Is there a difference between early and later vanagons in the antenna mounting?

I've read lots of posts that say you can just pop off the grill and get at
the antenna mounting from the outside of the van... but I tried that on my
'85 GL Westie (with it's chronically loose antenna) and was met by a smooth
unbroken expanse of metal, well  below the antenna mount. It looks like I
need to get at mine from inside, deep behind the dash.

Are there two flavors out there? What years did the changeover happen?

At 10:31 PM 3/29/2005 -0700, Bob Stevens wrote:
>Take the grill (upper) off and the left (driver's) headlight assembly off.
>Clear shot at it. You'll want to attach a stout line to the radio end of the
>old antenna when pulling it out, so you can pull the new radio end back
>inside using the "line" as the puller. I think you can probably do the
>inside part from the ash tray hole.
>
>bob
>soon to do the same thing.
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Christopher Gronski" <gronski@GMAIL.COM>
>To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2005 8:01 PM
>Subject: Replacing the antenna
>
>
> > I have an 86 sycro with the antenna on the hood (if you can call the
> > four inched of sloped metal on the front ot our vasn a hood. Anyone
> > re@laced one of these? I tried unscrewing it but it looks like it has
> > to come out throigh the bottom. Any insights?
> >
> > Chris
> >