Text and Photos by Steve Temple

For all those rodders and other car builders who’d like to go to an either greater extreme than Sklar’s T-bucket, check out the twin-turbo setup currently available from Banks Power for small-block V8s.

“If a guy wants to hot rod a Corvette or other project car, we’ve got a streetable, 1150hp, fuel-injected small-block Chevy,” Banks notes. Note that this 375ci mill will fit every Corvette model through 1982, along with a host of other rides.

What sort of setup do you get for $38K? It starts with a 4.125-inch bore block, custom-built by Dart to Banks’ specs. Cast from a high-nickel alloy, it’s reinforced with splayed main caps and ARP head studs.

A 3.5-inch stroke crankshaft is the heart of the 6.15L/375ci Turbo engine. Cut from a non-twisted 4340 forging and precision balanced, it’s designed to handle power levels well in excess of 1100 horses.

Forged pistons are custom machined to provide an 8.5:1 Compression Ratio needed to optimize street and strip performance, as well as the necessary valve clearance. They feature a 1/16, 1/16, 3/16" ring pack, which is uniquely located for better sealing and longer ring life. Connecting rods are 4340 Forged H-beam rods with 7/16-inch ARP rod bolts.

The Banks turbo engine uses a solid roller Comp Cam with a Banks custom lobe design. The lightweight lifters actuate custom length 5/16-inch pushrods as well as the Jesel Shaft-mounted Roller Rockers. The camshaft is custom ground to make the most of the cylinder heads’ airflow characteristics.

This head design evolved from many hours of research at the Banks Race Shop. The result is the optimum 23-degree aluminum head for use with the Banks Twin-Turbo System. It features custom CNC-shaped intake and exhaust ports, as well as a unique combustion chamber. The heads house 2.080"/1.600" Severe Duty Valves, Banks 1.470" double valve springs and 10° chrome-moly retainers, uniquely configured for optimum output and durability.

Feeding the heads the massive amount of air needed to make 1150 horses are high-flow turbochargers, custom-built by Banks with a precision-balanced inconel turbine wheel and shaft assembly. The efficiency of the Banks compressor design helps to reduce inlet air temperatures to acceptable levels. And with an optional Sure-Shot water-meth injection system, you can eliminate the need for an intercooler (or run one as well, if so desired). The airflow enters via a Banks-designed pressure chamber with an integral shuttle valve and a billet throttle body. Both sit atop an Accel Pro-Ram manifold, which is CNC port matched to fit the Banks high-performance heads. Is that double trouble or what?