Trashed Tesla Model 3 Performance Is a Perfect Track Car Project

LS swaps are so last decade.

byRob Stumpf|
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If you're stuck at home with a bucket of tools and a project car, there's no better way to pass those hours than by wrenching. Maybe you've already got an engine on the stand or are waiting for the right donor car to show up at Copart. But might we suggest something a bit more unorthodox, like a Tesla?

Up for auction on eBay is a Tesla Model 3 that has seen better days. Nearly all of the car's glass, including the large panoramic panel found on the roof, is missing, and every single body panel (or what's left of them, rather) has some sort of damage. But despite the heavy structural and cosmetic carnage, the car still powers on and drives – which means the purely electric drivetrain is ready for someone's next project.

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I know you're wondering why I have the gall to suggest swapping an electric drivetrain into your garage project car instead of the glorious roar of an American V8—but the answer is simple: being different is cool.

If you're remotely considering an all-electric swap, there's no better platform to start with than the Model 3 Performance. The car is Tesla's crown jewel of sports sedans, outpaced in acceleration only by the automaker's larger luxury-focused vehicles. Its two electric motors produce around 450 horsepower at all four wheels, permitting for a zero-to-60 time of just 3.2 seconds. It also features an extremely customizable Track Mode.

Our past discoveries of EV-swapped enthusiast cars have all been rather serendipitous. There's John Volk's Tesla-powered E30 BMW, or Sam Polyak's B8 Audi, and even a rather impressive sand truck.

There are several days left on the auction, and at the time of writing potential buyers have bid up the Tesla husk to $14,999, a single dollar below the car's reserve price. While this isn't a screaming deal, it's undeniably easier and cheaper than piecing together all of the individual components for a build. For example, the seller values the rear unit alone at $9,000 and the battery at $7,500.

Sure, it won't make the same noise as an LS1 or Hellephant crate engine, but the final project is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

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