The Callaway Sledgehammer is the ultimate Chevrolet Corvette. What is sad is that Callaway has the potential to trick out the modern version of the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and convert it into a modern Sledgehammer, yet they will not do so, which is a shame.
Consider that the traction they were working with was 1980s/early 1990s tire technology... If you could get the grip down, both of these cars would be faster. But stock? Nah, they're maxed by traction limits.
@@DLouie21 It's just a few tenths slower than a new SS Camaro, GT Mustang or a 392 Challenger. But it's still competitive with today's muscle cars. And I bet with modern rubber, it would be neck and neck with them.
Larry N, I NEED you to thoroughly explain to me how a tune port injected 1990-94 5.7 V8 engine is "better" than the LS3, LS7, LS9, & the new 15-16 LT1, & LT4 engines..take your time with your response. I won't be able to check back until later
H Mack Sorry buddy, I have been arguing this since the late 90s when Ford went the smaller displacment route and GM kept making their dinosaur engines bigger. GM is just milking the pushrod ohv design because it is cheaper and they make more money. The chevy small block has been around since the 50s. Besides who wants that kind of an engine in a sports car anyways?
Larry N, "Ford went the smaller route" and their V8 lack in TORQUE! In 95 when Ford went to the 4.6L that horrible engine had 100 less foot pounds than the 5.7 from GM of the same year ( the only Ford 4.6L worth taking about was the 03-04 SVT Cobra) "The same engine since the 50's"? Wrong! The modern 5.7 V8 is hundreds of pounds lighter, has much more refined EFI, triple the MPG, & makes well over 100hp/tq than any factory GM 5.7 small block of the 50's, 60's, & 70' the 2016 LT1 Engine makes 460hp/465tq on cheap 91 octane, & gets 29mpg highway, & is smog legal in every state. "Who would want that engine in a sports car"? Anyone who likes powerful Free reving N/A V8's that's who
I don’t know what’s more incredible - that ZR-1 ( I sadly bought a first generation Viper instead of the 405hp version that year) or the fact that the Calloway has a built motor and twin turbos and only manages a tad more hp and almost identical times lol. I’d say the ZR-1 was really that good and even today those stats are excellent
there were 2 in my town the red one was owned by some wiseguy that owned the golds gym the black one was owned by a local drug dealer that lived in a low-cost appartment block & parked it outside both were brand-new, made a unique sound when they flew by.
Focusing on hp numbers shows lack of know how. Its tq that makes a st car fast. Stomp the pedal of a stock TPI from a light it will still stay with todays cars most of em. Put a 6 8 10 spd trans in sticky tire that 245hp will embarass any R/T IMagine a 4000 lb musclecar today with a 3.08 or taller gear and a T400 in front. Oink oink
The Callaway seemed a bit pricey for what it adds to the standard. Did he say 380 hp, is that 5 less than standard??? With twin intercooled turbos?? More torque though..!.
zekedog the dog not standard. ZR1 used a different engine. Dohc lt5 engine. The regular c4 used the l98 which made 245hp and the callaway had a TT l98 which made 145hp more than that
The ZR1 was a $30k option for the base Corvette. (Basically doubling the price of a base model) The Callaway sas a $30k option for the base Corvette. Both the ZR1 and the Callaway came in around $60k total, compared to $30k for a base C4. Funny enough, that the Callaway and ZR1 had such similar hp, and accelerate figures.
I don't understand how a twin turbocharged setup only net 390hp? If I recall correctly, was this the same Callaway TT Vette that got destroyed by a stock GNX?
Let me guess, you are a butt hurt and triggered rival of theirs that made shitty cars, but you had to deflect on your failures in life in order to make yourself feel better with your delusions of grandeur, as well as to also get people to feel sorry for you, Al Sipes?
Yeah... this and the Buick V6 Grand National, what with smog regulations retarding literally anything with a bit of displacement, for a while forced-induction seemed to be the only way to go. The turbo lag might be fairly horrendous by modern standards and the power delivery was like a shot to the head, but in terms of driving dynamics, the Callaway beat pretty much anything from the same period in terms of pure mid-range thrust, and is easily the best eighties performance car I have ever driven. From what I hear the ZR-1 is more refined, handles better and far more tractable in normal usage, but you can't really expect anything else given GM had a massive talent pool from Chevy, Lotus etc. to draw on whereas Callaway only had his tiny outfit. This combined with the ZR1's more reasonable selling price sadly killed off the B2K after a couple of years.
The point, you dumb fuck, is that a Callaway is fucking awesome. Granted, this was essentially the base Callaway Corvette, but once you got a hold of a Sledgehammer, damn near everyone that raced you on a track was fucked...seriously, you had to have a big ass dragster to beat you on the track! The speed record that the Callaway Sledgehammer had lasted for 25 years, longer than any other competitor, even any smaller boutique super cars, exotic cars, and hyper cars, and it is still one of the top 10 or 15 production model vehicles in the terms of speed, noladol.
@@paxhumana2015 You do realize that only one Sledgehammer was built right?? So your chances of running into one were nil lol So no one ever got a hold of one lol! Great car for sure but its only a one off.
I bought one 4 years ago, perfect with 16k miles on it. Love it! It is affordable now. Will not be for long. Nothing that was that popular when you were 18 doesn't become popular when you are 50. Do like I did and buy them before you are 50!.....and holy crap are they fun to drive!!
Jer C completely wrong on both counts... the gnx was awesome, and easily ate the l98 powered corvettes, but this ZR1 was more than it could deal with. (Stock anyway) As for the lightning... wtf ever... That comparison is not even in the same zip code.