1967 rear spoiler question

[Brent396]

My Dad ran back to the dealer and had one installed on his 67 as soon as he saw a 1968 have one. Apparently a lot of people he knew did this.

[bertfam]

Sorry guys, I was trying to do 5 things at once last night and failed miserably at all of them!! Anyway, yes, I meant AM radio, not AM/FM. I fixed my above post.

I guess I have a very rare 68 for according to the protect-o-plate it cam with a am/fm radio and the antenna is in the rear.

1. You couldn't get a rear mounted antenna with the AM/FM radio. As you can see from the below 1968 Chevrolet Accessories manual, there wasn't even a part number for it. It’s kind of difficult to install something that doesn’t exist.

2. The POP only shows the radio installed, not the antenna, so it would have had to have been something aftermarket and added after the car left the factory.

Ed

[z28z11]

According to the options spreadsheet, RPO U73 Antenna, manual, rear mount, was only available with an AM radio.  All the AM/FMs RPO U69 or U79  had a front mounted, fixed height antenna mast

I guess I have a very rare 68 for according to the protect-o-plate it cam with a am/fm radio and the antenna is in the rear.

Adjustable or fixed mast ?

[firstgenaddict]

I have seen more production anomalies posted on this forum in the last month than has been posted on this board since inception... I wish at least ONE were documented with verifiable proof. 

[Opium Motors]

Problem with boards, lack of sleep and oxycontin combine to have my misleading or misunderstood comments.
I will not argue with the Radio Antenna sheet that was posted. But that is not the issue. I was only saying if you have a rear antenna you did not get a spoiler, regardless of radio ordered. When the 1968 Price Schedule was produced was prior the the Dealer Installed Spoiler was an option. Common problem when electrical engineers and body engineers do not talk to one another.  For it came clear the problems with a rear antenna and spoiler hitting each other every time the trunk lid was raised. Thereby it was issued that no rear antenna car would receive a spoiler.
So if a buyer wanted the dealer installed rear spoiler and also wanted a radio that called for a rear antenna; you bet they changed the prescribed location and placed it on the front fender, so the spoiler could be mounted. Here you have the issue of a engineering plan that is not feasible and the entrance of  real world solutions.

My original post was more of a rant at seeing so many spoilers combined with rear antennas that were not factory nor dealer installed but by a yahoo that though it would look cool. Just as I hate all the clone RS cars, just makes me always having to defend my true RS.

[bertfam]

if you have a rear antenna you did not get a spoiler, regardless of radio ordered.

Completely agree Joey, but ONLY from the factory. Dealers were free to install almost anything you wanted!

When the 1968 Price Schedule was produced was prior the the Dealer Installed Spoiler was an option.

That's not correct. The "dealer installed" spoiler was available late in the 1967 model year, so by the time the 68's were rolling off the assembly line, they could be ordered from the factory (RPO D80) or added by the dealer (which was called "Extension, Luggage Compartment Lid", Group 12.181, P/N 3916633).

If you ordered an AM radio (RPO U63) with the optional rear mounted antenna (RPO U73), the factory said no, sorry pal, ain't gonna happen! However, dealers would do anything you wanted.

So if a buyer wanted the dealer installed rear spoiler and also wanted a radio that called for a rear antenna...

There wasn't a radio that "called for a rear antenna". The rear mounted antenna was factory option RPO U73 and had to be purchased separately. And from the factory, it was only available with the AM radio, and, as you stated, NOT with the spoiler. However, as I stated above, dealer installed accessories weren't regulated so they were free to do almost anything you wanted, which included adding a rear antenna and spoiler!)

Ed

[bcmiller]

Ed thanks for being so patient with explaining things. I hope everyone appreciates that. 

[hrlyfxdl]

if you have a rear antenna you did not get a spoiler, regardless of radio ordered.

Completely agree Joey, but ONLY from the factory. Dealers were free to install almost anything you wanted!

When the 1968 Price Schedule was produced was prior the the Dealer Installed Spoiler was an option.

That's not correct. The "dealer installed" spoiler was available late in the 1967 model year, so by the time the 68's were rolling off the assembly line, they could be ordered from the factory (RPO D80) or added by the dealer (which was called "Extension, Luggage Compartment Lid", Group 12.181, P/N 3916633).

If you ordered an AM radio (RPO U63) with the optional rear mounted antenna (RPO U73), the factory said no, sorry pal, ain't gonna happen! However, dealers would do anything you wanted.

So if a buyer wanted the dealer installed rear spoiler and also wanted a radio that called for a rear antenna...

There wasn't a radio that "called for a rear antenna". The rear mounted antenna was factory option RPO U73 and had to be purchased separately. And from the factory, it was only available with the AM radio, and, as you stated, NOT with the spoiler. However, as I stated above, dealer installed accessories weren't regulated so they were free to do almost anything you wanted, which included adding a rear antenna and spoiler!)

Ed

Seems pretty cut and dry to me. Thank you for the detailed breakdown.

[KurtS]

If you ordered an AM radio (RPO U63) with the optional rear mounted antenna (RPO U73), the factory said no, sorry pal, ain't gonna happen!

I think you mean AM/FM (U69 or U79). There was no rear fixed mast antennae available for them.

[bertfam]

No, the thread morphed a bit and became about the 1968 rear spoiler so regarding that, if you ordered an AM radio (RPO U63) with the optional rear mounted antenna (RPO U73), AND the rear spoiler (RPO D80), the factory said no, sorry pal, ain't gonna happen! You had to make a decision. Do you want the rear spoiler or do you want the AM radio with the rear mounted antenna? You can't have both. (Unless of course, you were smart enough to know that the dealer would install a rear spoiler even if you ordered the AM radio with the rear mounted antenna!)

But I can see where you got confused!! The thread started off regarding the 67 rear spoiler and turned into something else.

And you're right. NO rear mounted fixed antenna for the AM/FM radio. Not even from the dealer. There just wasn't one that would fit (unless it was aftermarket). The early C3 Corvette factory antenna is close, but even the cable for that one isn't long enough for the Camaro. It comes up about 5 feet short (ask me how I know!!)

Ed

[firstgenaddict]

My old Lemans Blue 69 Z was ordered with rear ant and spoilers it was delivered sans spoilers which the dealer added prior to delivery... Dealer painted the center section white but used tape for the pinstripes on the edge, which consequently fell off later... Car was parked after being run into a ditch in 1973.