Factory power antenna switch wanted

7982X

7982X

So much fun it MUST be illegal!
We are looking for a Fiat factory power antenna switch for a 79-80 X1/9, possibly up to '83. The wiring is in the harness & the connector behind the console looks like the connector for the hazard switch. I am guessing that the switch looks much like the others in the console. We are running a "semi automatic" Harada antenna as we wish to play CDs or tapes without the antenna being up.
Your help is appreciated!
 
I talked to Matt at MWB and he didn't remember ever seeing one either. Since the wiring is there & it is in the wiring diagram, it must have been a pretty uncommon option. We were just going to wire in a generic rocker switch, but when I found the connector behind the console, I started doing some digging and found that the wiring diagram, including wire colors matched the connector. We would rather install an original switch, if we can locate one. Interesting what new things you learn by accident!
 
Get a rear defogger switch and black out a couple squiggly lines and the box, only leaving only the center line. It will look just like an antenna. :oops::rolleyes:;)

I admit I am just guessing, but I doubt there was a stock switch since I am pretty sure all the stereos were dealer installed. The wiring is probably there for the intended aftermarket install. Lots of hedging in my reply too!! :)
 
I understand the logic. The main reason I thought that Fiat may have put a switch in some at the factory is that the connector uses the same shell (housing) that the emergency flasher switch uses, which I wouldn't expect to match up with an after market switch. If we can't find a switch, we can always remove the female spade pins from the harness connector & install them individually onto an after market switch & use the wiring in the car. I don't know of another switch on the car that has momentary ON in both directions, with the center being OFF, so we will likely end up using an after market switch. Clever idea to modify the ideogram (?) on a factory switch, though.
Not sure what we will find, but I didn't expect to find wiring for a power antenna in the car in the first place!
 
DOH! Yep, momentary would be a good idea. :( Yikes, without a momentary switch, the antenna would just keep going up till it punched a hole into space.

I wonder if a power window switch has the same dimensions as the center console openings? I will see if I can figure that out.
 
Never thought about the window switch.....Guess because I never had power windows in any of our Xs. That just may fit. Something to research. Thanks for the idea!
 
Thanks for the link. We sent an inquiry concerning the dimensions. We'll see where this goes.....
If it will fit, it would be perfect!
 
Its been awhile, but I recall something like this on my '79 when I was behind the console. Honestly I'll have to look to remember if there is a switch; the car has been apart for restoration for some time and I have not looked at the interior aspects much yet. But it did have a power antenna connected to the factory harness and for some reason I vaguely remember a switch??? If I don't get back to you on this in a day or two please remind me (got a lot going on and can easily forget).
 
Many car stereos have an output to control the antenna. Maybe you can find one that only activates the antenna when the tuner is selected. Then you would not need a switch.
 
Thanks for all the input. Per JimD & Chris Obert, all radios were dealer (or after) installed, so likelihood of factory switch availability is probably quite low, in the U.S. anyway. However, since there IS a connector in the harness, like the hazard switch connector (not a generic connector, but one apparently designed for Fiat switches), there is still a chance. I have contacted the guy in Italy with the switch that Erwin referenced above and am waiting for a response as to the measurements. It looks hopeful. It has the "socket" for the fiber optic "fitting", and the Ritmo/Strada is in the same year bracket as the X1/9.
We already have a stereo/CD changer (I know.....obsolete technology now) for the car. I will try to check out whether it's antenna output works only for the radio, or in any mode. I am pretty sure that our Honda radios send the antenna up, even when playing a tape.
The window switch would likely work, but if we can get the correct symbol on the switch, we would prefer that and the Ritmo switch is closer in overall appearance to the other Fiat switches in the console.
Dr. Jeff....Our 79 has been apart for many years as well. I had never noticed the connector & the wiring until a few days ago. I will be interested in what you find on yours.
I know that most folks would just use a fully automatic antenna and a stereo that takes a flash drive, but......
 
In my expereince the power antenna is raised when the stereo is powered on by one wire sending +12V to the anntenna, when the stereo is turned off that +12v is removed and the antenna comes down (separate source of power to lower the antenna). Placing a simple on off switch in the wire from the stereo will lower the antenna when placed in the off position. In the on position the antenna functions normally with the stereo.

Aditionally a limit switch in the rear trunk can be used to lower the antenna when the trunk is opened.

The circuit is pretty simply, power on the sensing wire (blue if I recall correctly) raises the antenna, take the power away and the antenna comes down.
 
Andy brings up a good point; you will need the correct type of antenna for this application. Most "modern" power antennas only have the one wire to activate it's "up/down" operation (as he said). To use a manual switch the antenna needs to have multiple wires that control the movements according to the switch input.
My older Mercedes of the 80's era all came with a manual button to raise/lower the antenna, and the correct type of power antenna to work that way. Perhaps look into them if you don't have or can't find the right type antenna.
I'll look at my '79s harness/console today.
I can relate to your desire for this sort of thing. I started customizing cars in the early 70's and it seems I still favor those same cars today. So my car build projects have become more about keeping things "period correct" than in the past. Funny, I used to want to 'modernize' them, now want to make them 'old'.
 
A few years ago I installed a fully automatic power antenna into my '85 Bertone X, and long ago I installed a semi-automatic power antenna into my '82 Fiat X. In both cases I used the factory provided wiring to control the motors.

A fully automatic power antenna can take advantage of a modern car stereo control signal wire, which is what I did in my '85.

A semi-automatic antenna motor behaves a lot like a tiny power window motor. It wants the current to flow one way or the other to raise or lower the antenna, but there should be no voltage on the wires (no current flowing) while the antenna is at rest. You could re-purpose an X1/9 power window switch if connected properly. As you can see from the photo below, the physical size and style of the power window switch is essentially the same as other switches -- it would snap in just fine, but the ideogram and arrows would look odd.

With some creative and careful cutting and applying of blackout trim tape the power window ideogram could be transformed into a nice looking antenna ideogram, while preserving the ability to back-light it. The arrows on the buttons themselves appear to be decals or painted on. One might be able to cut or scratch them down into smaller up and down arrows, or apply paint or more blackout trim tape. The second photo below shows how it might look.

power window sw and other sw.jpg masked power window sw and other sw.jpg
 
raillard said:
A semi-automatic antenna motor
Click to expand...
Thank you raillard, that is the type of antenna I was referring to but could not think what it is called. It is basically a powered manual antenna. Very common many years ago, I'm not sure if they still are?

I believe the ideograms on the Fiat switches are like those on other vehicles, printed directly to the switch and can be easily removed (with a solvent like thinner or acetone). In fact I've accidentally removed some while cleaning the controls with too strong of a cleaner. :( At least then you wouldn't have the wrong picture on it. Perhaps a new image could be applied then. A couple members have made new ideograms. Quite awhile Bob Brown came up with a way, using a label gun with clear tape I believe. Perhaps Karl or Huss have done something like this as well?

Actually the "arrows" on a power window switch could still be appropriate for the "up and down" motion of the antenna. Just the larger image at the top of the switch needs to be changed.
 
Dr.Jeff said:
Thank you raillard, that is the type of antenna I was referring to but could not think what it is called. It is basically a powered manual antenna. Very common many years ago, I'm not sure if they still are?
Click to expand...
Probably not as popular, but many still available new on eBay. Semi-automatic means you still need to do something (push a button for a short while), but that's better than manually pulling and pushing the antenna segments while outside of the car. Both my '82 and '85 X's came with old manual antennas, which I replaced pretty quickly.
Actually the "arrows" on a power window switch could still be appropriate for the "up and down" motion of the antenna.
Click to expand...
With the switch rotated 90 degrees the arrows look more like right/left, instead of up/down. Having no arrows is definitely an option, because it's so intuitive. Push up for up and down for down.
~ Hans
 
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I went out and looked. Forgot that I had reassembled the console so I can't see exactly what unused connectors are back there. I do recall what I believe was redundant heater blower connectors (this is a factory AC car so the standard heater hook ups were not used). There's the factory wires in the trunk that the power antenna was connected to (been removed). I think they all came with that. The switch that I might have been thinking of is shown below. Not for an antenna but actually I'm not certain what it is for (interior light?). It has 3 positions; off, on, on. Sorry not much help.
005.JPG
 
My x has a Harada electric aerial installed by a previous owner using the factory wiring. The switch used to control it is a factory headlight switch which fits in the row of switches on the console.
 
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