HAM club president is giving me a 60 watt mobile radio [thus it gets hot and I'll likely put a fan on it, side note]. 6.5" x 6.75" x 1.75". About same size as the common/older CB radio. Living in DFW, things get stolen, theme of my truck is everything is stealth/well hidden from obvious view.

Is there any location that I am missing?

Under the dash: blocks cup holders

Under steering column: my knees are there

In door pocket: exposed to rain when door is open

Under seat: can't read display

Mounted to subwoofer: vibration

Mounted to top of jump-seat console: not stealth/prone to theft

In enclosure under jump-seat console: Console won't close all the way

Bottom of Ash tray: tray won't stay closed & blocks cup holders

Inside jump-seat console: I use that space & I don't think it would fit + no air ventilation to keep it cool.

Ceiling: I have the roof console

Only thing I can think of is putting it vertically between the floor console and jump seat, vertically, in an enclosure w/ fans made to fit the space, put a lid on it, and make it look like it somehow belongs there/looks semi-stock. Not sure if that is even possible, though. I measure 2.75" from the jump seat to the center console, enough for the 1.75" radio and two pieces of half inch MDF sandwiched to it. Would take lots of carving with the jigsaw and dremel to make it fit into the stock console at the bottom and roll into the seat at the top (with the lid), then shoot it in black plastidip for texture followed by black spray paint. Wouldn't match the plastic console exactly nor the cloth seat, but maybe it would look close?

(not my photo, but has my interior)

 

Thats about the only option that is out of the way but yet still useable. Also if you are that worried about it install a good security system. You can also secure it with tamper proof screws. Any little bit helps to slow thieves down.

 

everything so far is stealth so that I don't have to rely on much more than the factory security system. But the new radio is throwing me for a loop, seeing as I need to be able to see the display at all times so that I can see what modes and frequencies I am using. And I don't like drilling into panels, I try to use existing hardware where possible incase things need to move around later on.

Another idea I can maybe do is pick up a cheap multi-beam swivel desk lamp [the kind with springs to hold position], mount it to my subwoofer box, and be able to bring the radio out when I'm using it, and lower it down when I'm not. The arms and springs would absorb some of the forces on the radio.

I'd like to simply put it on top of the jump-seat console, but there's no good way to attach it. The best I could do is lay down a bunch of painter's tape within the border of the radio, then put double sided tape on that to hold the radio. I've used that method before for USB hubs and the sort, but nothing as heavy as a radio or in the temperature extremes of a vehicle. I couldn't really see the display that way, though- I'd have to lean down and look back to look at the display well. I don't think it would fit on the console turned sideways, once you add all the electronics connections it's about 7.5" deep.

Velcro'd to the back of the passenger seat would be another place I could work with, but I don't think any amount of hard-side velcro could hold a 4 pound radio to the back of the seat, much less with my driving style.

If I had a way to connect the antenna cable through the door jamb, I wouldn't mind putting it in the driver's door pocket, and making a weather-stripped tight fitting pocket cap out of wood with a hinged door. RG-8 cable doesn't bend well, and wouldn't work well in the door jamb boot, and I don't think it would look good being zip-tied next to the E-brake pedal then running loose outside the door panel, down to the door pocket. Or maybe I wouldn't really notice it, if I did it right. The cable should reach. I shall experiment with that idea.

 

Only thing I can think of is something like this. This is made for the rams but might work in Dakotas could always make ur own too
http://www.genosgarage.com/CB-MOUNT-.../#.Uo2gMJm9LCQ

 

went out and measured. The forward door pocket is 11-3/4 long, 2-3/8 at the front tapering to 2-1/4 at the back, and around 6.5" tall. The only connection on the back is for the antenna, and I'll have a pair of 90 degree connectors on it to make a 180 loop, I figure the radio will be around 7.5-7.75 inches tall with the elbow on the back. My cable almost reaches with a rough routing, if I make it straighter, it should reach with a little slack.

So I'll need to make a wooden plug (1/2 or 3/4" MDF, sealed, coasted, and painted) for the pocket so water can't get in and accumulate,
then cut out an opening for the radio, two 60mm CPU fans [1-7/8" hole, one intake, one exhaust], and a toggle switch,
and finally make a cap to go over the exposed part of the radio, the fans, and the toggle switch.

 

done. Need to weather-strip it and make a lid.

 

I know I got a 1st gen but these might give you an idea.

I moved it from here due to it was in the way of the 4wd shifter.

 

well, it's done and installed. I made and painted the lid for it and put it all in the truck. Total cost was under $5 since I already had the wood, and had the radio given to me. Just had to buy some screws. I'll loom the antenna and power cables so they should blend in, the coiled microphone cable should be the only tell-tale exposed element.

 

Looks pretty good def different!