Reese — better known online as TeslaRap — has been building his 2021 Model 3 for four years. Carbon fiber widebody, custom headliner, 6K raw carbon columns, sun visors, and a plan that isn’t done yet. We shot this EV Confessions episode inside his car, in the dark, with the ambient lights doing exactly what they’re supposed to do.
From a CLK 430 AMG to a White Model 3
Before the Model 3, Reese was driving a silver CLK 430 AMG. Before that, he spent four years living in Japan — stationed in Atsugi, about 30 minutes from Yokohama — and came back still on a Japanese license. He drove on that license for another three or four years before getting a US one. His road test was in a Model 3.
The AMG was fast. It was also expensive to keep running. When the maintenance costs started adding up, the math on an EV started making more sense. Since getting the Model 3 in 2021, he says his only maintenance has been replacing the cabin air filters — something he knocks out himself in 30 minutes.
He took the free white color. Everybody did.
The Shell, and What He Did With It
Reese saw the Model 3 the same way a lot of builders do: as a blank canvas. He knew he wanted to go widebody before he even bought the car. He found CMST’s widebody kit online — white at first, then decided if he was doing it, he was going carbon.
The interior work is all raw 6K carbon fiber — headliner, A and B columns front and rear, sun visors. He specifically avoided the full gloss clear-coat treatment because he didn’t want the interior to look like plastic. Raw carbon has a different feel. The plan is two-tone seats — gray with carbon fiber to pull the look together — plus RGB door handles and air suspension down the line. Four years in, he says he’s nearly done. But nearly isn’t done.
One side effect nobody tells you about going widebody: it wrecks your efficiency numbers. If the car says you’ll use 20%, plan for 40. The aerodynamics change completely when you bolt a widebody kit on. That’s just the reality.
Best Thing, Worst Thing
The best thing about owning his Model 3? He made it his. That’s the whole answer. Not a specific feature, not the performance — the fact that a Model 3 comes as a shell and you can turn it into anything. At events, you spot his car before you spot him. That’s the point.
The worst thing? Everyone wants to race him. This is a daily driver. He’s picking up diapers. He’s not out here looking for a fight at every stoplight, but the car sends a message whether he intends it to or not.
93,000 Miles and a Battery Conversion Plan
Current mileage: 93,000. Bought it at essentially zero miles. That’s four years of real use, real commutes, real errands — not a garage queen.
He got the standard range, which started at 250 miles. Knowing what he knows now, he’d have gone long range from the factory. But instead of selling the car to upgrade, he found a shop that does battery conversions — SR to LR — and already put down a $5,000 deposit to get it done. The car is too far along to let go of.
His unlimited budget answer: keep the car, convert the battery, throw bags on it, and call it done. Not a Plaid. Not a Cybertruck. Not a hypercar. This car. It’s one of a kind already.
The Aftermarket Scene Nobody Talks About
One thing that came up toward the end that’s worth flagging: the Tesla aftermarket is deeper than most people know. You can swap a standard range pack for a long range. You can take a long range to Plaid spec. It’s a matter of finding the right shop and knowing what it costs. That’s not common knowledge for most Tesla owners, but it’s real.
For a car that Tesla sells as a consumer product, the modification ceiling is surprisingly high.
Reese also goes by TeslaRap on Spotify, YouTube, and Instagram — look him up at T.S.L.A.R.A.P. He’s an artist and songwriter and has been making music about the Tesla ownership experience for years. Worth a follow.
This is one of my favorite EV Confessions episodes so far — if you haven’t seen the GTR owner who made the same switch, that one hits in a similar way.
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