Technical Lock box installation legality?

After seeing a metal lock box in a recent hot rod build thread, I was intrigued.
My '27 T Touring will have no glove compartment, and other than the tarped rear 'bucket' there's only a small leather door pocket planned.
So, I planned out a cool lock box installation, under the drivers seat...(bench seat type, low riser: just right for a small box, the size of a flat cigar box)
A neighbor drops by occasionally, to ask questions...I showed him the 'hidden compartment', to which he exclaimed: "That's illegal, you can't have any 'secret hidden compartments' in cars."
He followed the statement: 'I was in court, waiting for my case...A couple before mine came up, one was some guy that was stopped and searched: Police were holding him for "a secret compartment installed in his vehicle".
'There were other charges, so he wasn't specific whether this was prosecuted...'

We are not 'allowed' to install compartments in our own cars now??? Better to be informed than not.
Anybody know of such a 'law'? (concealed weapons, I know...NOT allowed)
Please inform me. I've already cut the seat riser.....

 

Glove boxes came with locks...just saying. Maybe it has to be in plain sight and not a secret compartment.

 

sounds like a drug charge , probably part of a whole list of things, yours doesnt sound "secret"

 

Mike, there is no such laws here in the South but you live on the left coast, I would check with the DMV but it sounds crazy. HRP

 

The thing about these "some guy said" allegations like the one made by your neighbour is that it's really easy for people out of ignorance or attempting to sound knowledgeable to come up with this stuff.
It's really difficult and takes much effort to disprove.

It could be different now, but at one time if the cops searched your car and you had a locked box in the trunk, they needed a warrant to open that.

 

I’m guessing it was just another charge the cops could throw at him.

lots of “secret compartments “ in new cars.

under the seats under the floors spare tire well
I had an old euro car from the 80’s that had a secret glove box inside the glove box.


Sounds fishy to me.

 

Never heard of such a law. Only thing I can think was it was found stuffed with something illegal.
I may or may not have secret compartment in some of my vehicles.

I do know, for a fact. That your vehicle is "private property" such as your household, hence you are legally allowed to have a firearm in the car (concealed if you wish) no matter if you are licensed to conceal carry in that state or not.

 

I'd be really careful following this advice.

 

Now that right there is the best advice put forward so far.

 

I would think it is less about the "compartment", and more about the "contents".

 

Gearhead, private property or not, if you get caught with a pistol in your car, in the N.Y.C. area, you are going to jail. Ask the drug runners that try to get across the Mexican border if the "private property" defense works.

 

I'd be looking at state laws for the state you live in, they're available online..

11366.8 specifically.

And then you might find that if you're intending to store, conceal, smuggle, or transport a controlled substance in that compartment, then it's illegal. But if you're just using it for legal purposes, it's legal to have such a compartment.

 

California Health and Safety Code Section 11366.8 makes hidden compartments illegal only if used to transport drugs. You could be charged with the same offense if you used your spare tire or gas tank to hide drugs for transport. Otherwise, what you're adding is not illegal.

 

Well it is California.

 

Especially in the State of Illinois.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

"Spreading the Gospel to Hoodlums Worldwide" Are we not still Hoodlums ? Secret compartment laws be dammned

 

Read the law, yourself. Understand the law. Consult a lawyer if you are not confident that you can understand the law by yourself.

This isn't a legal forum...

 

^^^^ More excellent advice.

 

LOL, Smokey Robinson says. “ I second that emotion “
I better yank that magnetic “hide a key” and remove the safe from the house. BWTFDIK, you can’t even breathe with out some code or law violation these days.

 

what a goofy thing to think. whatever your buddy is smoking, do you think he can get me some?

 

You could take it over in the secret compartment !!!!

 

Those laws, like ALL gun laws, vary state to state; blanket statements are dangerous.

Don't take or give legal advice on a car forum!

 

......and never ask a lawyer the paint/patina question.

 

It Is No Longer A Secret....You Are Free To Continue...

 

...don't worry, your "secret" box is no longer secret, the info went out world-wide on the HAMB

 

Concealed weapons in a locked storage compartment are supposedly legal as long as you don't have access to them from the drivers seat and are just travelling through. This was told to me by a SC State Trooper who didn't like my .38 strapped to my seat. I have a concealed carry permit but SC doesn't recognise it, but most other states in the south do. Now that SC Trooper might not know what he was talking about, but he had a 9mm on his belt and a badge on his shirt, so I took him at his word!

 

Some advice to all when dealing with law enforcement. You may think you know your rights, but it is wise to absolutely know and understand the rights of the officer and jurisdiction you are engaging with.
Not legal advice.................just good common sense. Respect is a two way street.

 

Case closed. I'm sure that the Cali-bashers are probably disappointed...........

 

"Officer, I lost the key back in '54. I have no idea what's in there."