Yeah, that is not a bad idea. Having an engineering background, I'm always doing that, thinking of how i can play with something and turn it into something else. Yiu could check out the R values of the plastic f the center consul but I doubt you'll be able to get that. I couldn't even get the dB level of a stock Ford Ranger horn, let-a-lone something more complicated. Get something which record temperature and humidity, you can probably get that at Radio Shack.