2008 Toyota Prius Install

[grinthock]

2008 Toyota Prius, it's a least so no holes allowed...

Here's the what we started with.



I custom fabbed this bracket, it's made with 1x1 .090 wall square tube and some 3/16 flat stock. it is held down with 2 #12 bolts that normally also hold the centre console in place -- very sturdy.






and here's where we ended up...

Drawers in the back under a cargo cover in hidden box.






Up front.... Still a LITTLE bit of clean up to do.. but it's pretty much there..

[sledude]

Looks like you've been busy.

[abbylind]

Sano install! Nice job

Fowler
KC5AEE

[escomm]

Nice. Where did you put the antennas? I saw a Prius taxi yesterday with two VHF spikes in the roof, wonder how they managed that.

[tvsjr]

Nice. Where did you put the antennas? I saw a Prius taxi yesterday with two VHF spikes in the roof, wonder how they managed that.

I've seen one Prius roof mount so far. They used thick NMO mounts, which came through the headliner. Coax was run along the roof using adhesive wiretie bases and wireties. It was well and truly hamsexy... no camera available, unfortunately.

[escomm]

They used thick NMO mounts, which came through the headliner.

This is a joke right

[grinthock]

Again, it's a lease so no cutting. I wanted something discreet that wouldn't look too out of place.

There was another install I saw that had an NMO Mount connected to a bracket was re-used the rear lift gate gas strut mount -- very clean -- I may go to that in the future...

For now i'm using 2 glass mount antennas -- i've used this exact antenna before with very good results It's hard to see them in a picture (even up close if you don't know what you are looking at) people have suggested my vehicle looks like a pookemon character with them on. There's one on each side of the car on the rear quarter windows. Whatever I did it had to look se-metrical. Nothing worse than having one antenna on one side when you are trying to make things look even. These glass mounts are not too bad, they "CLAIM" 2.5db gain on 2M, I figure by the time it makes it through the glass and down the crappy coax -- it's probably unity gain. On UHF they don't work too well. But it's more discrete than an NMO with something mounted on it. I put my MFJ box on both and they are both 1.2-1.3:1 across the VHF/UHF hammy band.

[tvsjr]

They used thick NMO mounts, which came through the headliner.

This is a joke right

Unfortunately, no, it is not. Definitely a "hold my beer and watch this!" sort of install.

[motorola_otaku]

They used thick NMO mounts, which came through the headliner.

This is a joke right

Unfortunately, no, it is not. Definitely a "hold my beer and watch this!" sort of install.

Blair, Bearcom, or Megahertz Technologies?

[tvsjr]

Heh, Megahertz would never do such an install. Bearcom, on the other hand...

I believe this was truly a "custom" job, clearly done by someone with a hole saw fetish.

[giguchan]

WOW... thats a pretty damn nice install. I like it when it all comes together...
Nice going.

[kb9suy]

Did you know if you drive down the highway in a Prius and stick your arm out the window the car will turn!! hahaha
All jokes aside Sence this is a hybrid do you run into power problems especially running 100 watt radios. This is something that has been pondering in my brain for awhile. Do these new Hybrids have Alternators to supports the extra draw from accessories?

[giguchan]

What did you do with the other one sell it or give it to the wife? I understand when you buy a Prius box set they give you Two - One for each foot!
No really folks... i'll be here all week be sure to tip your bartender and hostess you've been a great crowd!

The crack about turning.. the same thing will happen in a Cessna 152. I saw that in an instructional video a few years ago..

This is the first install of 100W radios in a Hybrid vehicle... I wonder how it will perform.. I had a buddy with a bimmer and when Ptt'd The care would do starange things... Bimmers are known to have electronics issues from the get go.

[ama201]

I'm getting my Prius V tomorrow. So excited to get it finally since Thanksgiving. Gotta look into auto insurance quotes now.

[mike m]

If you mounted one of the big HF screwdriver antennas on a Prius would it tip over ?

But really isn't there some undocumented law about putting Motorola radios in a Prius, maybe a Yaesu or an Icom ham radio but not Motorola's.

[motorola_otaku]

This will be my course of action should I ever come into possession of a hybrid vehicle: http://www.priups.com/ham-12v/

Now as far as spambots getting in goes, I highly recommend this mod: http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=1659315

[WCHija]

That really is a nice install.

[N0YSN]

Looks nice especially for a no hole install.

[tvsjr]

Wow... triple-necropost! Thread was started in September 2008... necroposts in February 09, November 11, now December 12.