Joe Telesca is a fabricator and service technician based in Sun City, Arizona. His business, Innovative Parts, is currently using a 1987 Buick Grand National to showcase his current fuel system, which is capable of supplying fuel to an engine rated up to 1200 hp. A second system is still under development, but Joe says its estimated to supply E85 fuel to an engine with an output over 2,100 hp while utilizing a stock type fuel tank for ease of installation.

Have I earned your attention yet? About three years ago Joe asked a friend if he was willing to part ways with his Grand National race car, he declined and another two years went by before Joe brought it up again. “I offered to buy it as a roller and he finally accepted my offer and the deal was made.”

While the car is not yet complete, Joe estimates it to be finished in the first half of 2019 and shown at the SEMA Show that same year. He noted one of his goals with the car is to drive it long distance, out of state, and in a perfect world: to an event where the car would run a 7-second quarter mile and drive it back home with the A/C on and windows up. 

Some of Joes previous personal builds include a 1970 ½ split bumper Camaro, 1978 Malibu, and a 1993 twin turbo Mustang. Currently, his customer builds include a 1970 C10 pickup truck, 2012 road race Mustang, 1993 Coyote swap Mustang with A/C and full power amenities, and a 1963 Ford Fairlane with a 427 twin turbo LSX with a projected 2100 horsepower.

“I had a Grand National several years ago and have always loved the platform,” Joe said. “I also produce and manufacture fuel systems and various other parts for the Turbo Buick platform.”

The $3,000 rolling chassis has had its stock frame fully boxed and added a max frame notch for maximum tire clearance. Joe is also using the Grand National to develop his system with the intention to also show it off on build once complete. As a result, over $50,000 has already been sank into the car.

What caught my attention: The Grand National is powered by a 2016 Ford Coyote with twin Nelson Racing 64MM mirror image turbos. Its backed up to a 2016 Ford 6R80 transmission with a 9-inch rear end. The engine breathes through a custom exhaust that was fabricated by Joe, himself. In total, he estimated the horsepower and torque numbers to be over 1800.

All that power needs something to stop it so he made use of Baer Brakes SS4 front brakes & Baer SS4 dual caliper rear brakes. His tire and wheel set up is Still to be determined, looking at RC Components Fusion wheels. Recaro seats and a 10 point roll cage are set to adorn the interor while the exterior will be painted in factory black pain with a stock appearing fiberglass hood. He plans to have some aero work for ½ mile racing.

“My motivation for this build was to do something completely different, something out of the box, something that hasn’t been done yet, something that I could showcase my fuel systems and car building abilities on and something that would attract attention to the build,” Joe said.

The build is a radically different swap than what you would expect, which is also Joe’s favorite part of the car. “I like how it polarizes a crowd of people, some love, others hate it and call it ‘sacrilegious.’”

Being a fabricator, there hasn’t been anything with this build that Joe has not been able to overcome, though he has learned it does take a lot of time and effort to put an engine into something that it doesn’t belong in. For Joe,  the hardest part of the build is finding the Time to do the build.

The hardest decision Joe has faced was deciding on the project name and “what my true horspower goal would be. After asking various friends I decided on 4DIFYD. I named it 4DIFYD because I am fortifying the drivetrain with Ford parts, as in FORDified. As far as horspower, 1800 sounds like it will allow me to obtain my goals I’ve set for the car.”

“If all works as planned, this car will have power windows, brakes, door locks and air conditioning, have over 1800hp, working a/c, will run 7’s in the ¼ mile and shooting for 180+ in the half mile racing events.” 

Photography by Dimitri Lazaris and Nicole Ellan James