1988 Chevrolet Corvette Callaway SledgeHammer Could Be Yours

By Dave Ashton

Back in 1988 when everybody had hair like a lion’s mane, the Chevrolet Corvette Callaway SledgeHammer could crank out a top speed of 254.76 mph. Traditionally, the 1980s are seen as quiet times for muscle cars, but the Callaway SledgeHammer Project proves car tuners were as busy as ever. Now, you have a chance to get your hands on this mighty beast as it is currently for sale over at bringatrailer.com.

A Bit of Back History

This particular Corvette was originally dealer ordered by Reeves Callaway with option code B2K, then sent to Callaway Engineering for a complete makeover. The idea behind Project Sledgehammer was to produce a production car that could break the top speed record, which was accomplished at the Transportation Research Center. John Lingenfelter was the pilot for the day who hit 254.76 mph round the 7.5 mile oval track.

The car was then stored away in a snug, controlled environment for a few decades until it was acquired in 2004. With only 2k miles on the clock, Callaway Cars gave the car a once over in October 2018, now to be sold with full documentation and a Colorado title.

The Gritty Details

Back in the late 1980s when most performance vehicles were struggling to produce just a few hundred brake horsepower, the Corvette Callaway SledgeHammer was ahead of its time. Power came from a 5.7-Liter V8, with handbuilt Turbonetics T04B twin turbochargers, an intercooler, and a ZF six-speed manual transmission. This equates to 880 horsepower and 772 lb-ft of torque, using a Cosworth crankshaft, dry sump and a Zytek engine management system. Other pertinent points include GM experimental rear half shafts, a custom Centerforce clutch, and a 3.54:1 ratio rear end.

Visually, the Corvette Callaway SledgeHammer could be differentiated from other C4 Corvettes with a more streamlined front fascia. The front of the car included multiple vents, a front fender, and a large Corvette logo. The rear of the car also got changed up with a redesigned rear fascia, spoiler, and quad exhausts. Finally, 17-inch Dymag magnesium wheels were added, wrapped with Goodyear Eagle tires.

This era of Corvette typifies the long, sleek design principles of the times. Most vehicles of the day featured a long flat nose, with a very sweptback look from the side. If you wanted a performance car design template for the late 1980s, you needn’t look any further than the C4 Corvette or a Ferrari Testarossa. Basically, think of a big wedge cutting through the air for the fashion of the times.

Personally, it’s the rear end of the C4 Corvette that appeals. It may look antiquated by today’s standards, but back in the day the dual rear lights integrated into the rear sleek design looked very cool. The rounded rear lights are a simpler statement than today’s Corvettes, which look more like stealth fighter jets.

If you wanted to customize the car, you might want to buy car interior LED lights at Autobarn. You know the ones: they’re blue or purple, or maybe even green or red if you’ve gone wild with the customization options. They come in strips that are designed to fit under the dash or around the sun visors, and they plug right into an accessory outlet (or sometimes even into the cigarette lighter). When you turn them on, they create a whole new mood inside your vehicle—and suddenly it doesn’t feel quite so much like a box anymore

The current price for this eighties classic is $425,476, with 9 days left at the time of writing for final bids.

Find out more details about the listing here.

 

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