We put a Twin-Turbo in what?

Back in the early 2000s, Banks released a more modern version of its legendary twin-turbo system that had been off the market for quite some time. While the older version was able to put down tons of power yet still be street-able and reliable, it suffered from a lack of airflow. Banks took the original castings and massaged the exhaust and intake components increasing the flow. This allowed for the use of modern wastegates and the ability to add fuel injection (all of the older ones were carbureted). 

The kit was exclusively for the tried-and-true GM 350 small block. With these revisions, a well-built engine was able to produce 1,100 hp intercooled. Not bad for an engine that was first introduced in 1967. Through the years, Banks Twin-Turbo Small Blocks have made their way to some of the most interesting applications, including a DeLorean (which made getting up to 88 mph much easier and almost eliminated the need for a flux capacitor).

By far the oddest application for the Banks powerplant was back in 2009 when a Las Vegas-based custom trike builder designed a bike around one. Dubbed “The Widow Maker”, this orange monstrosity weighed in roughly as much as a Fiat 500 and sported a 377” SBC that was Banks Twin-Turbocharged, producing 1,115 hp and 940 lb-ft. For “safety’s sake” Banks backed down the power to a mere 800 hp. The runs (power pulls) were all on the chassis dyno but the readouts showed big wheel slip at an indicated 200 miles an hour, a “pretty good” indication of the vehicle’s robust thrust potential.