Bare-bones Tesla Model 3 bought for $2,000, jumped, drifted and off-roaded by YouTuber, still shows 212-mile range

A YouTuber purchased a completely stripped-down Tesla Model 3 for just $2,000, with no body panels, no windshield, and no seatbelts, and then took it drifting, off-roading, and even jumping. Despite its condition, the car still showed 212 miles of range on a full charge.

His story began with a tip as Remmy Evans received a call from his friend Jake about a heavily modified Model 3 sitting at Jake’s brother-in-law’s property in Idaho. The vehicle had originally been bought by Grayson for $6,000–$7,000 with plans to transplant its drivetrain into a 1970s concept car.

The project progressed to the point of a 3D render and partial fitting of parts but was abandoned after estimating roughly 800 hours of bodywork. Evans negotiated the price down from $3,000 to $2,000 and purchased what was essentially a rolling chassis, seats, steering wheel, motors, battery pack, and screen, but no windshield, body panels, or seatbelts. The car had reportedly been unregistered for at least two years.


After replacing the worn tires, described as “delaminating” down to the wire, with bright red wheels and new rubber, Evans charged the car to full. The stripped Tesla still displayed 212 miles of range.


However, the software revealed issues. The vehicle showed 78 error codes. It was triggered because cameras, sensors, and safety systems were missing, explained electrek webpage.

Evans used a DOT-rated ratchet strap as a makeshift harness and drove the stripped Tesla about 25 minutes on public roads to Best Buy before drifting, off-roading, and jumping it on private land. His friend Drew compared its handling to “a Polaris Slingshot, but way faster.”

Charging the modified vehicle proved difficult. On the first attempt at a DC fast charger, the adapter did not fit. Evans responded by visiting Harbor Freight, buying cutting tools, and modifying the adapter by sawing off part of it. He then wedged an object into the charger handle to keep it engaged, which allowed the car to charge.

Later, Evans learned that CCS fast charging might not be enabled in the vehicle’s software. Enabling it would require a software update, but he feared the update could detect missing components and prevent the car from operating. Without fast charging, the vehicle requires 7–8 hours on a Level 2 charger.

After connecting the car to the Tesla app, the vehicle began displaying “Service Required” messages and became harder to operate. This probably shows how Tesla’s software continuously monitors hardware and may restrict functionality when safety-critical components are missing.

Evans ended the video teasing a “Part 2,” where he plans to take the stripped-down Tesla to an official Tesla service center about 40 minutes from his home in Washington state.