PeterT said:
Hey Guys,
It seems that there are not a lot of Banks fans on this site, but I would like to provide some information about the Banks Sidewinder Type-D. First of all, I must offer some disclaimers. I am fairly new to this site, and most of what I read in relation to Banks is negative. Everyone is entitled to their opinions of course, but I find that providing facts where misinformation is prevalent will sometimes help. Secondly, I must say that I personally am not a drag racer. I have a lot of endurance and left turn racing in my background, but not much drag racing. My goal here is to provide some facts about our racing efforts and our business. If you have questions, please feel free to post them and I will do my best to provide answers. We do have some very experienced drag racers in our race shop that have made this project a success.
The Sidewinder Type-D is a former Pro-Stock S-10 chassis powered by a 6.6L LBZ Duramax. It has a Liberty Extreme 5-speed with a Bruno C-drive. The engine is actually one of our road-race builds and is currently tuned to over 1000 HP at the flywheel (the same engine makes about 780 HP when calibrated for endurance road racing, which has to last over 25 hours). It is running on #2 diesel and nitrous, no propane or other additives.
The truck ran 8.648 sec at 150.06 MPH in the ¼ mile at Fontana on Saturday, October 20th. It is now being prepped for the NHRA AC-Delco Nationals in Las Vegas this weekend. There is still a lot left in the truck. The power output will also improve when we do a purpose built drag race engine.
One of our requirements has always been no smoke. Proper tuning can achieve it. There are no exhaust treatment devices on the truck.
There will be some high performance products that will become available to the public out of this project.
If you would like to see more about the truck, check
http://www.bankspower.com/DmaxTypeD-1.cfm.
Peter Treydte
Test Group Manager
Banks Power
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Peter Treydte:
As you know, you and I have talked, AT LENGTH, on the telephone a couple of years ago when you were "concerned" about some comments I had made about GBE over on TDR. I can assure you, my thoughts have NOT changed over the years, in fact, my opinions of GBE have actually gotten worse in light of many things I have learned.
You are right in saying, "there are not alot of Banks fans on this site." In fact, I don't know of hardly any diesel websites in which you do have alot of fans, with maybe the one exception of your own! As I told you on the phone that day, "Gale Banks and GBE as a whole has brought this on themselves!"
I could list a number of things here that contribute to GBE having the reputation it does, but as you did with me on the phone that day, you will either not answer me, or discredit everything that I try to say. Some of these incidents I have actually witnessed myself, some I have learned through others that have personally dealt with GBE in the diesel performance world. IMHO, all of them go to character, integrity and most of all honesty with other diesel vendors and diesel performance customers! I can tell you, I will very careful in what I say here, as I know you, old Gale and GBE as a whole would love nothing better than to come after me in a civil proceeding.
In your post above, I find it interesting that you state the Banks Type-D Drag Truck "is running on #2 diesel and nitrous" and that "proper tuning can achieve your objective of no smoke." Mr. Treydte,........please don't insult the knowledge of the Members of this website in saying something like that!
Everyone here (including myself) knows that to get the power up to where you need it AND not have black smoke that you are going to "pour the coals"
to the nitrous system on that truck!! This is not rocket science for gosh sakes! Old Gale himself has pretty much said that in a few of the diesel magazine interviews on the performance of that truck! We all know alot of nitrous, injected properly, will give you the power and performance you are looking for! What is so "high tech" about that? GBE's goal and "stated times" of "low 7's" are off the mark right now.
Heck,.....your own driver of the Type D Truck (Greg Hogue) I believe went faster than that in one of your own competitors (Dr. Performance) trucks!
While I think you will most likely get the E.T. down some more, you and GBE will have your work cut out for you with like competitiors tube chassis trucks
as there are many that will be fielded hopefully next year or somewhat beyond that. It will be interesting to see how you do against some of those other tube chassis diesel trucks who don't have near the amount of money and resources as your company does!!
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Respectfully,
John Porterfield, Sr.
(John_P)
