Banks Pontiac Trans Am

A street-legal Pontiac Trans Am with 700-hp and a Banks turbo breaks the 200 mph barrier and becomes a cover story for Car & Driver magazine.

The first 200-mph street-worthy machine is Banks twin-turbo GT Trans Am, as tested and proven by Car and Driver magazine.

Banks’ American Turbocar Corp. started the Turbo Tuner craze. 700 bhp, 1 G lateral and 204 mph running the A/C…these things rocked the world. Car & Driver’s Csaba Csere proved the point on Mrs. Orcutt’s driveway.

“Speak Power. Well, Gale Banks and his engines do just that.” —Car and Driver

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Firebird with Csaba Csere
Gale Banks and Csaba Csere
Magazine - Car & Driver
Orcutt's Driveway
Speed testing on Mrs. Orcutt's driveway
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Orcutt's driveway
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Latest News

  • Duramax goes full tilt with Banks PowerPackDuramax goes full tilt with Banks PowerPack
    Jay Lamb, a longtime admirer of Gale Banks’ automotive prowess, recently transformed his hefty 2021 GMC 3500 Duramax into a performance powerhouse using Banks Power parts. Inspired by decades of Banks’ legendary engine tuning and truck modifications, Lamb sought to elevate his heavy-duty pickup. Recognizing the need for increased power and efficiency in his substantial ...
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  • Helping Racers Go For 200 MPHHelping Racers Go For 200 MPH
    Banks has a storied history at the Bonneville Salt Flats, having been directly responsible for setting scores of records in dozens of classes. The Banks/Geisler Studebaker set records for 10 years in nearly a dozen classes. The Sundowner Corvette coupe was the world’s fastest passenger car in 1981 at 240 mph. In 1986, Banks came back with a Pontiac Trans-Am and ran ...
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  • American Turbocar Pioneering the Tuner CarAmerican Turbocar Pioneering the Tuner Car
    The goal of American Turbocar was to make cars for a small percentage of car elitists. They wanted to offer the kind of performance offered back in the days when Carroll Shelby was making Cobras. Because of the immense power outputs of the cars, they require competent owners with experience. Banks’ American Turbocar Corp. started the ...
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  • Top 5 Podcasts of 2022Top 5 Podcasts of 2022
    As we wrap up 2022, we look back at the top 5 podcast episodes from Speed School. We’ve learned and laughed a lot.
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  • Bonneville Beauty ShotsBonneville Beauty Shots
    Discover the legendary Pontiac Trans Am, a Bonneville Salt Flats champion and automotive icon. This high-performance machine, immortalized on the cover of the 1988 book “Bonneville Salt Flats,” pushed the boundaries of speed with its twin-turbocharged 454 cubic inch engine. If you crave adrenaline and a piece of American automotive history, explore the world of ...
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  • Rick Young | Speed School Podcast EP 2Rick Young | Speed School Podcast EP 2
    Gale Banks welcomes Rick Young, Banks’ 12th employee. Gale erupts in infectious laughter as Rick recalls hilarious antics during the company’s early years.
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  • Ep 1 – Speed School Podcast with Gale BanksEp 1 - Speed School Podcast with Gale Banks
    Gale Banks welcomes Csaba Csere, former technical director and editor-in-chief of Car and Driver. The two laugh about making history in a 700-hp, 200-mph street-legal Pontiac Trans Am. And, a hair-raising tale of a 170 mph test drive down a Southern California highway that almost cost their lives. Gale answers your questions.  Check out this episode!
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  • Gale Banks interview from the Salt FlatsGale Banks interview from the Salt Flats
    Discover the secrets behind the legendary Twin-Turbo Pontiac Trans Am. Dive into a rare interview with automotive pioneer Gale Banks as he shares insights on building a record-breaking machine. Learn from the master himself and gain invaluable knowledge to elevate your own vehicle. Watch now to unlock a world of performance and power.
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  • 1987 Banks’ Bonneville Trans Am displayed at GM Assembly Plant1987 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 ...
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  • 1986 Banks Trans-Am Smashes Record1986 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. ...
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  • When it Comes to Racers…We Roll Our Own!When it Comes to Racers...We Roll Our Own!
    Gale Banks has a long history of building and racing high-performance vehicles. Over the years, the company has experimented with various fuels, including methanol, nitromethane, hydrogen, and diesel. Banks Power has also developed innovative turbocharging technologies and engine modifications to achieve record-breaking performance.
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  • Black Line Fever: 283 mph with Gale Banks.Black Line Fever: 283 mph with Gale Banks.
    Discover why the Pontiac Trans Am remains the undisputed king of speed. Learn how its aerodynamic design and immense power potential, as showcased by the record-breaking Banks/Pontiac Twin Turbo GTA, make it the ultimate choice for performance enthusiasts seeking to push the boundaries of automotive speed.
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  • Gale Banks’ Favorite Car, Ever!Gale Banks' Favorite Car, Ever!
    Discover the legendary 1987 Pontiac Trans Am GTA, a speed demon that dominated the streets and set records on the Bonneville Salt Flats. With its powerful Banks Twin Turbo engine, custom suspension, and cutting-edge technology, this iconic muscle car continues to be a pinnacle of automotive performance. Learn more about the history and specifications of ...
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  • Warrior In ReposeWarrior In Repose
    Gale Banks discusses the history of his record-setting Pontiac Trans Am, which still holds the world record for the fastest stock-bodied production car. The car, powered by a twin-turbocharged 454 cubic-inch V8 engine, achieved a top speed of 277 mph at Bonneville Salt Flats. The Trans Am will be on display at the Oakland Rod, ...
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  • “Banks Power – The first 50 years” Opens at Wally Parks NHRA Museum"Banks Power - The first 50 years" Opens at Wally Parks NHRA Museum
    50 years of automotive and marine engineering innovation was put on display at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum to honor Gale Banks and his achievements.
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  • “BANKS POWER – THE FIRST 50 YEARS” OPENS AT WALLY PARKS NHRA MUSEUM – POMONA, CA"BANKS POWER – THE FIRST 50 YEARS" OPENS AT WALLY PARKS NHRA MUSEUM - POMONA, CA
    Pomona, California – – On Wednesday, December 3, 2008, fifty years of automotive and marine engineering innovation was put on display at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, in Pomona, California. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WoRjPCMC6k Pomona, California – – On Wednesday, December 3, 2008, fifty years of automotive and marine engineering innovation was put on display at the Wally Parks ...
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  • Twin-Turbo Revival: Part 2Twin-Turbo Revival: Part 2
    Back to the Future: Fast-Forward Firebird Now for the kicker. Gale Banks recently pulled one of his original twin-turbo Firebirds out of mothballs, and it’s about to receive a Banks Revival twin-turbo small-block Chevrolet engine, and all the modern goodies to go along with it. Now, this isn’t just any ol’ ’84 Firebird—this one shows 15,000 ...
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  • Twin-Turbo Revival: Part 1Twin-Turbo Revival: Part 1
    The History and Evolution of the Gale Banks Engineering Twin-Turbo Chevrolet V-8s Shown is one of Banks’ original blow-through-design twin-turbo small-block Chevrolet engines. These first-design “production” twin-turbos went into Banks’ GT Firebirds and Camaros. The engines made 500, 600 or 700 hp, depending on the depth of the customer’s pockets. Unless you’ve been living in a cave ...
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  • Gale Banks EngineeringGale Banks Engineering
    Winning Systems for Trucks, SUVs & Motor Homes
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  • ’94-97 PowerStroke'94-97 PowerStroke
    Product Review: Gale Banks Engineering’s PowerPack System For The ’94-’97 Ford 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel.
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  • Super Trans AmSuper Trans Am
    The world’s fastest street car?
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  • 225 mph Banks Twin-Turbo GT225 mph Banks Twin-Turbo GT
    “225 MPH? From a gasoline-powered street legal automobile? That’s incredible!” Yes, but not impossible. Yet that’s what a lot of people say when they first learn about the fantastic F-bodied GM cars being custom-built by Gale Banks Engineering, a company renowned for their championship caliber turbocharged race boats, cars and engines. But it comes as ...
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  • 200 mph Trans Am200 mph Trans Am
    A street-legal Pontiac Trans Am with 700-hp and a Banks turbo breaks the 200 mph barrier and becomes a cover story for Car & Driver magazine. The first 200-mph street-worthy machine is Banks twin-turbo GT Trans Am, as tested and proven by Car and Driver magazine. Banks’ American Turbocar Corp. started the Turbo Tuner craze. 700 bhp, ...
    Read more

Latest News

The Banks CoolRunner lower oil pan replaces the factory stamped-steel pan, providing complete drainage, +2 quarts capacity, and FlowThru cooling fins

Duramax CoolRunner Oil Pan: Fix Dirty Trapped Oil

Discover the dirty secret hidden in factory Duramax oil pans: an elevated drain plug that traps nearly a half-quart of contaminated sludge every oil change, and how the Banks CoolRunner pan cures it with complete drainage, FlowThru cooling fins, and +2 quarts capacity.

Banks 5-inch Monster Exhaust system and patented Exhaust Pressure Module for 2024-2026 Chevy and GMC Duramax trucks

New 2024-2026 Duramax Monster Exhaust: True 5″

Banks introduces the world’s only true 5-inch DPF-back Monster Exhaust for 2024–2026 Duramax 6.6L trucks, using a patented Exhaust Pressure Module to cut backpressure without triggering check engine lights or melting trailers.

Banks R866SC V8 6.6L Supercharged Diesel

The Banks R866SC V8 6.6L Supercharged Diesel is an engineering powerhouse delivering 600-650 horsepower. Featuring a 3.8L Whipple supercharger and custom FEAD, this complete package is built for extreme performance.

Banks Derringer Level 2 fuel economy calibration chart for 2024-2026 Chevy and GMC Duramax L5P

2024-2026 Duramax Fuel Economy: Banks Derringer

Banks Derringer High Output tuner does more than just add power to your 2024–2026 Duramax 6.6L. Level 2 is specifically calibrated for improving fuel economyby adding more boost and optimizing fuel injection. And, Level 2 delivers an impressive 60 hp and 90 lb-ft to the wheels. For even more power, bump up to Levels 3-6 for power increases up to 86 hp and 178 […]

Banks Monster-Ram Education graphic showcasing the high-flow intake elbow for 6.7L Cummins trucks

Cummins Grid Heater Bolt Fix: Banks Monster-Ram

On all 6.7L Cummins, the factory grid-heater bolt is a known risk: if it breaks loose and reaches cylinder #6, engines are replaced—not repaired—an outcome costing north of $30,000. If you do nothing: the stock grid-heater bolt stays in the system—every start is a roll of the dice, and other replacements “fixes” still choke air flow. […]

Banks Monster-Ram Education graphic showcasing the high-flow intake elbow for 6.7L Cummins trucks

Killer Grid Heater Bolt: Hector’s Close Call

Hector’s 2015 RAM 3500 threw an intake-heater code, then his remote start system stopped working. He pulled his intake plate after reading about the killer grid heater bolt. To his horror and delight, he saw “the nut had broken off and was just sitting there” — one drive from disaster. Rather than install another factory heater plate, […]

Banks Monster-Ram Education graphic showcasing the high-flow intake elbow for 6.7L Cummins trucks

6.7 Cummins Monster-Ram: Smooth Intake Airflow

Your 6.7L’s stock intake elbow kills airflow with its sharp bend and restrictive air path. That added restriction makes the turbo work harder and dulls response. A Banks Monster-Ram intake elbow takes a different route—literally. We rerouted the #1 fuel line and replaced the restrictive grid heater which allowed us to open the air path and remove […]

Banks Monster-Ram Education graphic showcasing the high-flow intake elbow for 6.7L Cummins trucks

RAM Grid Heater Failure: How It Happens & The Fix

RAM 6.7L engines can suffer catastrophic damage as a result of a bolt inside the factory grid heater, which melts and drops into the intake manifold. In this 8-minute close-up, you’ll see exactly what fails, where to look on your truck, and the upgrade that removes the weak link. If you own a 6.7L, this […]

Dave Bell of Dave’s Auto Center and Gale Banks standing together next to a diesel engine block in Centerville Utah

Gale Banks Visits Dave Bell at Dave’s Auto Center

“This video is a huge full-circle moment for me,” says an emotional Dave Bell, owner of Dave’s Auto Center in Centerville, Utah and the star of the wildly popular YouTube channel of the same name. “I’ve looked up to Gale Banks since I was 15 years old,” Bell continues. “His engineering and genius has paved the […]