Call him a tortured evil genius, an eccentric entrepreneur, a cut-throat businessman, or a pompous spoiled brat with an ego and an attitude problem. Elon Musk doesn't give a rat's behind what anyone thinks of him. One thing Musk especially despises is when people with who he hasn't given explicit consent to do so mess around with his cars.

So when one man from New England started swapping an LS V8 motor into a used Tesla Model S that was totaled, we can only imagine Musk went into full nuclear meltdown mode. Rich Rebuilds on Youtube made an online career tinkering with Tesla parts in search of uncovering knowledge about these machines that Elon just wishes would stay private for the rest of time.

And in 2022, Rich and his infamous Tesla Model S are on fire, with a recent video also showing this LS-powered Tesla gain over 70 hp!

Updated July 2022: We have updated this article with more information on Rich Benoit and his LS-swapped Model S including the recent dyno run in which Benoit's infamous creation is showing no sign of slowing down!

Let's take a deep dive into the work of Rich Benoit of Rich Rebuilds YouTube Channel who made a living, giving Elon Musk headaches, and how his latest creation is sure to get the billionaire's blood boiling.

Tesla's Apple iPhone Approach To Customer Service Is What Made Benoit Do The Unthinkable With A Model S

Anyone who's had to suffer with an Apple Store Genius Bar Employee knows what we're talking about here. If you've been unlucky enough to try and fix your Apple device without their knowledge, or with a third-party service, you'll likely void your warranty. Elon Musk takes this philosophy and turns it up to a degree that would even make Steve Jobs spinning in his grave.

Elon Musk Face Hand
Via: NPR

Elon Musk is iconically and almost comically hostile toward third-party mechanics. He's made it clear on many occasions that he only wants Tesla dealerships and mechanics that he gives express consent to work on his company's machines, he's also made a habit of giving a big middle finger to the government recalls for things like airbags of all things.

Want to try and buy parts for your Tesla direct from the dealer? You better convince them you're not trying to modify it or do any of your work, or they might give you all kinds of problems. So what happens when a man who was smart enough to work around Tesla's self-imposed barriers comes around? Well, the results are so compelling that even VICE came to him expressing interest in his story!

Related: Elon Musk's First Car: A Detailed Look At The BMW 320i

Rich Benoit Of Rich Rebuilds Is Just A Guy Who Loves To Tinker

Rich Benoit of Rich Rebuilds
Via: CNBC

Rich of Rich Rebuilds on Youtube would probably be just another face in the crowd had he not caught Tesla on film up to their dirty work trying to keep third parties from obtaining any information on their cars. Rich found that asking to buy so much as a set of plastic wheel nut covers elicited an absolute interrogation asking why he wanted the parts and what he planned to use them for.

Rich Benoit of Rich Rebuilds with the Tesla Model S
Rich Rebuilds Via YouTube

If Tesla believes you're independently fixing a salvage-titled Tesla model, they can ban the VIN from their proprietary fast charge network. Something they can and have done in the past, and even had the gall to charge abhorrent amounts of money to have the car reinstated into the network.

If you have the money to defy Musk's orders and to try and hack back into the network without his express permission, he can and has sent swarms of lawyers after independent shops, and even try and press criminal charges. This near-psychotic devotion to sticking it to the little man reads more like a crazed dictator rather than an industrious entrepreneur.

Related: How The Tesla Model 3 Changed The EV Game

They Said It Couldn't Be Done

Elon Musk threw every effort he could into making sure no one could mess with his cars other than those he said had given permission. So Rich's latest creation is bound to send flames shooting out of his ears. Sure, mockups of V8 engines and exhaust pipes have been fitted to Teslas before as practical jokes. But to gut a salvaged Tesla, cut the entire electric drive train out and fit a snarling, thumping great GM LS from a 2011 Camaro took a brain the size of Einstein and stones the size of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Rich Benoit's infamous V8-swapped Tesla Model S during its initial days
Rich Rebuilds Via YoTube

The build required two salvaged Tesla Model S's, one which had its electric motors ruined by a flood and one to recycle structural components for the car that would receive the engine. He and his group of hired hands successfully fit the engine and the transmission into the front of the Model S.

After this, it was a dramatic turn of events involving complex software and other hurdles. But Rich Benoit and his team overcame all the impeding issues with flying colors. The LS-swapped 2015 Tesla Model S was then showcased in its finest form at the 2021 SEMA show which garnered attention from either end of the spectrum.

Related: How Expensive Is It To Actually Daily Drive A New Tesla Model S

Elon Musk's "Headache" is Rolling On All Fours And Gaining More Horsepower

The last update that the Rich Rebuilds YouTube channel posted was on January 2022. Rich Benoit continues to tinker around with his infamous build and he put the Muscle Tesla S on the dyno. This build has a lot of flaws as a Tesla Model S was never intended to marry a fire-breathing heart. After a bit of tweak and repairs over a few days, the team was able to do a successful dyno run to reveal 444 peak horses under the Model S hood. And we have a strong feeling that Benoit is just warming up!

Source: Rich Rebuilds Via YouTube