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Rich Rebuilds Gives the ICE-T an Exhaust System That Is a Work of Art

When Rich Benoit said that he would recycle a Model S with a V8, he raised as much praise as bashing. Tesla fans said “there's no reason to change what’s perfect,” but the truth is that the car was perfectly ruined before getting a Chevrolet Camaro's LS3. The newest video on the project revealed its exhaust system, and now the protests may be fair: a recycled car did not need such a beauty to get rid of toxic fumes.
Rich Rebuilds' ICE-T, the V8 Tesla Model S 7 photos
Photo: Rich Rebuilds
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Joking aside, the exhaust Joshua conceived for ICE-T (Internal Combustion-Engined Tesla) shows the man is an expert. He built the exhaust pipes with stainless steel components from Vibrant Performance. The mufflers are really narrow to fit in the area where the battery pack used to be. Without all that weight, the Model S now sits a lot higher.

The update also allowed us to see that the car already has its transmission system in place, with a custom driveshaft and half-shafts connected to a Camaro differential. According to Benoit, the vehicle will probably need a new pumpkin when they start adding power to it, which was the plan from day one. Recycling must also be fun, right?

Benoit plans to present the ICE-T at the SEMA Show, which indicates when we should see the complete car. The next edition will open its gates on November 2, a little less than a month from now. Considering he made fun of the people who keep asking him when ICE-T will be ready, he may be aiming for the 2022 edition, but we don’t think that is the case.

Despite all the work that is still ahead, the project’s most difficult bits seem to have been solved. Fitting an LS3 below the frunk lid of a Model S, a driveshaft underneath its aluminum body, and keeping it an RWD machine is already an outstanding accomplishment. Don’t miss the video, and make sure you have a look at the exhaust system Joshua conceived. It is a work of art.

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About the author: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo
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Motoring writer since 1998, Gustavo wants to write relevant stories about cars and their shift to a sustainable future.
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