C4 Callaway anyone.
Discussion
ZR1cliff said:
This was owned by a late buddy of mine 'Mustang' George and was a local car (Romford) Malcs didn't have the hood scoops either. Ultimate sleeper.
I miss those days of running to Surrey meet with him in the TT and me in a virtually stock ZR1. They ran side by side many times and there was nothing between them but the way they went about it couldn't have been more different.
I miss those days of running to Surrey meet with him in the TT and me in a virtually stock ZR1. They ran side by side many times and there was nothing between them but the way they went about it couldn't have been more different.
mitch_ said:
I love rare old cars as much as anyone but does anybody else think that's a lot of money? I can only imagine that certain parts are nigh on impossible to obtain too. I'd be more inclined towards a ZR-1....... Always thought the 4+3 gearbox was amusing though.
I agree - I had the opportunity to have bought that myself a year or two back from Georges widow at less money than that (I even tried to sell it for them - unfortunately they wanted in excess of £12K - I thought it was worth far less than that). Ask yourself a question - when new the Callaway was effectively double the price of a stock C4 (if I'm correct) - move forward 24 years, how much would you expect to pay for a 'leggy' 87/88 C4, £5/6K? - would you really want to pay pro-rata another 50%? - A super low mileage cherished example would be a different story perhaps. Yes, Malcolms Callaway was indeed the buy of the century!
Edited by roscobbc on Wednesday 21st December 18:27
Oddly enough parts are available from Callaway Germany (at least they were when Malc had his). They had a full parts catalogue - all be it at a price.
In my (biased) opinion the wide body ZR1 has the best arse of all. The stock C4 looks skinny
Yes, the pre 90 dash does look a bit knight rider and dated
The dash changed again in later years and didn't wrap around as much as the 90 dash which kind of spoiled it a bit in my opinion.
Malcs car was a bargain for the price he let it go for. I should have bought it
It would have gone for much more stateside. Trouble is few people over here really know what they are. Probably why Malcs went to Finland.
In my (biased) opinion the wide body ZR1 has the best arse of all. The stock C4 looks skinny
Yes, the pre 90 dash does look a bit knight rider and dated
The dash changed again in later years and didn't wrap around as much as the 90 dash which kind of spoiled it a bit in my opinion.
Malcs car was a bargain for the price he let it go for. I should have bought it
It would have gone for much more stateside. Trouble is few people over here really know what they are. Probably why Malcs went to Finland.Hi folks, yes John sent me a link to this. I do know the car (as Ross says it's George's old car who has sadly passed on, he was a real character and a genuine car nut).
I am probably biased as I only got 11 grand for mine but the money being asked for that car is ludicrous. Personally I think there are probably only a handful of people that would buy a Callaway over here and I'm one of them. For me to be even remotely tempted by that car it would have to be about 7 grand. I don't think I'd want to give more than that for it. Mine was trouble free largely but you can spend some serious dough on them...
I like the way the seller has to just plain lie that it does 195 mph, oh well, more oversized claims to help sell a car.
Although there will always be variations from car to car, the 87/88s were the least developed and actually only made 345bhp (but lots of torque) and topped out at 175mph which was 22mph better than the N/A regular Corvette.
There were subtle changes cosmetically over the years and the hood was modified to suit. In 1990 they didn't have the NACA ducts (scoops).
1990 Callaways (like mine) had 390bhp but amazingly a top speed around 190mph which shows how capable the C4 shape is due to its great drag coefficient and very small frontal area. Callaway offered an upgrade 100+ performance package including an upgraded wonderbar (cross member/turbo air intake) and top speeds were tested at 193mph in this configuration in a British magazine that I probably still have and possibly a slightly higher top speed using the "Aerobody" kit (available at great cost) due to improved aerodynamics.
Brett's right: you can still get a lot of parts but Callaway's prices are really breathtaking, e.g. the intercoolers are $1400 each.
I would be tempted by a Callaway again but I'd probably look in the states if it came to it, probably for a last-of-'em 91 Twin Turbo or a 92-on "SuperNatural" normally aspirated Callaway. Amazingly these modified LT1/LT4s with the option of 450bhp had a top end of 195mph. I'd also quite like one with the Aerobody fitted too...
P.S. There's one on US Ebay now for about £12.5k buy it now or offers...
Malc
I am probably biased as I only got 11 grand for mine but the money being asked for that car is ludicrous. Personally I think there are probably only a handful of people that would buy a Callaway over here and I'm one of them. For me to be even remotely tempted by that car it would have to be about 7 grand. I don't think I'd want to give more than that for it. Mine was trouble free largely but you can spend some serious dough on them...
I like the way the seller has to just plain lie that it does 195 mph, oh well, more oversized claims to help sell a car.
Although there will always be variations from car to car, the 87/88s were the least developed and actually only made 345bhp (but lots of torque) and topped out at 175mph which was 22mph better than the N/A regular Corvette.
There were subtle changes cosmetically over the years and the hood was modified to suit. In 1990 they didn't have the NACA ducts (scoops).
1990 Callaways (like mine) had 390bhp but amazingly a top speed around 190mph which shows how capable the C4 shape is due to its great drag coefficient and very small frontal area. Callaway offered an upgrade 100+ performance package including an upgraded wonderbar (cross member/turbo air intake) and top speeds were tested at 193mph in this configuration in a British magazine that I probably still have and possibly a slightly higher top speed using the "Aerobody" kit (available at great cost) due to improved aerodynamics.
Brett's right: you can still get a lot of parts but Callaway's prices are really breathtaking, e.g. the intercoolers are $1400 each.
I would be tempted by a Callaway again but I'd probably look in the states if it came to it, probably for a last-of-'em 91 Twin Turbo or a 92-on "SuperNatural" normally aspirated Callaway. Amazingly these modified LT1/LT4s with the option of 450bhp had a top end of 195mph. I'd also quite like one with the Aerobody fitted too...
P.S. There's one on US Ebay now for about £12.5k buy it now or offers...
Malc
Edited by malc350 on Friday 23 December 19:03
Edited by malc350 on Friday 23 December 19:04
FinnCallaway said:
Still got it, now looking for another.
An obsession now, eh? - I must admit I would have wanted one myself a few years ago - but now, I'm kinda financially committed to my 'stroker' '68. As you said the advertised Callaway IS far too expensive - I knew the car and whilst it performed well enough it did need an interior re-furb IMHO - George had replaced a couple of clutches in the car. roscobbc said:
For some reason I thought that it was you who had bought Malcolm's Callaway! - I guess I wrong about that?
Yeah Ari's got my old car. No one in England had the b*lls to buy my Callaway. Trouble is too many people over here get all twitchy and worry about "things going wrong" when they could be out driving the thing.That reminds me, must start looking for a Cerbera...
Hi Ari, how ya doing?!
Malc
Hi Malc,
I`m fine, actually `90 callaway is no longer only one in Finland. There is now
also `88 convertible from germany. That car`s add was in mobile.de last year, also thinked about buying it but too keen on `90 or `91 model years that are quite uncommon in europe and US tax/duty charges are killing any "bargain" price.
I`m fine, actually `90 callaway is no longer only one in Finland. There is now
also `88 convertible from germany. That car`s add was in mobile.de last year, also thinked about buying it but too keen on `90 or `91 model years that are quite uncommon in europe and US tax/duty charges are killing any "bargain" price.
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