Man's daughter wanted a BMW instead of her Tesla Model S so he bought a dead Z3 and restored it for her
- YouTuber bought his daughter a dead BMW Z3
- She wanted it over her Tesla Model S due to no local charging stations
- Her dad was thankfully able to restore the BMW
Published on Dec 11, 2024 at 8:56 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Dec 16, 2024 at 8:33 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
Showing that being a dad can go hand in hand with being a car enthusiast, this New Hampshire, US, YouTuber bought his daughter a dead BMW Z3 instead of her Tesla Model S and restored it.
She wanted something sporty and convertible.
Despite lacking an engine the BMW was a great option.
Good job he had the mechanic skills to earn him maximum dad points.
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BMW Z3 vs Tesla Model S
Rich Benoit of Rich Rebuilds bought a non-running BMW Z3 for his daughter in an auction after she sought a sporty, convertible car.
The Z3 was chosen despite lacking an engine.
“She came to me one day and said she’s looking for something a little bit more sporty and/or feminine or boss girl as the kids like to call it nowadays,” Benoit explained.
“She also wants something convertible so she could drive with the top down.”
She should perhaps check out the new Mercedes-AMG PureSpeed that’s a roofless speedster inspired by Formula 1.
Her dad being the motoring mogul he is, he offered her an electric Honda Beat but she didn’t want two electric cars due to charging anxiety with her Tesla Model S.
Despite arguably being cheaper to run, the lack of charging infrastructure in the area she lives was problematic – and you can’t supercharge a Honda Beat.
How it was restored
Transparently listed as ‘non-running’ due to its inline six-cylinder engine being missing – an LS engine swap was required.
In its place, an LS V8 engine was installed with Summit Racing parts (heads, camshaft, and headers).
Adaptations like Siki Manufacturing motor mounts, shifter relocation, and ABS relocation were made to fit the LS engine into the Z3 chassis with minimal cutting.
While there were several clearance issues with headers and tight engine bay spaces, they were quickly resolved.
Benoit was then able to reassemble the car without AC for simplicity.
Benoit and his helpful friend, Terry, were aiming for 500 horsepower under the hood.
All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
