Automotive engineer and turbocharging pioneer Reeves Callaway handed away at present at his house in Laguna Hills, California. The founding father of Callaway Vehicles, maybe finest identified for its twin-turbo Corvettes, was 75 years outdated. His passing was surprising, attributed to accidents sustained after a fall.
Born Ely Reeves Callaway III in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, however raised in Darien, Connecticut, he had what may be thought of a privileged East Coast upbringing. His father, Ely Callaway, Jr., fashioned the namesake golf membership firm, well-known for its “Huge Bertha” driver.
However younger Reeves was a driver of a unique sort. He grew up racing go karts, and after graduating from Amherst school in 1970 he moved to SCCA System Vee racing, successful the nationwide championship in 1973. He would later go on to turn out to be a driving teacher for Bob Bondurant’s excessive efficiency driving faculty.
Earlier than he was well-known for creating twin-turbo V8s, he reduce his tooth on smaller engines through the “malaise days” of the mid-‘70s. His first venture was a BMW 320i, adopted by an intercooled aftermarket package for the Rabbit GTI and a bunch of different smaller, emissions-choked European fashions. Finally his twin-turbo conversion for the Alfa Romeo GTV-6 obtained manufacturing unit approval, being obtainable from North American Alfa sellers between 1984 and 1986.
However it was the Corvette – and ultimately many of the Chevy V8 lineup – that made Callaway a family identify, at the very least amongst automobile lovers. First utilized to the 5.7L C4 Vette, Callaway’s twin-turbo package deal elevated the game coupe from 254 hp to simply over 400, remodeling it. The one-off Sledgehammer, primarily based on a 1989 Corvette, reached 254 in official testing and had extra within the holster if solely the check observe had been giant sufficient.
Callaway’s more moderen efforts included the last-generation Camaro in addition to Chevrolet and GMC pickups. It doesn’t matter what he utilized his magic to, high quality, reliability and authorized compliance had been an inherent a part of each Callaway Vehicles venture. His loss might be felt throughout the business. Our ideas are together with his household and staff.
