--- title: "In Chaotic Project, Mechanic Installs Gas Engine in Tesla" description: "YouTuber and Tesla tinkerer Rich Rebuilds has tackled his latest project: fitting a junkyard Tesla Model S with a gasoline-guzzling V8 engine." date: "2021-01-05" modified: "2021-01-05" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/rich-rebuilds-v8-gas-engine-tesla" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Tesla" tags: - "model s" - "tesla" - "the digest" - "YouTube" --- # In Chaotic Project, Mechanic Installs Gas Engine in Tesla ![]() *\Image: Rich Rebuilds\* ## Electric to Gas YouTuber and renowned Tesla tinkerer Rich Rebuilds has tackled his latest project: replacing the clean, electric powertrain of a junkyard Tesla Model S with a gasoline-guzzling V8 engine block. The hardware he transplanted is a 6.2-liter LS3 rear-wheel-drive car engine made by General Motors — courtesy of a totaled 2010 Chevrolet Camaro — with 426 horsepower. That's comparable to the performance put out by a, well, normal entry level Model S. And yes, the project is "gonna hurt some feelings," as [*The Drive* predicted]() back in December, when Rich was still working on the project. https://youtu.be/WcS9Kle816s ## Flipping the Script Rich has set himself a substantial challenge: a Model S was never designed to fit a V8, let alone be powered by one. But after a great deal of tinkering and stripping of original parts, the space under the hood did in fact end up fitting the massive engine block. The project is not nearly ready to hit the streets. Rich and his team still have to reinforce numerous areas of the car frame, because fitting the engine required them to take a lot of steel out. **READ MORE:** [This V8-Powered Tesla Is Everything Fun about Modifying Cars]() \[*Autoweek*\] **More on Rich Rebuilds:** *[This Guy Built a DIY Cyberquad and It's an Absolute Monster]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()