A Tesla-certified body shop from Austin, TX recently provided a unique look at the work that goes behind the repair and restoration process of a Model 3 with a damaged B-Pillar. As could be seen in a time-lapse video of the Model 3’s repair, the team from the body shop spent several days refitting the electric car with OEM parts, restoring it to showroom condition before handing it over to its owner.

The team that handled the vehicle’s repair, Autocraft Bodywerks, has been fixing Teslas for years. The shop noted that the repair and restoration of a Tesla are not as simple as that of internal combustion vehicles, with the electric cars requiring specialized training in aluminum welding and adhesive and mechanical joining tech. This specialized training was in full view in the recently shared time-lapse footage, as the Autocraft team could be seen carefully working on the vehicle to return it to its original state.

The Model 3 featured in the video was a Long Range variant that was involved in a traffic accident last October. The electric car was T-boned right in the middle during the incident, damaging the left side B-Pillar, as well as the left front and left rear doors. The entire repair procedure took a considerable amount of time, from the removal of the damaged pillar to the complete reassembly of the vehicle. Reassembly was no joke either, with the Tesla-certified body shop putting back the vehicle piece by piece, from its doors to its glass roof.

Considering that the Model 3 was T-boned late last year, the entire repair process still took a considerable amount of time. Autocraft Bodywerks noted that they only used OEM parts for the vehicle’s restoration, which could have contributed to the extended repair time for the Model 3. Tesla, for its part, has been pledging to improve its vehicles’ repair times, mainly as its fleet is currently growing at an unprecedented pace due to the Model 3’s ramp.

Tesla’s vehicles are among the safest on the road, with the company’s entire lineup being awarded stellar safety ratings from agencies like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Among the factors that contributed to these ratings are the vehicles’ bodies, which are primarily made of aluminum. Aluminum has several advantages over common materials used in cars such as steel, such as lighter weight and great energy absorption during impacts, but the material is also notoriously difficult to work with. Thus, Tesla requires body shops such as Autocraft to undergo training and certification before they were greenlighted to perform repairs on the company’s vehicles.

Elon Musk has pledged to make the repair process of Tesla’s vehicles a lot faster and smoother, even noting that the company is aiming to achieve 24-hr turnaround times for vehicle repairs. Tesla has already accomplished these feats for minor repairs at its in-house body shops, though the program is yet to see a wide rollout. The company has also noted that it is doubling its service capacity this year to accommodate more vehicles.

Watch a Model 3 undergo a complete restoration in the time-lapse video below.

Tesla Corsa is back for its third Tesla-only racetrack experience on Sunday, March 31 at Buttonwillow Raceway Park in California. Having completed two successful track events this past January and October, the Tesla Corsa looks to fill a few remaining open slots that would give Tesla owners the opportunity to experience the all-electric performance benefits of their vehicles in a safe, controlled environment.

Tesla owners looking to have some fun on the track will be matched by driving experience and also by their vehicle’s power and handling characteristics. The event encourages Roadster, Model S, Model X, and Model 3 owners to fully enjoy the unique track experience while providing a sense of community and platform for exchanging tips and techniques.

“This is a scenario where it’s a lot easier for drivers from a safety perspective, but also a lot easier for drivers to learn from each other, compare notes, and improve their driving,” Unplugged Performance Co-Founder Avi Fisher told eBay. Unplugged is Tesla Corsa’s sponsor and organizer.

Tesla drivers on the racetrack during Tesla Corsa’s inaugural event in October 2018. | Credit: Tesla Corsa

Tesla owners are generally aware of the great performance specs their vehicles offer but lack the opportunity to fully experience them, thus missing out on so many opportunities the ownership experience can bring. Even highway speeds can’t legally and safely provide a venue for a Model S Performance to unleash Ludicrous Mode’s maximum potential, for example. Similarly, Tesla’s Track Mode optimizes their electric cars’ performance and handling so drivers can push the limits of their vehicles in the same types of environments offered by Tesla Corsa.

The experience of pushing a Tesla to high-performance levels on the track has the added potential bonus of delivering a driving skill set that enhances overall safety, something Fisher was sure to mention to us.

“For anyone, the opportunity to explore the car in a safe environment is incredibly fun and rewarding. It’s a whole side of your Tesla that many never get to experience…A natural byproduct of this is that if you are ever in an emergency avoidance type of scenario your ability to control your car under adverse conditions is significantly improved.”

Anyone wanting to simply be a spectator during the Tesla Corsa event is also welcome with no fee required besides the $10 gate fee, something which also applies to drivers to gain access to Buttonwillow’s track.

“Like any Tesla-owner event, there is a great chance to network. In the case of the last event, it was especially cool for attendees because Tesla sent a lot of their own staff there to interact with and interview Tesla owners. There were also a lot of SpaceX people there running their own cars or hanging out,” Fisher detailed. He also told us that Tesla Corsa has a private Facebook group for attendees where a lot of daily discussion takes place.

A racetrack event like Tesla Corsa’s involves plenty of memory making, and that’s also been factored into the whole experience. As part of the participation fee, drivers are given access to everything produced by the professional photographers and videographers present on behalf of Tesla Corsa, both on and off track. Fisher explained to us that Tesla Corsa purchases the photos and videos produced and gives attendees full rights to them.

The long-term plans for Tesla Corsa’s organizers are to bring its racetrack events to Tesla drivers and enthusiasts worldwide and possibly get Tesla in on the action as a sponsor.

Watch the below video for more about Tesla Corsa’s prior events and dreams for the future

To participate, drivers can signup via Tesla Corsa’s website. Both beginner and advanced drivers are welcome and will be grouped accordingly.

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