Customized Roadsters

[TEG]

The license plate behind the headrest was creative, but I wonder if it is legal there.

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Since it exceeds the Roadsters accessory 12V current rating, the sound system required a separate 12V supply which has to be charged (again separately) via that plug under the rear diffuser. The video shows the sealed lead acid battery where the stock subwoofer would be and the 120VAC to 12VDC inverter mounted behind the rear grill.

I find that an inelegant kludge. Maybe Tesla should offer an ESS with an upgraded 12V DC/DC for those planning major stereo mods like this (53kWh only inches away and you have to add an aux 12V battery?!).

Doug, I assume you heard the audio on that car. I assume it got very loud? Did it actually sound good or was it over the top? IMHO, sometimes a little extra bass is a good thing, but too much power and too much subwoofer doesn't always sound so great.

 

[Palpatine]

I'll pass on 90+% of these changes as well. Amusing to hear that he says that it's going back to get truly pimped out soon.

Love to see what can be done though. If I were so inclined I would go with another seat entirely (and lose the pattern), although I'm sure the options are limited, as the space is a cramped one. I would also stick with a continuity of surfaces (either all CF, all brushed aluminum, all chrome, etc.) as the mixture is not to my taste.

Lancelac, I actually made a last second change in my Roadster Sport after seeing these pictures with the CF inside. At one point I had upgraded from Premium Leather to the full interior Premium Leather with Carbon Fiber. But after seeing how busy it looked I could not risk it. So at the last second I downgraded to just doing the Executive Leather (Red/Black). The extra leather and the contrast stitching will have to be enough.

 

[TEG]

Does DrTara's Tesla use 3rd party carbon fiber accents, or Tesla factory accents?

It would be a shame if you canceled a Tesla option because you got scared of the way a 3rd party option looked.

 

[vfx]

It sounded uneccesarily terrific.

 

[NEWDL]

It sounded uneccesarily terrific.

I'll second that...

At one point I was right next to it and then also farther away. It sounded amazing in both locations.

One question though, I assume you charge the sound system battery at night when the car is charging, or whenever you need to charge it but if you go for a 240 mile drive with the sound system at full blast some of your drive will be silent right?

There is no recharge system other than the plug? I guess that makes sense... you can only pull so much from the converter box...

Very nice system...but I think I will stay with the stock system due to the power restrictions...

 

[Palpatine]

Does DrTara's Tesla use 3rd party carbon fiber accents, or Tesla factory accents?

It would be a shame if you canceled a Tesla option because you got scared of the way a 3rd party option looked.

Tesla doesn't have any pictures to show me what the interior carbon fiber accents look like for real. They only have a raw scetch of the panels that are covered with carbon fiber. So the combo of two tones of leather, contrast stitching, carbon fiber and brushed aluminum, would have presented a very busy and crowded Roadster cabin.

For the Executive Leather, they have a picture that is very detailed and accurate. It looks really classic and will be a hit. So it was a safer choice for me to make.

 

[Lancelac]

Lancelac, I actually made a last second change in my Roadster Sport after seeing these pictures with the CF inside. At one point I had upgraded from Premium Leather to the full interior Premium Leather with Carbon Fiber. But after seeing how busy it looked I could not risk it. So at the last second I downgraded to just doing the Executive Leather (Red/Black). The extra leather and the contrast stitching will have to be enough.

Now who is copying who?

 

[vfx]

One question though, I assume you charge the sound system battery at night when the car is charging, or whenever you need to charge it...

One of the reps told me that the seperate battery would need chargung about once a week. I was harping to both of them that they really reeeaaly need to think about weight with this car. The indoor speakers have huge magnets and the new battery alone is 30 lbs. I know these fabrication guys use a lot of MDF, bondo and meatl brackets to shape dash, center consuls and door panels. What do they care how much it weighs? Since they will be doing a Glove Box later I wanted to get my two cents in on how to do it lightweight suggesting honeycomb panels, Gaterbord and molding comleted shapes out of fiberglass or CF like the doorsills.

As I was making my point ad nauseum my wife walks up and suggest that maybe I just loose some weight ...:redface:

 

[Palpatine]

Now who is copying who?

I will admit that when a few people here pointed out that it could potentially look too busy/gaudy, I realized that the potenial existed to have a really expensive car that looked stupid. After seeing the aftermarket carbon fiber interior, my concern went through the roof.

I am sure you saw the same picture of the Executive Leather. That looks classic and I can get it without being worried.

 

[Palpatine]

Here are the complete pictures of Dr Ian Taras' Roadster #254. Some major customized work done here.

Picasa Web Albums - Ian - 2009_04_02-Te...

 

[Palpatine]

Dr Ian Taras' Roadster #254 has completed phase two of his upgrades. Here are the pictures. There is still more to come. He is already planning phase 3.

About half of the pictures are new. He has a built in radar detector, new Tesla logo on the headrest, hands free remote mic, etc.

Picasa Web Albums - Ian - 2009_04_02-Te...

 

[dpeilow]

Tech makeover for the Tesla Roadster | The Car Tech blog - CNET Reviews

 

[DrTaras]

DrTaras is in da House

Ok guys. So sorry that I've been remiss in posting on the far superior site that this is, but it seems that some of my mates have been picking up on my blogs on the owner's site and posting here as well. Thank you. As VFX so aptly noted in one of his posts, styling is personal and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. By the same token there are people who will buy the Tesla Roadster because it is good for the environment, others because it will help us get off our addiction to foreign oil and still others because ain't nothing can beat it on the street! The point is that there is 31 different flavors of ice cream for a reason and by my account Tesla has been serving up a vanilla flavor only for the interior. VFX states the world likes to be deceived and truthfully when it comes to manufacturer options, there is more truth than you realize. I guess ignorance is bliss!

So you can find my personal pix of my mods here:
Picasa Web Albums - Ian - 2009_04_02-Te...

You can see Al & Ed's web site here:
www.AE54.com

Al & Ed's in West Hollywood have done about a dozen Teslas (including just having painted one owners in official Lamborghini yellow) and work closely with Tesla which is important when you are dealing with an electric car and you do not want to invalidate your warranty. They know what they are doing and YOUR vision is what they are setting out to create. Elie Rothstein is a magician. Their brochure can be seen by clicking on the "Tesla Brochure" link here, but realize that the brochure was made before they put in my glove boxes and my MP3 horn (which VFX hates and he is in good company as my wife hates it too... but that's are right because I'm good enough and gosh darn it people like me):
http://www.al-eds.com/stores/west-hollywood/downloads-brochures/

Autoblogs comments on the interior are here:
Pics Aplenty: Al & Ed's Autosound upgrades Tesla Roadster interior, audio system [UPDATE: w/VIDEO] — Autoblog Green

Sorry for being verbose. Sometimes my passion is mistaken for showmanship & grandstanding; nothing could be further from the truth. Come join us this Sunday 8/30/09 from 7-10 AM at the Calabasas Village Coffee Roasters Super Car Sunday and see for yourself.
Ciao, Ian ;-)

 

[vfx]

Wow, 3 mentions. Very flattered. I just would not use the word "hate". I prefer, "unecessary".

By the way, I was told that yellow paint job was done a a Tesla delivered in primer.

Wish we could get pix!

 

[vfx]

Picasa Web Albums - rcellio - Tesla Pictures

Al and Ed's again:

stereo package
amplified antenna
audiophile system
bespoke black and saddle leather interior with tan stitching
black perforated leather
black Alcantara steering wheel
Tesla logo floor mats
carbon fiber door sills
ceramic tint to the windows
2 glove box doors
rear tail light surrounds painted the body color
iPod cover
inside of the hardtop covered in Alcantara.

 

[relliott]

VFX beat me to it!

I was going to post what VFX posted. I think I still will.

I've built my company on customer service. *So, I'm a stickler for it. *I'm almost never satisfied with the customer service that I receive from other businesses. I’m always disappointed. *Back in July, I had Elie *completely go over my red Tesla Roadster. *I have never been MORE satisfied with the quality of the product, the service and the attentive customer service that I received. I really can’t say enough about Elie and the service I received. *Everything about the whole experience was superb. *

The items I had put in were the stereo package, amplified antenna, audiophile system, bespoke black and saddle leather interior with tan stitching, black perforated leather with black Alcantara put on the steering wheel, floor mats with the Tesla logo, the carbon fiber door sills, ceramic tint to the windows, 2 glove box doors, the rear tail light surrounds painted the body color, an iPod cover and finally, the inside of the hardtop covered in Alcantara.

The leather included the dashboard, complete coverage of the doors, the rear wall, and the seats. *All of it was beautifully, perfectly done. *The sound system and it's reception is incredible. I drove the car up to the Menlo Park Tesla dealer and had a crowd of Tesla employees listening, dumbstruck, to the sound system. *It’s that good. *And I hardly ever plug the sound system in to be charged.

The navigation system is better and easier to use than any OEM system in any car that I have ever owned. And that goes back to my first navigation system in a BMW 7 series back in 1997.

If you are unhappy with the interior of your Tesla or the sound or navigation system, I urge you to speak with Elie. *He really, really knows what he’s doing. *I’ve never been happier with any company’s product or service and I’m sure you will be too.

VFX (right above) gave the link for more picture.

Thanks Elie,
Ron Elliott
Al & Eds Autosound
West Hollywood,Ca
Elie Rothstein
310-920-5454

 

[DrTaras]

Elie @ www.AE54.com is at it again. He took my v2.0 into his posession last week and is not allowed to tell me what all Alpine has given him to put in to the car but for that it is nearly $7K worth of Alpine equipment so that they can show it off at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas 1/7/10 - 1/10/10. Look for it at CES as the only Tesla inside the convention, though I hear that Tesla Motors will have a car outside and they'll be giving rides. I'll be in Lost Wages on Sat & Sun (1/9-10). Picture posting after that.

I beleive that Al & Ed's Autosound will have a Lambo and another car at the Kenwood booth as well.

 

[DrTaras]

[YOUTUBE]T8H-vBp0fNA[/YOUTUBE]

I posted this video in another section, but will post new pix & video in this section instead so that you can do some comparing.

 

[DrTaras]

Sometimes my passion is mistaken for showmanship & grandstanding; nothing could be further from the truth.

Is it a faux pas to quote yourself? Yes I did just to remind you of that, but maybe I doth protest to much? Judge for yourself.

Styling is a personal preference for sure. What it does do is bring up the general quality of the interior to high quality materials and finish.

Many on this blog have been critical of the past Xtreme customization of #254 & respectful dissent is always invited. I figured you needed "fresh meat" so here is the entire picture album of #725:
Picasa Web Albums - Ian - 2010_01_09-CE...
(Still can't figure out how to embed pix)

If you go to the video posted above you will get a 2 minute debriefing on some of the "firsts" on #725. Here is the post an 8 minute video that will explain most of the others.
YouTube - Tesla Customizations by Al & Ed's Autosound @ CES LV 2010
(Still can't figure out how to embed video)

Lastly, when I get it out in the sun and without the for-the-show blue lighting, I will take some more pix and post.

 

[TEG]