[El Sol Infinito]

I need to replace the antenna in my '64. It doesn't seem like its very easy to get underneath it, though the way the quarter panel and inside the engine bay is laid out. The shop manual doesn't give any detail. Is it possible to remove the antenna base simply from above? How about getting the wire out? (I'm hoping that it would just pull through...)

Also, I use a car cover, so I'd like a solution that is the easiest to remove/retract. How easy/hard would it be to retrofit a '65 power antenna? Or is there a manual retracting antenna available? If not, I guess I can continue unscrewing it off the base by hand...

Thanks for any help.

Bob