Obvioiusly something added by a prior owner. Can the ashtray itself be removed. Should just slide out, once the retainer springs are worked past, as a normal ashtray would be, I suspect. Once the tray is removed, perhaps "the item" can be further investigated, especially how to deal with it and such.
Thank you all. Got the ashtray out and then removed the "thing". Someone spent alot of time mounting it inside ashtray. No markings. no idea what it was for. I will just have to live with the mystery.