Callaway Twin Turbo Corvette

I drove past this car yesterday, for sale on the side of the road.

I'm not a huge Corvette fan, but as soon as I saw the front wheel, I knew what it was. The two hood scoops confirmed my suspicion, so I stopped to take a look.

It's a 1987 Callaway Twin Turbo Corvette, one owner with 31,000 miles on it. The paint looked okay but had a lot of cracking and the idle was rough. The story goes that the original owner died and this guy was selling it for the widow. I suspect that may be true. He said that she wanted "around $20k or best offer". I don't need one and I'd probably do something else if I had an extra twenty grand, but it is intriguing.

surprised she is not a widow because of that car...

I always liked that color, too.

Wow..... what a time capsule. One of the few C4's i'd own.

$20k is too rich for my blood.

$10k would have me running there with a fist full of hunnerds.

20k it should be running, at least. I saw a White Calloway Twin Turbo Convertable once. White and Chrome.

C4 ZR1's still sell for around $20k in good shape. That Calloway looks to be in good shape to me.

If I was looking for a vette, I'd seriously consider it. It wouldn't be the fastest, but as a cruiser, it'd be the coolest. Plus if it's already all there, it'd probably be way easy to make some serious POWAAAAAAAAA!

I remember those things making big power and going really really fast-but I was a kid who was impressed with 91hp CRX's at the time. What did they really do?

Too bad it's not a "Sledgehammer". That's the one to get...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callaway_Cars_Incorporated#C4_.28RPO_B2K_Callaway_Twin_Turbo_Corvette.29

From that article on Wikipedia: "On the performance side, the 1987 production version of the Callaway Twin Turbo, B2K option provided 345 hp (257 kW) and 465 lb·ft (630 N·m) of torque, with a top speed of 178 mph (286 km/h), at a price of just over $50K. In those days, this brought the Callaway Corvette into the performance category of Ferrari and Lamborghini which cost in the range of $100–$175K. According to the National Corvette Museum records, that year 188 Corvettes were built with the Callaway Twin Turbo (B2K) option existing on 167 cars."

Dang, sounds like that's a rare car!

MrJoshua wrote: I remember those things making big power and going really really fast-but I was a kid who was impressed with 91hp CRX's at the time. What did they really do?

350-450hp

The "sledgehammer" referenced above was something like 880hp, and held some 254.something mph speed record for quite some time.

those rims are 4K alone.

i think the car is well worth 20k

I've seen a number of these and the plumbing under the hood scares me. But it was the Vette I lusted after at the time.

carguy123 wrote: I've seen a number of these and the plumbing under the hood scares me. But it was the Vette I lusted after at the time.

I seem to recall reading in Car and Driver that space was at such a premium under the hood, that some lines were run inside the frame rails. Must be a nightmare to work on.

If you showed up with $16K in cash, I bet you could walk away with it. Turn a few wrenches, sort a few things, and sell it on for $25K.

You'll never see another like that outside of some collection/auction.

Gearheadotaku wrote: You'll never see another like that outside of some collection/auction.

Actually, there is one for sale on Detroit Craigslist every so often and one in Columbus for sale also. I think, $25k is about the going price for a good/great non-sledgehammer callaway.

Gearheadotaku wrote: You'll never see another like that outside of some collection/auction.

???

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/cto/3235743931.html

http://macon.craigslist.org/cto/3200915329.html

why am I not surprised to see one for sale in Atlanta?

Gearheadotaku wrote: You'll never see another like that outside of some collection/auction.

... or in Atlanta / Georgia

eastsidemav wrote:

carguy123 wrote: I've seen a number of these and the plumbing under the hood scares me. But it was the Vette I lusted after at the time.

I seem to recall reading in Car and Driver that space was at such a premium under the hood, that some lines were run inside the frame rails. Must be a nightmare to work on.

The MAF is bolted to the core support which is sealed the intake for the turbochargers is on the other side. Ill leave the sledgehammer video here is anyone hasnt seen it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8dI-47Z2hI

Gasoline wrote:

Gearheadotaku wrote: You'll never see another like that outside of some collection/auction.

??? http://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/cto/3235743931.html http://macon.craigslist.org/cto/3200915329.html

The one in Macon is mine...

The 87 cars had smaller IHI turbos that spooled quicker, but made less power. The 88 and on cars had larger Rotomaster turbos which (along with improvements to the design) accounts for the increase in stock output (345hp & 465lb-ft for 87; 382hp & 562lb-ft for 88+).

easycreeper wrote: The one in Macon is mine... The 87 cars had smaller IHI turbos that spooled quicker, but made less power. The 88 and on cars had larger Rotomaster turbos which (along with improvements to the design) accounts for the increase in stock output (345hp & 465lb-ft for 87; 382hp & 562lb-ft for 88+).

The IHI units are expensive but very durable - I use one on my V6 Fiero.

The output of the Callaway at 345 BHP isn't much by today's standards (5 BHP less than my Solstice GXP that weighs about 350 lbs. less) but it was OK back then..

wspohn wrote: The output of the Callaway at 345 BHP isn't much by today's standards (5 BHP less than my Solstice GXP that weighs about 350 lbs. less) but it was OK back then..

Your solstice makes over 450tq practically off-idle?