Category: Project Salt Shaker

Banks Bonneville Trans Am

1987 Banks’ Bonneville Trans Am displayed at GM Assembly Plant

Record-Breaking Pontiac Trans Am GTA Boosts Employee Morale

The Banks Trans Am GTA, a Pontiac Trans Am modified for record-breaking speeds, became a symbol of employee pride at GM’s Camaro and Firebird assembly plant in Van Nuys, California. After achieving new land speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats, the Trans Am was brought back to the factory for display. This visit served as a morale booster, allowing employees to see firsthand the potential of the cars they were building. The display also highlighted the contributions of some Van Nuys workers who directly participated in modifying the Trans Am, supplying parts and ensuring its street-legal look.

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1986 Banks Trans Am and Kit

1986 Banks Trans-Am Smashes Record

Banks Trans Am Crushes Speed Record at 267 MPH!

The Banks Power team joined forces with Pontiac and Popular Mechanics to create a record-breaking Trans Am. This powerhouse featured a monster 1,500 horsepower twin-turbocharged engine built by Gale Banks.

After just three years of development, the Banks Trans Am obliterated the 1968 record of 201 mph. Qualifying at a blistering 211 mph, the car then blasted down the track at over 267 mph, achieving a two-way average speed of 260 mph! Incredibly, this record-breaking feat was accomplished with a fully functional interior featuring air conditioning and a stereo!

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