It is also a very good idea to let go of the steering wheel just before impact. Often the steering gets yanked around because one or more wheels get hit, and you might break your thumbs.
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It is also a very good idea to let go of the steering wheel just before impact. Often the steering gets yanked around because one or more wheels get hit, and you might break your thumbs.
ElectricLove
Member
I'd like that, as a career, but there aren't enough Roadster's around and I really only like Electric cars. I am hoping that I'll be able to keep my Roadster but fear that by the time I'm done I'll have more than I can afford into it. Currently we are around $32K invested, which is obviously very cheap for one of these! But we aren't done, so who knows how high it could get... My goal is to keep it under $35K, and hopefully sell my Azure Dynamics Electric Transit Connect van for like $20K, then I can keep the Tesla!
Especially without power steering.
I know someone who also broke his leg. His fault: his seat had been slidden back too far and his legs were straight. So obviously it's better to have the knees a bit bent.
On your Roadster: Have you been able to adjust the front splitter/spoiler? My CF splitter also doesn't fit 100% and my car didn't have a frontal damage.
ElectricLove
Member
Unfortunately, I haven't gotten that far yet. My friend who is going to install and paint the front body panels had to move his workshop on me and so its in limbo for the next few weeks... I'm hoping next weekend to get it to him and get it rolled out of there within 2/3 weeks but we'll see.
Chickenlittle
Banned
So once done, how do you get a regular title rather than salvage? Is it state inspection?
wiztecy
Active Member
Any car that has a titled deemed "salvage" will always be a salvage title car. It can't be fully insured also, only comp. This is due that the car was deemed a total loss due to an accident, theft, etc where the cost to replace was more cost effective by the insurance company rather than to be repaired.
Chris Lockfort
2008 Tesla Roadster 1.5 + 2015 Zero SR
FYI the trim-pot on your charger will let you set the duty cycle for the J1772 pilot, so your car will only charge at whatever amperage is safe from your current wiring setup, instead of relying on the car's GPS-location-based charge-current-limiting available on the touch screen being always set correctly.
And yes, it does work very well as an RV charger
(Also, if anyone is interested, I have hardware and software modifications on top of my version of this charger that add in 70A charging (and coping with the roadster requesting "active cooling" at this charge rate), active relay cooling, some extra current monitoring and monthly power bill metering, safety temperature sensing and current limiting, interchangeable connectors, etc... )
@ElectricLove ... For what it's worth, I was at Chilton's in San Carlos and saw a roadster sitting on a spec die frame adjusted just for Tesla roadsters. Thought it might be useful to check your frame alignment. Chilton Auto Body, San Carlos CA, collision car repair
The place was loaded with Model Ss with body damage. I was told the roadster sitting on the frame was bought from an insurance company a long time ago... It's just been sitting there collecting dust.
The place was loaded with Model Ss with body damage. I was told the roadster sitting on the frame was bought from an insurance company a long time ago... It's just been sitting there collecting dust.
Very good advice from Chris. Not only will this make your charging more convenient, but it will be a lot safer, too.
Not sure what you mean. The Roadster does not request "active cooling" except on its own CAN bus. It doesn't request anything from the EVSE as far as cooling is concerned. You really shouldn't be using a relay for 60 or 70 amp charging. A contactor rated for 70 or 80A continuous is better suited for this application and won't need any cooling. And if you don't care about J1772 compliance, the Roadster and Model S don't even need a contactor or relay at all. Not saying you should do that... but a few people have. If you search long enough you'll find pics of DIY Roadster EVSEs that fit entirely within a NEMA 14-50 plug.
I'm curious how you implemented your current monitoring. I've done this on a couple of EVSE that I've built and it wasn't as easy as I first envisioned. Did you also monitor voltage? You must have if you were doing power bill metering. Nice work!
spaceballs
Member
Thanks for the information delanman.
This information should be in the roadsters wiki, as it be useful for someone looking for certified a body shop that can has a roadster spec die frame, as there can't be that many around.
JohnnyLounge21
Member
This is such an awesome story. I'm excited to see the finished product! I'm also interested to see the owner's TRUE thoughts on how much this project has cost from start to finish to get the Roadster back where it belongs.
What a great case study for what's possible with a salvaged Roadster!
What a great case study for what's possible with a salvaged Roadster!
ElectricLove
Member
@Johnny, Yeah the cost is in my book "a steal". My total is estimated to be around $35K, and thats including the fact that I just ruined some Lotus Elise seatbelt/retractors trying to "rebelt" them with the Tesla belts and now have to buy the belts from Tesla for about $700 (their prices tend to be crazy!). The airbags were easy as they are Lotus parts, I did that swap yesterday and it went very well, the cost on those bags was about $300 plus $50 for an SIR module (needed to control the bags and must be replaced if they ever go off)...
The only bad part of the cost saga... I sold Intel stock at about $27/share to get the money to buy the roadster (plus the anticipated cost of parts); that same $38K I cashed in at that time would now be valued at around $50K, with $50K I could have simply bought an '08 Roadster without the salvage aspect and called it a day! So, I regret that a bit but in the end I'll still have my dream car and I was able to afford it, so that's the most important thing!
I'll be happy when this project is done! Which is getting close... few weeks away.
The only bad part of the cost saga... I sold Intel stock at about $27/share to get the money to buy the roadster (plus the anticipated cost of parts); that same $38K I cashed in at that time would now be valued at around $50K, with $50K I could have simply bought an '08 Roadster without the salvage aspect and called it a day! So, I regret that a bit but in the end I'll still have my dream car and I was able to afford it, so that's the most important thing!
I'll be happy when this project is done! Which is getting close... few weeks away.
ElectricLove
Member
Update w/ pictures:
Roadster is getting close to ready... Everything is installed but the body panels, all safety equipment has been replaced with new stuff, new louder horns were installed, etc. With the headlights on its starting to look like a real car from the front angles too!
- - - Updated - - -
The Roadster is getting so close, all safety equipment is replaced with new stuff, the headlights make it look like a real car again! The last step is to install the body panels and then paint and blend them with the rest of the car... Hopefully just another week or 2 and it'll be ready for its Level 3 AZ inspection and getting its title and license!
Roadster is getting close to ready... Everything is installed but the body panels, all safety equipment has been replaced with new stuff, new louder horns were installed, etc. With the headlights on its starting to look like a real car from the front angles too!
- - - Updated - - -
The Roadster is getting so close, all safety equipment is replaced with new stuff, the headlights make it look like a real car again! The last step is to install the body panels and then paint and blend them with the rest of the car... Hopefully just another week or 2 and it'll be ready for its Level 3 AZ inspection and getting its title and license!
ElectricLove
Member
Anyone aware of a Model S TO J1772 adapter in existence? I'm thinking that would be a nice intermediary while waiting for the MS->Roadster adapter... I built my own J1772->Roadster 70A connector (and 15' extension cord) and would love to add that MS input capability... Alternatively does anyone know where and if possible to buy an MS input connector? I am confident I could make one with that.
I made a Roadster to J1772 but not a MS to J1772. It wouldn't help you much because it would have the same problems that the SR adapter is going through. It needs different electronics depending on charger version and Roadster version and not all the details have been worked out.
The only place you might buy one is Tesla and they won't sell them or provide specs. It's not an easy thing to do. You need high-temperature plastic that dissipates heat well.
I've bought this car, have had it for about 3 years and use it every day as my commuter vehicle.
I'm upgrading to a new i-Pace and am going to sell the Tesla and I'm looking for guidance on what it's worth.
As a salvage title, Tesla won't service/repair it and they won't sell parts for it but I found ways around both of those problems and have driven it trouble-free.
When I bought it, I fixed up the bodywork, but tt has a bunch of things that were broken that I never bothered to fix, e.g. the TPMS is dead, there is an airbag warning light that is on permanently, the JVC stereo is garbage and should be replaced by whoever buys it and there is a missing piece of trim under the front grill (cosmetic).
Any ideas or advice welcome. Just to reiterate, in the spirit of full disclosure, it's a salvage title and Tesla won't help the buyer with any service or parts.
I'm upgrading to a new i-Pace and am going to sell the Tesla and I'm looking for guidance on what it's worth.
As a salvage title, Tesla won't service/repair it and they won't sell parts for it but I found ways around both of those problems and have driven it trouble-free.
When I bought it, I fixed up the bodywork, but tt has a bunch of things that were broken that I never bothered to fix, e.g. the TPMS is dead, there is an airbag warning light that is on permanently, the JVC stereo is garbage and should be replaced by whoever buys it and there is a missing piece of trim under the front grill (cosmetic).
Any ideas or advice welcome. Just to reiterate, in the spirit of full disclosure, it's a salvage title and Tesla won't help the buyer with any service or parts.
There’s a car in Atlanta that up for Around 35k. Salvage title but ironically repaired in 2014. With so much movement with EV’s it’s hard to say. Lots of new models expected in 18 months, model 3’s making EV’s cheap, the premium of the roadster as an EV is dropping daily, the desire to have a hand built car that started quite literally a revolution is on the increase. The salvage title will drive people to the 50k clean examples of non salvage cars unfortunately leaving you to needto price very desirably. That being said, you only need one buyer to make a sale. Price it at what you believe it’s worth and modify from there?
Electric Swede
Member
So I just bought that car on Saturday - and got it for A LOT less than $35K - after doing some serious investigating with Tesla. What I will say at this point is there is a lot of misinformation on the forums about cars with salvage titles and service from Tesla. More later...
Congratulation on the white roadster, its a really nice looking car.
Be careful of making bold statements about what tesla will and wont do, especially as everything changed in the past 2 months with them releasing the parts manuals and selling you parts for these vehicles finally. There are many people who have struggled for years and if you watch the time line of this post you will find its 4 years old. Hopefully things will improve but I fear it will be only slightly.
Electric Swede
Member
I have not made any statement - bold or otherwise - about what Tesla will and won't do for me or my Roadster. I'm not sure where your comment originated... And I'm fully aware that this thread started years ago but I was just responding to your post about about the car in Atlanta, which was no longer available because I bought it.
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