Sundowner Corvette

Banks Twin-Turbo 454 powers ’68 Corvette to 240.738 mph, to become World’s Fastest Passenger Car

Banks twin-turbo 454 powers a ‘68 Corvette to 240.738 mph at Bonneville, earning the right to reign as World’s Fastest Passenger Car.

The “Sundowner” Corvette, powered by a Banks twin-turbo big block, bumps Geisler’s Hanky-Panky 217 mph record all the way to 240 mph. Duane McKinney pushed the loud pedal and Bob Kehoe’s beautiful Corvette with Banks Twin-Turbo big block became the new World’s fastest passenger car. Two in a row for Banks!

Project Photo Gallery

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Latest News

Helping 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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Who The Hell Is Gale Banks: Part 2

Pioneering The Turbo Diesel Aftermarket Because We Went Stupid Fast In A ’68 Corvette…Yep! Well of course that’s me and I’m a still Gearhead. Join me as we continue our NHRA Museum Winners Circle members tour of my shop. We videotaped me leading the tour of our facilities: If you have not seen Part 1 yet, go here and ...

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Twin-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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Sundowner Corvette

Banks Twin-Turbo 454 powers ’68 Corvette to 240.738 mph, to become World’s Fastest Passenger Car Banks twin-turbo 454 powers a ‘68 Corvette to 240.738 mph at Bonneville, earning the right to reign as World’s Fastest Passenger Car. The “Sundowner” Corvette, powered by a Banks twin-turbo big block, bumps Geisler’s Hanky-Panky 217 mph record all the way to ...

Read more