drop me a note at jbento<at>yahoo.com.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Joe

[J. Friedman]

Howdy!

There are 3 ports on the back of the antennea switch on the 40-72.  My question: what feeds into/out of these ports. Where do they go?

Don't know about a '40, but on my '49 the center port is for the vacuum source.  As another poster said, one of the other 2 is for up and the other for down, with each of these connected to a port near the top and near the bottom of the antenna cylinder, respectively. As the other poster said, you can figure out these latter 2 by trial and error.

Jay Friedman

[Fred Zwicker #23106]

The antenna is a one piece assembly, consisting of the antenna itself - that is the part that is above the cowl and is visible.  Connected to this is the antenna cylinder, which is to the left of the car - below the cowl and under the dash, so this part is not easily visible, but can be located by following the small vacuum hoses if they are still intact.  The antenna cylinder has two vacuum ports - one near the bottom and one near the top.  Removing the entire assembly is not easy - I have heard that in some cases it is necessary to drill a hole in the floorboard to allow the assembly to be removed by dropping it down through this hole (with car on a lift).  I recall that when i removed mine, (not wanting to drill a hole in the floor) cut out a section of a flat metal support along the inside behind the driver's kick panel to remove the old antenna and to install the rebuilt one.  It is then possible to wiggle the assembly down and out of the car, but it is not easy. An ample supply of band aids is a good idea.  I later screwed a patch over the section of metal that I removed to accomplish this. Not a big deal as it does not show after the kick panel is replaced. 
 
UP:  The way it works is that when you push UP on the knob to the vacuum control switch, the vacuum is diverted to the UPPER port of the antenna cylinder, which receives vacuum and pulls the antenna into the up position.   
 
DOWN: When you pull DOWN on the knob, the vacuum is diverted to the LOWER port of the antenna cylinder, which receives vacuum and pulls the antenna into the down position.
 
When vacuum control switch is released, the antenna stays in whatever position is desired (up, down, or part up or down).   
 
When working properly it is remarkable how smoothly it operates, but as Doug said, these are prone to problems as they age. I often wondered if some WD-40 could be sprayed into the ports on the antenna cylinder to give it a little lubrication, but this might not be a good idea, so will defer this thought to others.
 
I also seem to recall that the center barb of the vacuum control switch is for the main feed of vacuum from the engine.  If switch does not work as described above, simply reverse the upper and lower vacuum hoses on the side of the switch, which can be reached easily while laying in an upside position and reaching up under the dash.
 
Fred