Jason Kelce Is Having Students Give His Classic Chevy A Tesla Powertrain
Believe It Or Not, Jason Kelce Is Letting A Bunch Of Teenagers Tesla-Swap His ’86 Chevy Pickup
Love ’em or hate ’em, electric conversions are all the rage right now in the classic car community. For as much as enthusiasts whine about “ruining the soul of the car” and “betraying its intended purpose,” there’s something to be said for the lack of maintenance and lower operating costs.
As evident from his fledgling YouTube channel, Jason Kelce can relate. Tired of chasing down problems in his 1986 Chevrolet K10, the former Philadelphia Eagles center turned to a group of high school students for a shocking Tesla powertrain swap.
Cause For Kelce’s Electric Conversion
As you’ll see in the video, Jason Kelce was all too familiar with the realities of driving classic cars. Despite frequent trips to the shop, the truck was constantly in need of repair, and it had never run quite right during his five or so years of ownership.
Accordingly, Kelce looked to local nonprofit Operation Breakthrough and its Ignition Lab for a solution. The program aims to assist underserved children and teenagers by providing hands-on experience in everything from graphic design and fabrication to culinary arts, digital media, and automotive engineering. Familiar with a previous Operation Breakthrough project — an electrified Chevrolet Chevelle — Jason Kelce knew they were right for the job.
As you’d expect from the owner of a classic K10, Kelce was apprehensive about the swap and what the added tech would mean for his truck. Well-versed in the balancing act required of an electromod, the high schoolers put together a comprehensive proposal outlining their plans for the build. At this stage, the project has yet to be completed — the conversion will see the K10 receive a Tesla Model S drivetrain, enabling 200 miles of range from the 90 kWh battery. To maintain the truck’s old-school charm, the exterior will be left in-tact, though some interior features such as the gauges will be upgraded to handle the new tech.
Operation Breakthrough Inspiring Hope
Although we don’t get to see the electrified classic finished by the end of the video, it’s nevertheless inspiring to see these kinds of opportunities made available for kids and teens. Operation Breakthrough services 1,400 children across 450 families in the Kansas City area, providing assistance with basic needs, educational support, and vocational development. It offers a chance to work on real-world projects involving real-world skills like welding and engineering.
Because let’s face it: these kinds of practical interests are becoming increasingly difficult to foster in future generations. As artificial intelligence and automation continue to revolutionize our transport and our assembly processes, we’ll only become less and less involved in their upkeep. It’ll be down to EV enthusiasts to carry the torch. After all, routine maintenance procedures were once required knowledge for owners to keep their vehicle running; now, we’re lucky if our cars even come with an oil dipstick.
We’ll be following along to see the fate of Kelce’s Tesla-swapped K10 truck, as we expect the final product to make for quite a shocker.
