Center Console Lockbox

Headed to Baja this winter and wanted a fairly safe spot that was easily accessible in the cab. Fabricated this lockbox for the lower section of the center console and am psyched on how well it came out. I was inspired by someone else's thread on here. It's funny there's a bunch of aftermarket stuff you can buy like this for 2nd and 3rd gens but no one ever started making them for the first gen's. It's fully TIG welded, 14ga on the sides, and 1/8" for the top and lid. I even was able to use a UWS toolbox lock cylinder from etrailer that matched the locks on my shell to avoid adding additional keys to the truck. If a couple people want one I'll make a few for members on here. DM me for pricing and info.

 

Nicely done, why not make it the same height as the original opening?

 

I went back and forth on it. Even thought about dropping the lid lower and making it a false bottom with some felt. But I'm always losing receipts and things like that so I thought the upper portion would be a great place to stash that sort of thing. I couldn't think of anything I needed to lock up that big. Mostly just phone, passport, cash, that sort of thing. It's definitely not an impenetrable safe, but should slow down smash and grab type thieves enough to have them looking elsewhere. I could make them with any height deck though. I don't currently own any guns, but it seems that's what a lot of people use these for and looking at mine I think a small sidearm would fit well in there.

 

Nice job, thanks for your explanation.

 

Have you considered making something similar for the smugglers lockers below the jump seats?

 

Like a little drawer under either of the seats or something different?

 

I dunno, most people I see with firearms want to keep them within easy reach. I wouldn't want to leave it there unattended either (only reason I could see to want to lock it up). The thought of some a-hole getting a hold of it is scary to me. Most people want you to have to fight them for it.

But that's a great idea, definitely more secure than the glove box (even if you had a lock, which mine does not).

 

I’m talking about the small/medium compartments that are under the flip-up rear seat cushions on the Gen 1 Xtra-cab models. They are accessed via a removable top panel, one compartment per side. One of them carries the jack and toolkit.

I think there is also some extra space at the bottom, below the carpet..

I’m thinking that because they are already pretty well hidden, they would make a good place to hide a locker.

There is also the ashtray/stash compartment on the backside of the center console.

This is the only photo I can find ATM, showing the position of the right compartment.

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/att...age-cubby-sub-enclosure-finished-p1010002.jpg

 

Haha I'd just never heard them called smugglers compartments, but literally laughed out loud when I realized which ones you meant. I'm actually more considering building an enclosed box with a flat deck behind the drivers seat about three or four inches above the height of the lid you're talking about. And moving a bunch of my solar/aux electrical stuff up there to free up room in the bed.

 

Plenty of situations where you might have your sidearm on you but are unable to take it with you into a business or some other location and need a way to secure it. There are also a lot of indian reservations that don't permit firearms and having a lock box like this would allow you to secure the weapon safely and out of sight.

 

The reference would be somewhat obvious who has seen the original Star Wars, where when the Millennium Falcon is captured by the Empire, Han Solo hides everybody in the under-floor compartments (installed for smuggling spices)..

I’m also rethinking the whole behind the seat space. I have a bunch of ham radio gear, some of which will be living in the truck permanently, and some (transverters, VHF/UHF brick amps, RF switching, etc) will be in a carpeted rack that moves in and out of the truck for contests, etc.

I don’t want to obstruct the seat tilt back, and I want a easy-access storage box/tray for bottled water, rigging straps/rope, cleaning supplies, etc. Possibly also a box for a couple of Motorola radios, unless I can fit them under the seats.

Bob
AF6RR

 

I want this but don't have faith in my metal cutting skills. What's the typical price to have a Fab shop with water jet cutting to load up a dxf file to cut something like this?

 

You still making this lock boxes? I’m really interested in getting one