External Antenna - Background Info [and now hole punching]

[DeWitt Harrison]

I would only like to add that if I were performing this minor
surgery, I would purchase the appropriate sheet metal hole
punch (Greenlee, etc.) to guarantee the prettiest possible
hole in my adored fender. I would also be sure to take effective
anti-rust precautions with the newly exposed metal around
the hole.

Punch technique: to minimize possible paint damage, cover
the location to be punched with a big square of masking tape and
orient so that the female die is on the outside and the male punch
is on the inside. This is the most natural setup anyway since it
puts the driving bolt head on the outside where you can reach it
best. The tape will prevent the OD of the die from marring the paint
and gives you a convenient surface to mark the center of the guide
hole drill. The greatest metal distortion and the greatest potential
for delaminating paint occurs at the points of entry of the male
punch piece. That's why the punch goes on the unseen side and
the die on the good side (assuming the application of tape). Don't
let the die spin as you begin to tighten so that it doesn't cut
through the tape and get to the paint.

DeWitt Harrison
Boulder, CO
88 5kcstq

On Sat, 17 Mar 2001 09:10:13 -0700, Al Powell <powellae at home.com> wrote:

 > In the late 80's/early 90's 100/200, Audi went from the external
 > power antenna used in the 5K series to a diversity antenna system.
 > The stock radio had two inputs - and used antenna material in both
 > the front and back glass to gather the signals. [ ... ]
 > My experience was that this antenna system STANK.  [ ... ]
 > Solution?  Get brave, pull back the trunk lining material, get a hole
 > saw and drill a hole through that gorgeous pearl white paint on the
 > LR fender.  I installed a power Hirschmann antenna in precisely the
 > same spot that was used in the 5K series, and abandoned the factory
 > antenna system entirely.  Result was RADICALLY improved radio
 > reception on both AM and FM bands.  The only difficult part was
 > summoning the courage to cut the hole.  Wiring, etc. was trivial.
 >  Before doing this, I strongly - repeat, strongly - I tell you three
 > times, strongly - recommend carefully studying and measuring the
 > antenna mounting position on a 5K, but the same interior trunk and
 > hinge design was used on the 100/200 and this will work just fine.
 > [ ... ]