An exhibit showcasing Gale Banks’ first 50 years in the business will be on display. To say that Banks deserves such an honor would be an understatement. His love of turbocharging engines has always been a mainstay in his work, and he pioneered the first turbo system for GM’s naturally aspirated 6.2L diesel in 1981.
Turbocharging GM’s 6.2L wasn’t something Banks contemplated doing very long. All it took was a tow-test (in elevation no less) with a 1-ton 6.2L-powered pickup in 1981. After this, R&D kicked into high gear and a turbo system was soon available.
For nearly 30 years Banks has pushed the simple fact that diesels were (back then), and still are the future in the automobile industry. And, after one quick walk around Banks’ engineering facility, you start to agree with Hot Rod Magazine’s take on his operation: “Everything is done with state-of-the-art engineering as the first consideration.”