YAH! This is finally done! Brainstormed some more with my off road shop the other day and had them do the final CB install. Said it'd be so easy to install the box up under the dash, we just decided to have them do it....

Decided to use the rheostat knob as the area to plug in the mic. We used a little sheet of metal cut down to fit in the fuzzy hole, bent it 90 degrees, attached with Velcro, installed the mic hanger on the metal. We put the hanger up as high as possible to minimize blocking the air vent. When I'm done I can just remove the metal sheet with the hanger with the Velcro. Presto!

The cord drapes down but just brushes my legs getting in or out so no tripping, and can lay mic on floor so it's not so obvious when I leave the truck. It's unconventional but this layout works great for me!

Also tested it with Dave's Cobra Handheld CB, and his 5ft FireStik antenna & my 3ft FireStik...you know ...my Barbie Antenna. Able to hear clearly with virtually no static, over 2 little "mountains" away from each other, distance of almost 1 mile. And that's with the rubber type drawer liner & 1 layer of friction tape between my antenna mount & the roof rack bar....something the FireStik CB people told us wouldn't work....but I know it worked for you Mark, so I wanted to try it before I removed the tape and scratched up the black Yakima bar. This reception is also BEFORE we've tuned either antenna with the SWR meter we got....how much better could this get?
YAH!! We're happy!!! All I have to do is dremel down a spot on the fuse cover and that's it.