I have done this on my 90 and my 83, both were pretty easy though I
remember the 90 being more difficult, but that was the first one and
the second is always easier.

You don't need to pull the grille(s). You do need to pop the
instrument housing cover and remove the instrument cluster. Shouldn't
take more than a few minutes (I could do it in my sleep at this point
in my life).

It may help to get a heater hose or two out of the way. Once done,
unplug the cable from the radio and route it back to where it is
laying on the floor. Take the top nut off the antenna base and then
drop the antenna into the car. I taped a piece of weedeater cord to
the antenna last time I did it to pull the new antenna up through,
but it's not necessary, Just remember how the antenna drops out to
the floor and reverse that process exactly going back the other way.

I recall that you have to turn the antenna a certain way, once it's
in the hole, to make the antenna body align correctly with the front
of the vanagon nose slope.

Save your plastic antenna base, my new base didn't fit as well as my
old one did so I used it again. Something about the angled cut being
a little off.

Jim

On Aug 25, 2006, at 3:34 PM, Tim Demarest wrote:

> Depends on your year... I pulled the grille and light on my '85,
> and it got
> me nowhere... mine has to be accessed from the inside (so it'll be
> loose
> until I pull the dash).
>
> At 02:13 PM 8/25/2006 -0600, Gregor Brandt wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I'm trying to put in a new antenna and am having a hell of  a time
>> reaching back there. Do I have to take off the grill and headlight to
>> do the change over?
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> Gregor
>