S-Klub LA, a private Coach design studio in southern California, builds and designs artistic automobiles. They’re individually unique and one-of-a-kind, and S-Klub decided that it was time to take their retro touch and put it on a Tesla Model 3.
Tesla rebuilds – using the motors and batteries – are extremely popular with retro car modders. It’s an easy way to have a highly performant vehicle – without needing to hunt down or hand-produce old parts for vehicles that aren’t made anymore. Additionally – this leaves them with a lot more space on the inside and less maintenance to perform. Some modders even go as far as including a speaker to emulate engine noises.
But this rebuild is a bit more unique… Let’s get into it.
Mercedes 300SL or Model 3?
The base body is actually a Mercedes 300SL, with some modifications made to fit the battery, motors, and computers of a Model 3. Interestingly, this isn’t actually a real Mercedes 300SL body, but rather a fiberglass replica. The car was previously displayed at Specialty Equipment Market Association (of the automotive aftermarket) – or SEMA SHOW 2023 in Las Vegas.
The Tiffany 300 SL, as it’s named by S-Klub LA, took some extensive work to build, with many of the parts hand-made and hand-designed to build a convincing classic Gullwing body.
The Tiffany moniker comes from the fashion brand Tiffany Co – it’s their brand Tiffany Green and Blue that decorates this car inside out. The car drives and is fully functional, which is definitely a testament to the team’s engineering skills.
The interior, in Tiffany colours, replete with Tesla steering wheel and central screen.
Not a Tesla App
Mercedes With FSD?
The folks at S-Klub LA did go through the work of re-installing the Autopilot Cameras and re-using the main Tesla infotainment and Autopilot computers – something that very few retro EV-modders do. This vehicle is definitely more Model 3 than Mercedes – the steering wheel and steering rack, as well as the entire central infotainment system are still intact.
According to the listing information – because yes, you could buy this thing if you wanted – since all the cameras and sensors are intact, it is possible to enable Autopilot on this vehicle. We’re not sure exactly how well that would work – considering the positions of the cameras are likely no longer the same as the original Model 3, the wheelbase has been changed, and the car is an entirely different shape.
We definitely would not recommend trying this vehicle with Autopilot - especially given how long it takes Tesla to simply get AP working on a new vehicle chassis like the Cybertruck - which won’t get FSD or AP until V12.5.
Another shot of the
Not a Tesla App
Definitely Retro
It’s absolutely an original vehicle – that we can say for sure. The Gullwing 300SL is quite a popular vehicle – a 1955 300SL recently sold in 2022 for $6.8 million at RM Sotheby’s auction – but that was an intact, original vehicle, not a replica hull built over a Model 3.
S-Klub LA doesn’t actually list any prices for their one-of-a-kind vehicles, but if for some reason you love Tifanny colors and the idea of a 1955 Gullwing with semi-functional Tesla Autopilot, you can check out their store page.
Build Process
You can check out a video recap of their build process here.
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In last year’s holiday update, Tesla introduced the much-needed Dashcam Viewer in the Tesla app. The feature allows owners to view Dashcam and Sentry Mode footage directly from the Tesla app, eliminating the need to review videos in your vehicle. Unfortunately, the feature was limited to iPhone users, but Tesla is now changing that.
With Tesla app update 4.43.5, Tesla is officially launching the Dashcam Viewer on Android devices.
Dashcam Viewer
The Dashcam Viewer makes it easy to access and manage your car’s Dashcam and Sentry Mode videos. Accessing videos on your phone is faster and more convenient, but it does come with a few requirements.
The Dashcam Viewer in the Tesla app allows you to view, delete, or save video clips right from your device. This should result in higher quality content being shared online and fewer videos of owners recording their Tesla’s screens with their phones.
How It Works
Dashcam footage remains stored locally on your vehicle’s connected USB drive, so Tesla isn’t streaming videos to your phone from the cloud. Instead, the videos are streamed directly from your vehicle to your phone—similar to how Actually Smart Summon delivers a live feed to your phone.
Because of this, your vehicle must be connected to cellular data or Wi-Fi for the Dashcam Viewer to work. Unfortunately, this may limit access for owners who park in underground or large parking garages where connectivity is poor.
How to Access the Dashcam Viewer
To view Dashcam and Sentry Mode footage in the Tesla app:
Navigate to Security & Drivers > Dashcam Viewer.
Wait a few moments for your phone to connect to the vehicle.
From there, you’ll be able to view, save, or delete clips right from your device.
Requirements
To use Tesla’s Dashcam Viewer, you’ll need a vehicle with MCU 2 (Intel) or higher. All models are supported except for the legacy Model S and Model X (2020 and older). However, we expect support to be added in the near future.
The legacy Model S and Model X are expected to receive support for Actually Smart Summon, which requires the ability for those vehicles to stream video to the Tesla app — the same capability the Dashcam Viewer needs. Once Actually Smart Summon is added to the legacy Model S/X, we expect those vehicles to also receive the Dashcam Viewer at the same time or shortly afterward.
Tesla has imposed some viewing limits to prevent high data usage. The viewing limits apply to streaming video from the Dashcam Viewer or viewing live video from the vehicle’s cameras. Tesla will limit video streaming from the vehicle to 15 minutes or 1 hour, depending on your region.
Android Support
Tesla typically releases support for newer features to iPhone users since they make up the majority of users. Recently, Tesla has added more features to Android. In January, Tesla added support for ultra-wideband to Android, which added support for the improved phone key and the hands-free trunk and frunk feature.
Did you know the Cybertruck’s air suspension automatically levels the truck, even while it’s asleep? This is a great feature, especially for camping or off-road adventures. However, it can be an issue when lifting a wheel to change a tire.
Fortunately, there’s a solution: Jack Mode.
Jack Mode
Jack Mode is made for jacking up the truck and prevents the Cybertruck from self-leveling.
To enable Jack Mode, you’ll first need to set the Ride Height to Medium from Controls > Dynamics > Ride Height. You can also set it from the Tesla app by navigating to the Controls section and sliding up until you see Ride Height. This will give you enough clearance for most jacks to get under the truck and lift it.
You can also activate Jack Mode in Low or High, but Tesla recommends a Medium ride height for best control of the vehicle and sufficient tire clearance to safely remove and reinstall the tire. However, once the vehicle is in Jack Mode, the Ride Height cannot be changed.
Next up, go to Controls > Service > Jack Mode to enable Jack Mode. The vehicle will warn you that Jack Mode is enabled and can either be disabled by pressing the button again or by putting the vehicle into drive.
For the duration that Jack Mode is active, it is safe to lift your Cybertruck, even on one side only. It will not self-level for the duration that Jack Mode is enabled.
Automatic Jack Mode
Jack Mode can also activate automatically to protect the suspension from potential damage. For example, if the vehicle’s bumper is resting on a curb, Jack Mode may engage on its own.
Once the obstacle is cleared, or if you shift into Drive or Reverse, Jack Mode will automatically be disabled.
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