Of the hundreds of spectacular hot rods at the Michigan Hot Rod Association's 67th annual Detroit Autorama last weekend, Danny Jadresko's immaculate '64 Acadian, dubbed "Anvil," truly stood out. It was judged one of the "Great 8" – the eight finalists for the biggest prize in the custom-car world: the Ridler Award – along with a '32 Ford Victoria, '35 Ford Slantback, '41 Willys, '47 Ford Sedan Delivery, '59 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham, '65 Chevelle, and '69 Camaro.

The Holley Dominator EFI-powered creation was designed by Brian Stupski and built by J.F. Launier's JF Kustoms, one of the best-known custom car builders in all of Canada. Jadresko, who has owned the car for 35 years and even took wife Sandy on their honeymoon in it, drove it on the street for years, later converted it into a race car and drag raced it with a supercharged powerplant, and finally turned it over to Launier, who won the Ridler five years ago for his radical '64 Riviera.

Like that Buick, Jadresko's rare Acadian has twin turbochargers – but that's where the similarities end. This beast might be the most powerful engine ever to appear at the famed event – it shakes the earth with a ridiculous 2,500 horsepower. Built by Tom Nelson of Nelson Racing Engines Chatsworth, Calif., it's a 632 cubic-inch big-block Chevy with Nelson's patented 88mm mirror-image turbos and a complete Holley Dominator EFI system with 160-pound Holley injectors, Holley smart coils, and Holley boost solenoids. Behind the firewall is a TH400 transmission with a special Reed case and a rear end from the Colorado emporium of former Top Fuel racer Mark Williams.

Jadresko's one-of-a-kind showstopper features one-off wheels by Mike Curtis, who also created the trick grille and custom headlight bezels. The beautiful interior is the handiwork of Lee Baxter’s Hot Rod Interiors and hides a roll cage that's integrated into the roof and pillars. Sold at Pontiac dealerships and often mistaken for a Chevy II, the Acadian model was created by General Motors of Canada in 1964 and very few are still on the highway today. Anyone who didn't make it to Autorama will have plenty more opportunities to feast their eyes on it – Jadresko, who trailered it 2,500 miles (one for every horsepower) from his home in Victoria, B.C., to Detroit, will have it at custom car shows all over North America this year.