When Reeves Callaway set about choosing a model to enhance and offer a high-performance version of, he didn’t take kindly to failure. His goals were all-encompassing, meaning he desired not just a fast car, but one that seemingly didn’t lead single aftermarket part to spare. Every inch of a Callaway car was put to good use to make it Chevrolet-warranted supercar that took the C4 from respectable to righteous. The car shown here has just over 27,000 original miles sand presents well in white over a blue interior. Find it here on eBay with an asking price of just under $80,000.
Oh, that’s fine. Not only is an absolute mint C4 interior, but it’s in one of the best shades of blue to ever grace a car interior. What I’ve always liked about this color is how it didn’t go straight to the deep navy that many manufacturers chose when selling a car with an interior in blue, sticking with a much more tropical color instead. Also, the fact you could get cloth seating surfaces in one of the world’s predominant muscle/sports cars always struck me as intriguing, and in a Callaway-tuned supercar, no less. The Corvette shows the benefits of buying low-mileage examples, as everything appears to be in factory-fresh condition, right down to the brake pedal.
But let’s get to the heart of the matter: why you buy a Callaway-enhanced Corvette in the first place. The Callaway team effectively takes the stock engine down to its very last bolt, adds a variety of upgrades and enhancements that includes Rotomaster T04 turbochargers, twin intercoolers, a larger radiator, auxiliary fuel injection system, a full exhaust system, custom underbody shielding and hood scoops (to feed the intercoolers), and more. As you might have guessed, the original owner of this particular Callaway also checked the box for the stunning Aerobody package.
The other most appealing aspect of a Callaway-tuned Corvette went well beyond the bodykit and performance at the time. You could ask your Chevrolet dealer to order this exact car for you, and they’d sell it with a warranty. That said an awful lot about their faith in Callaway and thoroughness of the work, a characteristic that was known whether you were asking the Old Lyme, C0nnecticut company to slap a turbocharger on your VW GTI or build you the custom Corvette supercar of your dreams. And it’s why the selling dealer isn’t giving this car away. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Curvette for the tip.
It’s written that the “RPO B2K” was not an option available for California Chevrolet dealerships. Too antisocial? Regardless, the only production car with more HP were the Lamborghini Countach Ferrari F40. The Porsche Turbo was 100HP down, and all were more expensive (the F40 cost 10 times the Callaway). $85000 got you a somewhat familiar looking but definitely custom built no-holds-barred machine that surprised many exotic car owners.
This is a beautiful example of what a gearhead can do with the right tools and knowledge at hand, and set the stage for their Sledgehammer later (250MPH!)
No surprised you clued in on this Curvette-you’ve a good eye.
Another really good write up, Jeff. Thanks for the look at a good car in a milktoast car era.
*please excuse the grammatical errors there-not enough caffeine yet this morning..
Callaway co. meant business with speed. Love the restraint to add a gawdy wing, even on the aerobody pkg.
I pity anyone who buys this! BaT, ROUTINELY, has these, with less milage, for $30-35k. This is GROSSLY over priced!
Pretty sure the Callaway Corvettes you are talking about are the lesser horsepower cars. This car here is one of only six made while also has the upgraded body with center exhaust.
They have a convertible in stock also.
I’ve always liked the Callaway corvettes. I saw my first ones at the Bloomington Gold show in 1991. This car has had the aerobody added after it was built as it was not available from the factory until the 1989 model. Such a great looking design that really sets it apart from the stock design but still looks like a corvette. The car for sale here is a nice color combo and I believe will be worth more in the coming decade.