custom radar detector housing!!!
 

I just got an idea for a way to mount a radar detector and quickly and easily get it out of sight. Bear with me here as I try to explain it. You cut a square hole in the top of your dashboard where you plan to mount the thing. Take that square and put in an axel in the middle of it (going side to side; parallel to the car's axles), so that it spins around from front to back. Somehow, I don't know how yet, put the thing under spring tension so that it wants to turn. Put in a little stop so that it can only go around half a turn, and a latch to keep it where it is. Confused yet? Now, get the square so that it's upside-down and mount the radar detector to the square, and use the latch to keep it right-side up. Route the wires so that they go on the side of the square that swings down. If you ever need to get rid of the radar detector, you just pull out the latch, and the thing is spring-tensioned so that it springs back to looking like a normal dash again, and the little stop thing makes sure it stops and doesn't just keep spinning. I know I gave a terrible explanation, but I'll try to draw a picture and maybe that will help. Would this work?

i sorta get your description but would it work through the metal behind the dash? its not illegal in florida so instead of mounting it in the middle of the windshield i have it mounted on the driver side corner right above the vin# i think it looks good there and is orginal.

I see what you're saying. There's got to be some place in the dash where this would work. here is a quick pic I drew. Maybe it helps?

problem is, theres not enough room in the dash to do that. AC/vent ducts are right there and well as a butt load of wires..not to mention our headunits sitvery high in that compartment. but good idea nonetheless.

Another problem of mounting it in that location is that detection of radars will not be so good. Manufactures say that the best place would be high in the windshield.

I would suggest doing something similar to the spring mounted detector but on the roof. This form will pull down to use and when you want to hide it just pop-it/spring it back to the top.

You also might hit the windshield with the panel when it flips up, depending on the angle. Just clip it to your visor and run a wire up there, no one can see it unless you're in the car.

hm. Oh well. I thought I had a good idea. I need to figure something out, because I need a radar detector, but if I do get pulled over I need an escape route because Virginia is anal about car laws.

hey you know my radar detector worked even on the floor. It was mounted on the windshield when the ride got bumpy and knocked it off to the ground. I just let it stay there for the ride and it still picked up its usual false alarms. So even having it inside your car would be better than nothing. Like maybe have it between the seats. dont quote me on it though.

hmm. Cuz I was thinking about putting mine in the space under the radio. Open the door and everything's good. Close the door and the detector's gone, at least to the cop.

twiz brings up a good point - mine has actually worked quite well sitting on my front passenger seat. maybe even put it in your glove box and slam it shut when a cop approaches :)

if this is true, I will install it in the pocket under my CD player. Has no one done this? It would be a lot easier to read than in the glove box, and a lot easier to close. Also, if I have a passenger, the glove box option would be a bit of a pain.

i have mine mounted to my dash, w/ a wire running to a switch, then from the switch str8 to the battery .....

why the switch?

ummm...we're running out of ideas aren't we?

pretty much yeah. Im thinking that either the glove box or the little compartment under the radio will work the best

I remember someone had stuffed his monkey with his radar equipment.
You guys know the monkeys with velcro hands that you can hang from your rear view mirror? (Remember the Anaheim Angels rally monkeys)
Someone took apart a radar detector and put in the eletronics into the insides of the stuffed monkey.
This may be a good idea.
Cops will never know that its a radar detector.

wow. THat's pretty devious right there.

Yeah I remember reading about it. I was thinking about doing the same. Jwalker87 you should look into doing some thing like that that way you don’t mess-up anything in you car.

the problem is that I live in VA. Anything hanging from the rear view mirror is illegal. I hate my state. I just thought; when I get my aftermarket HU, the new trim piece doesn't have a door on the front, which may ruin my current plans.