This is what you'll find once...
This is what you'll find once you remove the outermost right-side taillight (using a No. 15 Torx driver). You'll need to unbolt the ground straps (A) before removing the nuts that hold the antenna to the rear of the car (B). Watch out for the upper ground strap-on our '99 FRC, it was double-nutted, requiring a second wrench behind the nut you can see. And don't forget the second ground strap, which is connected to a stud at the bottom of the tub. (Be sure to note the original routing; it'll help when the new antenna's in place.)
Owners of '99-02 Fixed Roof Coupes and Z06s have it good. Light weight and loads of power (at least with the Ought-sixes) along with the normal C5 creature comforts are about all you need for a good time. The fact that GM is selling every Z06 it can make would seem to bear this out. And yet, these super cars do have one small disadvantage when compared to your "standard" C5 coupe. To maximize weight savings on the hardtops, Chevrolet chose to stick a fixed radio antenna on the right, rear quarter-panel. It's great for saving weight, but oh-so-bad when you want to cover your pride and joy. FRC and Z06 owners have really been left with two options: they can either take the antenna off when it's cover time (a small annoyance, but an annoyance all the same) or cut a hole in that expensive cover (read, "You want me to do what?").
We recently came across a third option: Mid America Designs' Z06 & C5 Fixed Roof Coupe Power Antenna Conversion Kit (PN 607-083). It wasn't hard to find a subject to perform the conversion on,in this case a '99 Fixed Roof Coupe. The owner had taken to carrying an antenna removal tool in his trunk, and was more than willing to bring his wheels down to the McMullen Argus Tech Center for us to install the power antenna. The process is straightforward and Mid America's directions are comprehensive, though we did find a few "extra" things you'll want to be aware of.
Perhaps the most intimidating part of the install is the fact that you'll have to plug the antenna's power and control wires into your Vette's electrical center (the antenna goes up when the radio is turned on, and down when it's turned off). We'll make two suggestions here. One is that you go ahead and disconnect the battery before beginning, just to safeguard all that expensive electrical gear. The other, in the same vein, is to just be careful with the electrical center and all those wires. It's not complicated, but the pieces involved are delicate. And with that, we'll get down to business and show you how it's done.
 You'll also need to remove...  You'll also need to remove the right, rear, inner carpet panel. Once you've gained access, you can disconnect the stock antenna cable and push the sealing grommet back through its hole towards the rear of the car. |  At this point, all that's...  At this point, all that's holding the antenna in place is the rubber grommet that rests atop the rear quarter-panel. Carefully work the rubber through the hole, and the antenna can then be removed. |  The new antenna looks right...  The new antenna looks right at home within the FRC's rear tub. |
 Rotating the electrical center...  Rotating the electrical center will allow you to reach the 7mm bolt that holds the green connector in place. |  Fixed versus retractable....  Fixed versus retractable. Despite the bulkiness of the new power unit, our seat-o'-the-pants-ometer says it adds less than 5 pounds of weight to your Vette's rear end. |  Here's what you'll have inside...  Here's what you'll have inside the trunk access panel: a typical antenna cable and a female connection for the included wiring harness. |