Upgrades to the OG Roadster Post Yours

[Sky#277]

Throw back to the old 08 roadster #277 with some mods.... who wants to share theirs?

Blind spot monitoring
Reverse and forward parking sensors
Daytime running lights/turn signals
Touch screen instrument cluster
Push button start
Touch screen rearview mirror with lane detection forward car alerts and surround cameras
Ventilation for battery
Open vehicle monitoring system
Keyless entry
Rally sport hard top
Glove box
New leather interior
Modded door sills
Chopped steering wheel
Interior lighting

 

[Sky#277]

Other photos

 

[efreedom]

mods look great how did you install glove box and new digital console?

 

[Sky#277]

Glove box was custom at an auto body shop that uses a magnetic latch and doesn't just flop over. For the digital display, I took off the binnacle instrument cluster, unscrewed the steering column and then took off where the original cluster was mounted. The Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 8-inch just had the right latch to bolt on in place of the original cluster. Next I had a removable fabricated top built over it, wired a USB cord through to the cigarette lighter and bought an adapter. Using the Llama and no lock apps from the google play store you can program the tablet to turn on when the car is on and sleep when it is not in use. Beware though you need to figure a way to mount the original cluster and keep it plugged in if you intend to drive otherwise (if you tell anyone) and you want to sell or trade in it can be true mileage unknown and potentially devalue the vehicle.

 

[ML Auto]

[QUOTE="Beware though you need to figure a way to mount the original cluster and keep it plugged in if you intend to drive otherwise (if you tell anyone) and you want to sell or trade in it can be true mileage unknown and potentially devalue the vehicle.[/QUOTE]

The dash will update the mileage when plugged back in since it is also contained in the VMS. That is as long as the dash has less miles- if you swap one from a car with more miles that the VMS states, you will get an ODO mismatch code.

 

[Sky#277]

it’s there plugged in hidden under dash. I already had accounted for that. I can still revert it back tho

 

[MCroadster]

This looks really cool. Nice work!

Is the square instrument cluster cover a custom part?
Has the vented trunk lid noticeably helped with cooling?
Is the blind spot monitor or parking sensors fed into the instrument display?
What rear view mirror did you use?

 

[PRJIM]

If it gets very hot inside the roadster does the tablet overheat (i.e. parked in the sun)? I was under the impression that consumer electronics are not well suited for automotive applications due to operating temperatures.

 

[Sky#277]

Sqy

This looks really cool. Nice work!

Is the square instrument cluster cover a custom part?

Yes this is custom.

Has the vented trunk lid noticeably helped with cooling?

The vents have helped but here in SD it doesnt get super hot but I know it shouldnt have problems in the summer plugged in at a spot like a hotel station where it would overheat.

Is the blind spot monitor or parking sensors fed into the instrument display?

Both of these are aftermarket and do not display on the instrument display. I have a separate gauge that shows the meters close to the objects for a the parking sensors and two lights for the blind spot monitors on each of the inside windshield columns that light up when something is in the blindspot and make a beeping warning if you try to turn and someone is in the blind spot.

What rear view mirror did you use?

It is a slightly older version of the one found at this link https://www.amazon.com/Phisung-1296P-Rearview-Mirror-Cameras/dp/B07H7FJQV7 and it adds:

1. Forward alert (basically if you are stopped in front of you and your texting not paying attention it will announce forward alert to notify you the car in front has moved.)
2. Forward moving vehicle alert which is similar to the first one but its if a car moves in front of you suddenly or your approaching a stopped vehicle at a rapid rate.
3. It comes with four cameras two for the blind spots, one for the rear, and one for the dash. When you use the turn signal it will show your blind spot and the rear view which ever direction you are turning the signal on for. You can set it up to see the rear and both blindspots all the time, just the rear, a combo of the rear and dash cam, etc. It comes with navigation and other apps. Its essentially an android device.
4. ADAS (forgot the acronym) actually uses the camera in the front to track the lines on the roads and the vehicle distance which can be displayed on the mirror which will tell you whether you have departed your lane for lane detection or not. It works awesome on roads that are not well full of potholes or other lines from being repaved etc.
5. It records and coordinates with an app on your phone if someone shakes the vehicle etc. Hell even the wind blowing could set it off if you want to monitor. Let me know and when I get my car back I can take some snapshots in action.

 

[Sky#277]

If it gets very hot inside the roadster does the tablet overheat (i.e. parked in the sun)? I was under the impression that consumer electronics are not well suited for automotive applications due to operating temperatures.

I can tell you I try not to drive this vehicle that much and have not had the opportunity to test this out. That being said the screen and device sleeps while the car is at rest. Assuming the cover works and protects it as best it can from the sun it should not overheat like leaving your phone on a leather seat all day.

To control all this, I use an app called macrodroid. I used to use LLama but I like macrodoid better (SEE VIDEO

). I have rooted the tablet to make sure it operates with the vehicles functions including an OBDII sensor for realtime dash controls (turn signals, speed, etc.).

I know you didnt ask, but I am working on a mod that will give the car sound that has a futurstic like spaceship ignition and reverberating hovering sound (SEE VIDEO

) to replace an engine sound like a normal vehicle that will increase in loudness as you increase the vehicles speed (would like to run an app that can also affect pitch and frequency to simulate an increase in RPMs if anyone knows of one). I have not yet worked it into the programming and may use a separate hidden device or mount it over the VDS and link it to start up the Open Vehicle Monitoring system and the car sounds as well. I am trying to stay as true to the cars interior as possible. Only the steering wheel and trunk lid I cannot go back to.

For around $3700 I can give it an ability using a JDeMo charging adapter install to use the DC quick chargers allowing the roadster to supercharge 75 to 110 miles in 45 - 55 min. Just not on tesla's network.

 

[Sky#277]

Glove box was custom at an auto body shop that uses a magnetic latch and doesn't just flop over. For the digital display, I took off the binnacle instrument cluster, unscrewed the steering column and then took off where the original cluster was mounted. The Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 8-inch just had the right latch to bolt on in place of the original cluster. Next I had a removable fabricated top built over it, wired a USB cord through to the cigarette lighter and bought an adapter. Using the Llama (macrodroid now) and no lock apps from the google play store you can program the tablet to turn on when the car is on and sleep when it is not in use. Beware though you might want to figure out a unique way to mount the original cluster and keep it plugged in so if you want to sell or trade in the car, the dealer cannot argue true mileage unknown which potentially devalue the vehicle.However, I may test the theory that the mileage is actually stored in the computer on the vehicle and the cluster is just a display so it wouldn't matter. Why do I think this? Because the dash apps I use for the display can take the mileage information from the OBDII link in the vehicle and display it on the tablet. I think dealerships like to use this "unplugging your original cluster" as a way to get you a lower value on a trade in. However, some states do have laws about modifying stuff like that and dealerships being able to resell. That is why I can revert back at any time.

 

[Sky#277]

Talked to the JDeMo company and there is a EV car show coming up in San Marcos on 8 June. theevshow2019.com is where information is at and I may have my car there and they will install the quick charger on the spot at the show. I might take them up on the offer. I will post newer photos of the care the car after the upgraded bumper and wrap when I get it back this week. The side tesla logo will be embossed and look etched into the vehicle. Really excited for the new look.

 

[Carl W]

How does the steering wheel feel around corners? Very fighter jet looking....

 

[Sky#277]

Yea it its pretty awesome, i put my thumbs on top and just drive. It was different using it after the modification. I didn't realize how much I used the whole wheel.

 

[Sky#277]

New look after wrap and bumper upgrade getting ready for the show:

 

[Sky#277]

Battery life still kicking after 18200 miles.
Standard mode:View attachment 416620

Range mode:
View attachment 416621

 

[Sky#277]

Sound mod worked out real well impressed everyone at the show. It’s not fully integrated with the controller but the speakers were in the door. Near the front “engine area” compartment hidden to make it sound like it’s coming from outside and underneath the vehicle like exhaust. I think some more powerful speakers just for a little more loudness.

 

[DeedWest]

That wrap is fantastic. Nice job.

Serious question - where did you locate that 2.5 bumper?

 

[Sky#277]

That wrap is fantastic. Nice job.

Serious question - where did you locate that 2.5 bumper?

I found one off of ebay for a few hundred bucks that had a nice small whole in the front that was easily repairable. So i patched it with some jb weld and mesh with like a bondo and sanded the whole thing down then took it to the body shop for them to whip it in the shape. I found the grill insert for around 4-500 on ebay as well with no issues and had it refinished. Unfortunately I could not acquire the original badge insert so I had it filled and had a black decal. Waiting on a model 3 black badge to replace the decal. I still keep the original OEM 1.5 bumper with the wrap as well. Here is a quick ebay link to show you what they have, some may need more care than others:

tesla roadster front bumper in PC Laptops and Netbooks | eBay

 

[Sky#277]

Sky just went in for her QC supercharge add on. Specs below. Total price out the door about 4k.

- JdeMO adds about 2.5 miles (4 km) per minute while charging between 20% and 80% battery State Of Charge (SOC%).

- A normal 30 to 45 minute charge session will add 75 miles (120 km) to 110 miles (180 km) of range.

- It will charge at approximately 300-400 volts DC at up to 125 amps, or about 40-50kW. That means that it can charge from 20% to 80% of the battery usable capacity in approximately 45-55 minutes. The Roadster battery has a capacity of about 53kWh when new (no degradation). The upgraded "v3" battery from Tesla is 70-80kWh and will require over an hour to fully charge.