OLD SCHOOL SURPRISE

A 12-SECOND OBS THAT’S ALWAYS ON THE HUNT

The element of surprise is a beautiful thing, and for those of us in the diesel world it can be fairly easy for us to catch a late-model Mustang or Camaro off guard. Even though many auto enthusiasts have heard about what modern diesel pickups are capable of, the stronger running trucks they’ve seen have likely been newer, common-rail versions. They don’t expect to see the same thing from Brandon Indiviglio’s 21-year-old, squarebody Ford. In fact, most novice diesel enthusiasts are stunned to learn that his 7.3L Power Stroke is capable of running 12s. That’s fine with him. Indiviglio built his truck this way for that very reason. “I like making a truck no one thinks can be fast, fast,” he told us.

One-owner Gem

The ’97 F-250 wasn’t always a sleeper, though. When Indiviglio picked up the one-owner, 119,000-mile Super Cab back in 2010 it was far from the 580hp truck it would eventually become, but it was still a pretty cool truck to roll into high school with. Over time, a few different parts combinations would be tried, along with subtle geartrain, suspension, and cosmetic changes.

Refreshed 7.3L

After a set of 160cc/100% nozzle injectors, a Wicked Wheel 2 upgrade, and some nasty tuning proved too much for one of the 7.3L’s head gaskets, Indiviglio decided to perform a fresh rebuild before taking things any further. While the stock forged rods remained, Indiviglio obtained a set of de-lipped Mahle replacement pistons from Riffraff Diesel Performance. Then, in an effort to prep the 7.3L for more boost, drive, and rpm, Comp Cams 910 valve springs and Smith Brothers chromoly pushrods were added, while ARP studs were used to fasten the heads to the block.

69mm S300

For both drivability and all-out performance, a Borgwarner S369 SX-E turbo provides Indiviglio the best of both worlds. The S300 frame charger spools quick on the street, and its FMW compressor wheel and 1.0 A/R exhaust housing combine for strong top-end performance at the track (the S369 SX-E even outflows several S400 variants). A complete turbo mounting system from Irate Diesel Performance makes running the T4-flanged S369 SX-E possible, and a Mishimoto intercooler helps reduce intake and exhaust gas temps. All Irate intercooler piping was ceramic-coated by Hot Shot Performance Coatings.

Big Firepower

A potent injection system, capable of supporting 700 hp, consists of Swamp’s Diesel Performance 300/200 hybrid injectors and Full Force Diesel’s dual high-pressure oil pump system. A stock displacement HPOP resides in the factory location, while a Dieselsite Adrenaline mounts above it. The healthy hybrids receive steady fuel supply thanks to an Irate Diesel Performance electric fuel kit, complete with a Fuelab Prodigy pump and a regulated return system.

Jelibuilt Tunes, Legendary Trans

The job of making all modifications work together for a smooth-driving overall package was left in the hands of Brian Jelich at Jelibuilt Performance. Jelich’s custom tuning, available to Indiviglio via a Power Hungry Performance Hydra chip, allows the truck to make a rod-saving 580 hp at the wheels. A Dieselsite Legendary E4OD is tasked with harnessing more than 1,100 lb-ft of torque. The built four-speed automatic keeps its cool thanks to a Mag-hytec deep pan and a universal transmission cooler from B&M Performance.

Ambitious Attitude

Although Brandon Indiviglio thoroughly enjoys his 12-second OBS, he’s not exactly content. His future plans for this project entail getting his hands on Borgwarner’s latest marvel, the S372 SX-E, running more aggressive tuning, and pushing the truck into the 700hp range. “If I could do 700 horsepower on a stock bottom end, that would be cool,” he says. Until then, he’ll continue to enjoy catching people off-guard, both at the track and on the street.

 After popping the factory passenger-side head gasket, Brandon Indiviglio wanted to do more than add head studs to his 7.3L Power Stroke. At 184,000 miles he decided to pull the engine out of his ’97 F-250 and perform a complete overhaul. And although the rebuild was nothing extravagant, he added several common 7.3L upgrades like de-lipped Mahle pistons from Riffraff Diesel Performance, Comp Cams 910 valve springs, and Smith Brothers chromoly pushrods, along with ARP head studs.

 With a set of 300cc, 200% nozzle hybrid injectors from Swamp’s Diesel Performance to support it, a Full Force Diesel dual HPOP kit is employed to keep up with high-pressure oil demand. The system comprises a factory pump mounted in the stock location and a Dieselsite Adrenaline up top.

 Transferring 1,100+ lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels begins with a Legendary E4OD from Dieselsite. The four-speed automatic has been fitted with a billet triple-disc converter, custom-tailored valve body, and a Mag-hytec deep pan for extra fluid capacity. Rather than rely on the tiny factory transmission cooler to keep the built slushbox’s temps in check, Indiviglio installed a universal cooler from B&M Performance.

 At as low as 300 rwhp, axle wrap begins to occur on the OBS Fords—and Indiviglio’s truck is way beyond that power level. A set of 6-foot-long, weld-on traction bars from Greer Fabrication keep the 10.25 Sterling from rotating and the leaf springs from twisting. Note the MBRP 4-inch stainless steel exhaust system, en-route to its 7-inch tip.