I ran my antenna for XM up the windsheild gasket and it comes out on the drivers side roof near a cab light, it is a magnet one and has worked great, when you say plastic cowling do you mean where the wipers are? If so that may be too low and might have reception issues. Lets say you were heading North, the satalites all are in the South so the signal would have to go thru the truck. On the speed sensor I am lost, I would have no idea except to tap into the factory one, it is a drive by wire so there is no cable and you should be able to tap into it.