Banks “Rat Rod” Shop Truck

How the Banks Race Shop modified its twin-turbo “Rat Rod” pickup for the Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour

The Banks Race Shop crew is hard at work getting five high-performance trucks ready to drive on Hot Rod’s Power Tour. One of them is Banks’ “Rat Rod.” It has recently gone under the knife to better handle its 820 dyno-tested horsepower (at the flywheel on 100-octane gas) from the Banks twin-turbo 366ci small-block. On 91-octane, it makes 675 hp at the rear wheels. All that power twisted the stock frame like a pretzel, so the Banks crew built some round-tube street rod-style frame strengtheners that now tie the chassis together in several places.

Banks’ “Rat Rod” features a Richmond six-speed trans with a Centerforce 11-inch steel flywheel and Dual Friction clutch and pressure plate. Power gets to the ground via a heavy-duty 14-bolt GM rearend with 3.73:1 gears and a Detroit Locker. The only bummer is that the truck seems to run out of room every time the turbos really get cooking.

A twin to the “Rat Rod” is also being built at Banks Race Shop. The twin will be painted gloss black and will be intercooled with a 4L80-E automatic trans. Expect well over 1,000 hp from its 366. To get all this power to the ground, an Art Morrison rear sub-frame with a four-link and a 9-inch rearend is being installed. We’ll show you more, once the trucks are completed and we’ve had a chance to flog them. To learn more about the Hot Rod Power Tour visit www.hotrod.com. Or if you missed the Hot Rod Power Tour, you can learn more about the trucks at www.bankspower.com and go to the News section.

– Tim Gavern