autoevolution
 

ICE-T, the V8-Powered Tesla Driven on the Road Creates Confusion and Appreciation

Unless you've been asleep for the last couple of months, you would know that there's a bunch of crazy YouTubers who actually installed a V8 inside a Tesla and unveiled it at the SEMA Show, making EV fans explode in various words, which we cannot write.
V8 powered Tesla on the road 9 photos
Photo: Rich Rebuilds/YouTube
Tesla V8 ICE-TTesla V8 ICE-TTesla V8 ICE-TTesla V8 ICE-TTesla V8 ICE-TTesla V8 ICE-TTesla V8 ICE-TTesla V8 ICE-T
The guys from Rich Rebuilds made a sensation over the Internet when they said they would build a V8-powered Tesla. In their video shown below they said they actually knew that Tesla wouldn't provide a new battery pack for the flooded Model S they bought. That said, the Rich Rebuilds team members turned their attention towards a classic setup by purchasing and installing a Chevy LS3 V8 gasoline engine, transforming the "frunk" into an engine bay.

We liked that these guys showed the rebuilding process in a fast-forward video before they jumped inside the brown car and drove around. When they stopped for gas, the manager thought they were playing a prank, but soon he realized that they really added fuel inside of what appeared to be an electric car.

The Rich Rebuilds team made a stop at their local Chevrolet dealership for a check-up and an oil change. Everyone is excited about the car and considers it very well built. Just by looking under the hood, you can hardly say that it was built in a garage, not in some factory. The only thing that could raise an eyebrow is the stiffening bar between the front towers. Normal cars don't have that.

But the cool thing about this Tesla V8 is that it kept the original, sleek look of the car, including the frameless windows on the doors and the panoramic glass roof on top. The only problem these guys couldn't solve was that the transmission tunnel goes right through the middle of the cabin. But, of course, that might be a problem if three people were seated in the back, which they did.

Say your opinion about this build in the comments section below. Do you like it, or do you consider that they committed a sacrilege when they implanted a gasoline engine paired to a six-speed TR 6060 manual inside a Tesla?

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Tudor Serban
Tudor Serban profile photo

Tudor started his automotive career in 1996, writing for a magazine while working on his journalism degree. From Pikes Peaks to the Moroccan desert to the Laguna Seca, he's seen and done it all.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories