If there's something that Gale Banks lacks, it certainly isn't confidence. Spend just five minutes talking to the man, and he might come off as a little too confident. However, once one realizes all he's accomplished in his prolific career, that misguided first impression doesn't last very long. In addition to establishing an elite parts firm, Gale holds countless land-speed records, has built championship-winning marine engines, actively serves as a consultant to the OEs, and has designed motors for Navy SEAL reconnaissance boats. A bona-fide automotive legend, he's earned the right to talk the talk, and standing in his presence is as much a privilege as it is humbling.
Raised in Southern California, Gale was exposed to the growing hot rodding culture as a kid, and spent his days after school tinkering with engines in his dad's garage. At just 16 years of age he sold his first high-performance motor, and Gale Banks Engineering was officially in business. Knowing that his calling in life was building cutting-edge performance engines, Gale enrolled at California State Polytechnic University where he double-majored in mechanical and electronic engineering. This was about the time the musclecar era hit full swing, and Gale continued taking orders for specialty engines from his dorm room.
With two engineering degrees in hand, Gale set up shop as a one-man operation after college. From day one, what separated Gale's company from mere speed shops was that it was an engineering firm first, and a parts manufacturer second. His growing list of satisfied clientele eventually caught the eye of some industry bigwigs. Preaching the virtues of turbocharging long before even the import kids started playing with them, Gale's expertise in coaxing staggering horsepower figures from an engine while retaining drivability and reliability was peerless. Gale had a direct hand in the development of the Buick Grand National and GMC Syclone. Furthermore, he built over a dozen prototype turbo motors for Volvo, which led to the company's first turbocharged production vehicles.
While Gale's engineering prowess made him a hot commodity to industry insiders, his wildly successful racing exploits are what made him famous amongst the public. In 1981, his twin-turbo, big-block '68 Corvette hit 240 mph at Bonneville to become the world's fastest production car. He broke his own record in 1987 with a pump-gas-burning, twin-turbo Firebird that cracked 287 mph on the salt. Since setting records with cars was too easy, Gale set out to build the world's fastest pickup truck with a GMC Syclone. In 1990, he did just that by running 210 mph at Bonneville with nothing more than a stock motor and off-the-shelf performance parts. In 1997, Gale partnered with Al Teague to build the world's fastest piston-engine-powered automobile-a streamliner that ran 437 mph.
Although turbocharged gasoline engines are his first love, Gale has been leading the forefront of diesel performance for the past two decades. To prove the performance potential of diesel engines, he beat his own record once again by running 217 mph at Bonneville in a Cummins-powered Dodge Dakota in 2002. Gale continues to push the envelope of diesel technology, and the rest of the world is finally realizing what he's been promoting all along: the benefits of light-duty, high-rpm diesels over their gasoline counterparts.
Today, Banks' 12-acre facility in Azusa, California, is home to a full-time staff (200-plus total) of engineers, machinists, fabricators, and R&D specialists. In an era where farming out work is the norm, Banks Engineering designs and builds everything it sells in-house. Away from the shop and the track, Gale likes to relax with his wife, Vicki, at their massive Bradbury, California ranch.