Chrome it is.........

After looking at some photos the chrome does look the best...(and the period)

Thanks for all the opinions.

Arne, thanks for the tip.

Metra 44-PW22 is a great replacement for the stock antenna. And on the plus side, it's fully automatic and sits lower on the car.

Amazon has them as low as $38

At the risk of sounding repetitive, don't like those black rubber antennas.

I have an aftermarket automatic chrome antenna in mine I got at the local auto parts store.

I have the black rubber one from blackdragon and I think it looks really nice with the lines of the car. It's sporty looking, even more than the stock one (not too cheap, just strapped for cash to replace it to stock) in my opinion. The chrome one looks thin, will break faster, requires a motor unless you want to pull it out by hand every time, and just looks cheaper and out of place, like it should go on a radio or tv antenna. In a word, the black one, as I said, is just sportier. Just my opinon.

Well, I think you will eventually come across the correct antenna for the car. It deserves no less in my opinion, so meanwhile just use one of these cheap manually operated ones. Heck, I'd give you this one if the shipping wasn't more than its worth.

I have no radio in my car, so my antenna is always down to that 5 inch height. Looks proper, in place, right height, proper slant to the rear, and chrome to accompany the lines of the side view of the car. Keeps it from getting bent too.

Bonzi Lon

There is always this option. A black power antenna.

http://www.amazon.com/Hirschmann-W0133-1616985-HIR-Power-Antenna/dp/B001G66ECA

Not sure if it fits in a Z but you can probably find a black one that does. ;-)

The 44-PW22 also has a full Black replacement Mast for under $20.

If you get bored enough, you can swap the chrome for black, every other week-end, just to mess with people....

http://www.amazon.com/Metra-Replacement-Replaces-aftermarket-motorized/dp/B0002IED62/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1266945292&sr=1-1

The black rubber antenna signals to me that for whatever reason that person chose the cheap way out. I like the OEM antenna or the aftermarket black chrome antenna. My 2 cents.

Curtis240Z took the words right out of my mouth.

After 25 plus years of replacing the antenna because they stopped working or because some jerk broke the mast, I chose to have my antenna 'shaved' (see My Albumz below). Instead I went with a modern hidden antenna that sits in the dash. I also listen to XM/MP3's more often now so I am installing the tiny XM antennna on the metal dash finisher near the windshield.

Edited February 23, 201015 yr by ZCurves

Motorsport sold a Hirschmann automatic antenna in the '80's. I have one of those and its been extremely reliable.

There are plenty of retractables around. I've used them for years. I think mine are Hirschmann, but it has been years since I've looked at the paperwork.

I snagged mine off a 280z. I like the chrome retractable.