Rich Rebuilds Shows V8-Powered Tesla Progress, Hole in His Pants Steals the Show

Before any of that, though, you need to make it all work, and, as Rich of Rich Rebuilds is quickly finding out (not that he hadn't anticipated it from the start), it's more difficult than it might seem. The main reason behind it is the way the Tesla Model S is built. Since it's meant to function as an EV from the start, its internal architecture is more different from that of a conventional vehicle than its exterior would suggest.

Besides, it's not as if Rich and the team are going for a two-liter four-cylinder engine stripped off a Honda or something. They went for a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS 6.2-liter V8, presumably intending to tune the hell out of it once everything is set in the hope it would be enough to beat actual Model S EVs in a drag race.

Considering their build is going to be rear-wheel-drive-only, that's probably going to be pretty difficult over a quarter mile, but worrying about that now is like making plans for retirement when you're twenty: it's so far into the future you're better off focusing on the present.

Speaking of the present, it looks as though the team hasn't really made that much progress since the last video. They've cut a hole in the body for the six-speed transmission (and that's not the only hole you'll see in the video, maybe not even the biggest one) and have put it in place, and it was a good thing they did because they immediately realized there was a problem.

If you're familiar with the Model S and Model X interior, you'll know it has a massive portrait-oriented display in the middle of the center console. With no console-mounted gear shifter to worry about, Tesla was free to bring the screen as low down as it saw fit. However, with the V8 in place, there is no faffing around with the position of either the gearbox or the actual gear shifter.

As it turns out, in the current configuration, accessing the odd-numbered gears would prove problematic as the shifter would come up too close to the edge of the display, leaving no room for the hand that would guide it. The team's solution was to order a short-throw shifter that would reduce the actual travel while also tilting the stick slightly toward the back.

Rich plans to use as much of the vehicle's original components as possible, including the wiring, which is obviously smart since it allows the team to focus on the important bits such as the engine and transmission. The rear axle seems ready to be connected to the driveshaft, so once the front end is sorted out, the Model S will be ready to go.

Admittedly, the rear was never going to be the problem since it's at the front where all the business happens. However, making room for the driveshaft meant cutting through a few structural elements, so they'll also have to make sure the car's body won't break in two at the first bump. Or, even worse, while doing 140 mph (225 kph) proving a point to a battery-powered Model S.