1987 Chevrolet Corvette Callaway Convertible (RHD)

Reeves Callaway developed a reputation for building seriously powerful turbocharged engines, forming Callaway Engineering in Old Lyme, Connecticut in 1978. Although his firm developed race motors like the Group C AMR1 for Aston Martin, Callaway is best known for his work on the Corvette and his conversions could even by ordered through selected Chevrolet dealerships (as RPO B2K) between 1986 and 1990. Based on the C4 Corvette, itself regarded as the first 'Vette to reach European standards of sophistication, Callaway's tuning package took the 5.7-litre V8 with Tuned Port Injection and added a new crankshaft, four-bolt main bearings and Cosworth forged pistons. The real party trick was the addition of two Warner-Ishi IHI RHB52W turbochargers, running at 10psi and avoiding turbo lag inherent in larger single turbo cars. The Callaway Twin-Turbo was rated at 345 bhp, had 465 lbs/ft of torque and was good for 175 mph, with the 0-60 mph dash taking five seconds flat, figures that put the Corvette in the top league of super exotics. The Callaway Twin-Turbo conversion cost $19,000 USD over the $27,405 list price for the Corvette and every one sold retained the factory 100,000 mile warranty, such was their faith in the quality of Callaway's engineering. All Callaways used a manual gearbox with an unusual four-plus-three-speed gearbox with computer-controlled overdrive on the top three gears. In 1986, ABS was standardised on the braking system and the long anticipated return of a convertible body style to the line-up. Callaway completed 184 twin-turbo Corvettes in 1987, of which 63 were convertibles and these limited-production exotics have already become collectible in the USA.