1991 Callaway Speedster Corvette
Entering into the ninties, Reeves Callaway provided the best solutions to turbocharge forth generation Corvettes. What Callway was so good at doing was taking 1400 new peices, from 300 suppliers, and assembling Twin Turbo Corvettes. He even convinced Chevrolet to add this upgrade as the option ''RPO B2K'' to their work order. This meant Callways were ordered from twenty different dealers across America and as a result hundreds received the Twin Turbo treatment. Callaway's connecticut workshop farmed out one to two per day.
At the 1991 LA Auto Show, Callaway introduced a Speedster which was his most outrageous offering. On the stand stood a bright green ZR1, which had a severely chopped windscreen, no side mirrors, eighteen inch wheels and a vibrant blue leather interior stitched purposefully from Germany.
Nothing about Callaway's Speedster was reserved, and this is especially true when investigating the specification. The car had 450 horsepower. This figure was a tremendous amount for 1991, and was one of the most powerful accepted by the American EPA for pollution standards. To create such a car, Callaway had to tackle several problems, and the first was fitting the new twin turbos, complex engine headers and airbox in an already cluttered engine bay.
Adding turbos to the existing GM engine meant Callaway had to develop several new systems. These included new engine mototronics, fuel injection system, and an exhaust system including custom headers and catalytic converters. One of the most complex tasks was redesigning the front crossmember to accommodate an airbox to feed the engine intake. The engines themselves were blueprinted, magnafluxed, fitted with Cosworth pistons and forged cranks alongside NASCAR units at Ed Lanier's shop.
Beyond turbocharging, Speedsters received a competition suspension with coil overs, adjustable shocks, a Brembo brake package and massive 3 piece Oz racing wheels. At the time, the 17 inch wheels were the largest to fit on a Corvette, and Callaway even had prototype 18 inch wheels fitted to chassis #000. Bridgestone provded run-flat tires, which was an emerging technology, and one that freed the Speedster from they necessary spare wheel.
Outwards the car was styled by Paul Deutschman who made a very unique carbon fiber body having special air inlets and outlets for intercoolers. As a unique feature, twin power bulges met each headrest, and helped divide up the rear section of the Speedster. As a result of the integrated rear section, the Speedster remained permanently topless, a configuration which was suited for the California weather in which this car debuted.
Despite and an initial planned production of 50 examples, only 12 Speedsters were manufactured.
Important Examples and Sales
Serial number #000 was the first Speedster made and was the 1991 LA showcar. It was initally fitted with the prototype 18 inch wheels but they were removed before the car was sold to Otis Chandler. This car is easily identified by its bright green paint, and lack of rear view mirrors.
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Chassis #011 was unique in that it received an engine capable of 750 horsepower, that being very close to the Callaway Sledgehammer. Barret Jackson recently auctioned #011 in 2005, with a final sale price of $210 600 USD.
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Serial number #000 was the first Speedster made and was the 1991 LA showcar. It was initally fitted with the prototype 18 inch wheels but they were removed before the car was sold to Otis Chandler. This car is easily identified by its bright green paint, and lack of rear view mirrors.
Chassis #011 was unique in that it received an engine capable of 750 horsepower, that being very close to the Callaway Sledgehammer. Barret Jackson recently auctioned #011 in 2005, with a final sale price of $210 600 USD.





