Introduction
In July of 2019, we purchased this Nissan 350z with the intent of swapping in a 2JZ engine. We ended up changing the plan completely and decided to swap in an electric motor. Over the past few years, we have been working on the 350z to get it ready for its first drive. With the help of Will, our electric vehicle specialist, and the rest of the guys on the throtl crew, we finally got our Tesla swapped Nissan 350z on the road!
Meet Will
When we first started the Tesla Z project, we sent it over to Stealth EV. They specialize in electric vehicle conversions and helped us complete some big tasks to kick things off. After some time at Stealth EV, we brought the Z back to the throtl headquarters and brought on Will to help us full-time.
Will spent countless amounts of time designing parts and working on the Z. The quality of his work is spectacular. Will spent his time designing and fabricating the parts so they would be easy to maintain and replace when needed. Each component is well designed for ease of access, reliability, and safety.
Custom Parts
Some of the main components of the electric motor swap are the batteries and the charging system. To keep everything organized, Will and the boys fabricated custom battery boxes for the front and the rear of the vehicle. In the picture featured below, you can see how the pre-charge system, traction pack fuse, HV contactors, quick charge inlet, and component fuses are organized within the battery box. Each part is color-coded so we know which components are high voltage and which components are 12 volts. The orange lines indicate high voltage lines while the black lines indicate 12-volt lines.
Tesla Subframe
In order to run the Tesla motor in the rear of the 350z, we had to keep the Tesla subframe. Installing the Tesla subframe involved removing the OEM 350z subframe and fabrication of custom subframe mounts. After installing the Tesla subframe on the 350z, we instantly noticed that the rear track width was significantly wider. This caused some major fitment issues. However, we already had a resolution in mind.
Liberty Walk Widebody
In order to fix the fitment issues, we decided to install a Liberty Walk widebody kit. The Liberty Walk kit includes new front and rear bumpers, a rear ducktail, widened fenders, and a new hood. The Liberty Walk kit is super unique because it converts the 350z front end into a 370z front end. Currently, the widebody kit is wrapped, however, it will be getting painted in the future.
In today’s episode of throtl, we finally get the Tesla Z on the road! Will takes all the guys for their first ride-along. Everyone was so stoked to ride in the Tesla Z for the first time. Their reactions are priceless! After getting everyone a ride-along, Will brings up the power all the way and something insane happens. Check it out for yourself in the video below!