Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Model S "Sill Plates" replaced. Create artwork from old ones?

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
I just finished a first pass at replacing my badly scratched up (made it a no-brainer) Model S "sill plates" (kick plates, whatever) and was curious if anyone has turned their old ones into something cool. I'm not very good at these creative type things, so I'm sure I'll wind up making them look awful and throw them away, but I'd love to have something cool to look at.

First, some notes about the new install. I ordered and installed the lighted "Model S" sill plates from Norm and they are quite beautiful and easily matches the quality of the originals. 5 stars. Some FYI notes:

- Because the letters are cut out (and not just engraved), there is a "stencil effect" to where there are thin pieces in the "O" and "D" holding the inner parts of the letter in. Obviously, there is no other way to do this, but for OCD people it's worth knowing ahead of time if you are on the fence.

- Make sure to have extra retainer clips on hand if you're "heavy handed" like I am. I broke several on each sill and used ones that I had ordered for my hatch interior panel (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0040CTTH4)

- Because they are lit, you need to ensure a tight fit to the panel or light will leak out the edges. It comes with 3M's VHB tape for the ends as well in the middle section, but on mine, I have tiny gaps on the edges creating a thin outline. I'd recommend getting some extra thin VHB tape (https://www.amazon.com/3M-Scotch-5952-VHB-Tape/dp/B01BT0A6MG) as it's cheap and can ensure a tight seal. This will also help if you don't get it dead center. If I can remove it without damaging it, I'll probably redo it to ensure a tight, OEM-look seal.

- It's tough to find videos where they show the removal of the interior lights. That definitely is 99% of the work. On my AP1 2014, each one was pretty much as far forward and inward as possible, meaning I had to get in the awkward upside position where my legs are above the seat and my head underneath the floor area. In both cases, I absolutely could NOT remove them from the outside. I tried jamming my thin screw driver up there, but there didn't seem to be a "notch" to easily release it. In both times, I had to pull down the surrounding panel and attack it from the inside. Since I knew I was going to upgrade my lights to brighter ones anyway at $9 each (seriously, you can barely see them), I just broke the tabs on the inside and was able to pull it out.

- The screws on the interior floor panel (there's one per side, kinda recessed and tricky to reinstall if you aren't upside down) are T15. Pretty common size, so worth getting a screwdriver or socket if you don't have one.

Anyway, if anyone has painted their old ones or make artwork from them, I'd be interested to see it. It'd be cool to have like maybe a black paint with white letters, but I'm not sure I can be trusted to paint those letters correctly. LOL