Tesla Model 3: 3D Scanned Rollcage Install

Evasive Motorsports

evasivemotorsports

  • Evasive Motorsports Tesla Model 3 holds unofficial EV street class record at Buttonwillow Raceway.
  • Following the lap time, Evasive announced Dai Yoshihara will be driving the all-electric sedan at Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on June 27,2021.
  • Latest updates include a NASA-spec rollcage by Cages Kits and air jacks installed by Eimer Engineering.

HILL CLIMB TESLA IN THE MAKING

Judging by these latest photos, you can probably guess the amount of OEM components remaining will be slim by the time this Tesla Model 3 Performance lines up at the start line of the 99th annual Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC). Aside from the dual electric motors and more than 1,000 pounds worth of battery cells, Evasive Motorsports is doing everything possible to make the all-wheel-drive Tesla lighter, stiffer, more aerodynamic, and ultimately as capable as possible to handle the 12.42-mile, 14,155 ft. climb to the checkered flag at Pikes Peak. In our first update, we saw Dai Yoshihara pilot the almost-stock Model 3 around Buttonwillow Raceway’s CW13 road course with an unofficial lap time of 1:52.8, setting an EV street class record running 200-treadwear tires, off-the-shelf KW V3 coilovers, Titan 7 wheels, and a Voltex GT wing. The road to PPIHC is now underway. The first order of business is stripping the car of all unnecessary weight and componentry while installing a mandatory rollcage.

SAFETY FIRST

When it comes to high-level fabrication work, Evasive often calls on the aid of local specialist Eimer Engineering, who just so happens to be the mastermind that prepares Dai Yoshihara’s Formula DRIFT competition Subaru BRZ as well as Dai’s Civic Type R-powered Toyota AE86 Corolla (featured recently on Hoonigan). With less than three months until Pikes Peak, time is of the essence, so Eimer was tasked with finishing the Model 3’s weight reduction (was only partially stripped at Buttonwillow with the stock seats and minor interior panels removed). A NASA-spec rollcage also needed to be sorted out, which, as you can imagine at a dangerous race like Pikes Peak, can be a matter of life or death.

According to Eimer, a custom rollcage, like the one required for Pikes, can take up to a full week of fab work with countless hours dedicated to meticulous measuring, cutting, and bending. For any master fabricator, it’s not a difficult job but a time-consuming one that typically can’t be done in a day or two; however, that’s exactly how long it took Eimer this time around to finish the rollcage for the Evasive Tesla Model 3. Just how you might be wondering? Well, Eimer has technology and Cage Kits to thank.

3D SCANNED & CAD DESIGNED ROLLCAGE

Cage Kits is a relatively new company that’s founded by Rob Parsons, aka the Chairslayer. What makes their rollcages special is that they’re all 3D scanned and CAD-designed kits, meaning all the tough measuring, CNC notching, and careful bending are done by computer and by Cage Kits before it’s even shipped out to a customer. All a fabricator or DIYer has to do upon receiving the kit is line up the individual laser-cut tubes to the correct etchings/markings and weld from there. Because the vehicles are 3D scanned, Cage Kits offers the best possible fit that’s arguably even better than a fabricator doing it by hand. This saves the need for special equipment, or in Eimer’s case, an incredible amount of time. It was a no-brainer for Eimer to give it a shot, which he was happy to report the entire Chromoly rollcage fit like a glove. The 1.75-inch x .125-inch DOM bars even followed the car’s curvature, for example, hugging tightly along the roofline and A-pillars. The benefit of the tight fitment allows for zero sacrifice invisibility. Eimer concluded the entire ‘cage really came together like Legos with very little trimming involved and was finished in less than two full days’ time, which would’ve been unheard of without Cage Kits.

Note: When asked about the stripped interior and the additional weight of a rollcage, Eimer explains the curb weight of the Model 3 remains close to the same as the factory.

AIR JACKS FLEX

Before Eimer Engineering returned the Model 3 home to Evasive (who recently finished moving into their new facility), a set of air jacks was also installed. If you’re a fan of motorsports, seeing a racecar on air jacks gives you a warm tingly feeling inside. However, the truth of the matter is, after so many years of competing at Pikes Peak, where the conditions can get quite cold, and the ground of the pits is often uneven, being able to jack up the car quickly and safely is of utmost importance — especially to warm up the tires (with tire warmers). Having the Allstar Performance air jacks at all four corners will now allow for an almost one-foot lift off the ground in a matter of seconds.

AERO UPGRADES NEXT

The final renderings of the Tesla racecar have been released, and Evasive Motorsports will be going to town modifying the exterior of the Model 3 for a custom widebody, hill climb-spec aero, carbon fiber roof, and more.

Related Links
Evasive Motorsports Instagram
Eimer Engineering Instagram
Sam Du Instagram
Front Street Media Instagram


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