Tussik makes aluminum look simple, even though it can be difficult to work with.
Although it’s been quite a while since we last saw Arthur Tussik’s repair work on YouTube, he’s still busy. We are treated to a very detailed repair of an all electric Tesla Model S. This is something we haven’t seen before. This is an older P70 car, so its all-aluminum construction is more difficult than steel. We’ll get to that later.
It doesn’t matter what a car looks like under its hood. In this instance isn’t. The first step in removing damaged components is still to be taken. The Tesla suffered a serious blow to its front rails, even though the body panels were removed. The interior is also taken apart for the repair. Everything from the front clip (including all suspension components) and the lower subframe is taken out.
Straightening the passenger side rail frame rail seems simple at first. The damage further up is more severe. During the pulling process, an entire section of the upper rail just rips off in dramatic fashion. Tussik eventually removes both rail assemblies and places the undamaged items in the factory mounting points. Although it seemed more expensive, we believe it was the best option. However, if the upper rail was damaged enough to be removed from the car it appears that replacement was the only feasible solution.
There wasn’t much work needed to be done on the existing parts. The firewall and the passenger-side Apillar received some attention. The driver’s side doors, which were badly damaged, were just replaced. Only the quarter panel needed to be repaired. Tussik instead of replacing the entire section, he cuts a portion off the structure and then pulls it back into place before welding in a new outer shell.
The Model S is now ready for assembly. The entire process took thirty days, with 20 of those spent on bodywork and repairs. It’s possible that the panel gaps on the P70’s are better, given Tesla’s poor reputation for fit and finish, especially on older models.
We are reminded again, after everything is done well, that good bodywork can be as much art and science as it is science.