IMAGINE THIS: A 10,000RPM, 708HP

How One High-RPM Small Block Became Reality

This is one amazing 257.5ci, 8-71 supercharged and intercooled, small-block Chevy, making 703.3 hp at 9,200 rpm on the highly accurate Gale Banks Superflow engine dynamometer. The engine will hopefully be powering the infamous Geisler/Vail/Banks ’53 Stude to over 200 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats. The blower was run at 10 percent under on the dyno, but a 1:1 (or slightly overdrive) top pulley will be used at Bonneville to make a bit more boost, ensuring a little denser fuel/air mixture in the rarified air at the salt flats.

Imagine jumping in your Chevy and blasting to over 10,000 rpm in every gear on your favorite freeway entrance. Fun, huh? Now imagine doing it for five miles straight—no curves, no cops, no-holds-barred. Just flat out fast. Maybe even 200mph fast.

Shut ’er down and pop the hood. Now imagine that perfect run coming from only 258 ci of small-block Chevy, making 703 hp and 416 lb-ft of torque. Hard to imagine?

For some very savvy Bonneville racers, it’s a reality, just another bullet for another hot lap on the salt. For most of us, it’s only a dream. For some, it’s a way to propel them to speed, glory and perhaps membership into an elite group of racers that have gone 200 mph.

We learned some very valuable tips from Banks’ chief engine builder, David Basham. In fact, here’s one already: Basham prepared a three-ring, binder-style reference notebook that contains every aspect of the 10,000rpm-engine build. In it are all the sizes, tolerances, engine component instruction sheets, dyno sheets and everything else having to do with the engine and its specifications. This is a very smart, quick reference idea you may want to incorporate into your next engine build.

As you can see here, the 10,000rpm small block we’re talking about is very much a reality, and will serve as the powerplant for “The Hanky Panky Special,” the infamous Geisler/Vail/Banks ’53 Studebaker that has been a permanent fixture at Bonneville for over 40 years. There’s a lot of planning and precision assembly that goes into an engine happily spinning to 10,000-plus rpm. Follow along, as we’re going to tell you some dirty, little (okay, salty) secrets that Gale Banks’ chief engine builder, David Basham, passed on for you to use on your next engine build. Thanks, David. Thanks, Gale.