Callaway Racing Cars.....Corvettes and Prototypes..

[critt99]

If there is any interest, I would like to devote a tread to Callaway Race Cars. I have thousands of pictures and information from the rich Callaway racing past, beginning with the HH Indy engine and the ARM-1 Aston Martin engines all the way to the C12R-002 that is still winning races in Europe. The photos are from many generous people and I will note the author if it is known. I would love to share what I know if the forum is interested….Tell me what you think………mike

 

[critt99]

A much younger Reeves is hands on the building of an LM

In this photo, Reeves and a unidentified person are working on the fabrication of LM 95-002 or 003 (one of Rocky Agusta's) in Leingarten. You can see Elsa's chassis and LemonSoda in the background. The photo comes via Edi L. in Switzerland from the Kurt Huber collection.

 

[*89x2*]

Looks neat, thanks for sharing

 

[TurboLuigi]

AWESOME THREAD!




Thanks,

-Luigi
:cool

 

[critt99]

The story of the LM

This is the story of the Callaway LM to the best of my knowledge. Thanx to Boris, Ernst, Joanne and many others. A friend of mine took the photo at LM pre-qualifying in May 1994. Note the young man with a lot of hair. He sure looks proud of his creation and he should be. Note in the photo, there truly is duct-tape holding the bonnet to the car. I always thought it was funny that the French called the LM the “moose” because of the nose. I don’t see it…..I see pure beauty….mike



Objective: Le Mans 1994



It was after a visit to the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in February 1994 that the team of Callaway Competition and Reeves Callaway decided to make the run at Le Mans. The reality that mandatory practice was merely 12 weeks away did not deter the crew and with soldier like precision, they prepared the car for test day.



The new Callaway SuperNatural GT2 LM 001/94 (known as “Frieda”) was fully fabricated from a bare convertible Corvette chassis and suspension components from Dick Guldstrand at the race shop in Germany. Long time Callaway designer Paul Deutschman sketched a carbon fiber/Kevlar body in a radical new aerodynamic shape and molded a full sized mock-up of the LM body. Lighting requirements for Le Mans were demanding, yet the design must not create more aerodynamic drag. Therefore, the retractable lighting system of the stock Corvette needed to be replaced. Included in the redesign of the Corvette’s nose was a functional air splitter that allowed an accurate diversion of air over the nose of the LM and underneath to manage down force at 190 miles per hour. To complete the management of air under the LM, a rear diffuser was mounted at 12 degrees that increased expelled air speed and increased down force. Complimenting the functional design, extractor panels were added to the side skirts of the LM for increased heat exchange.



The body was mounted on the redesigned combination factory/tube framed chassis. The power plant for the new LM is a highly modified Callaway SuperNatural engine assembled at the Callaway Advanced Technologies engine shop in Connecticut.



Starting with an aluminum block, NASCAR aluminum heads the engine masters at Callaway balanced and blueprinted a forged steel crank and pistons. Using roller rockers and a Callaway re-designed Bosch/ throttle body injection system the LM’s goal was to net over 450 reliable horsepower for 24 hours. The colors chosen for the Callaway LM was sliver representing Germany and blue representing the USA.



Without any time to test the Callaway LM the team departs Germany. On the 9th of May the transported rolled into the paddock of Le Mans, France and the Callaway Supernatural GT2 LM (001/94) rolled off the truck. As the story is told, the body panels of the LM were not even fully attached. One photo shows racing tape holding down the bonnet of the car as it sets for photos by the press. The team spent the night in the countryside putting the finishing touches on the car. Never the less, much to the amazement of the scrutineering officials, they were ready to broadcast American V8 thunder on the asphalt of Le Mans for the first time in 18 years.



The car is test driven by Boris Said III and reports that it feels smooth and solid. He states that it was the smoothest driving car he had ever raced. During LM testing Said is driving down the Mulsanne straight between 190-200 mph and “something breaks”. Later to find it was the front splitter. He thinks that he is going to “bite it”. They return to Germany and work 24/7 for a month to be ready for the return.

With passage by the scrutineers and conformation of the potential of the LM on test day, the crew returned to Germany to place final touches on the LM that cut 9 seconds off their practice times.

Ernst tells of him and Mike Zoner taking the car to Koeln for a meeting with GM execs including Dave Hill and the German GM Group. Reeves wanted to show the GM folks that the car was almost race ready. To keep on track for the race they had to burn the midnight oil for several nights. The crew at Callaway Competition worked a lot of overtime!

On return to Le Mans in June of 1994, American Boris Said III, whom had never seen or raced the hallowed grounds of Le Mans before test day, records a pole position and an 18th overall for the start of the 1994 24 Hours of Le Mans.

LM qualifying is unlike anywhere in the world, there are 2-two hour sessions. Your goal is to run the maximum number of laps in the time allotted. First session you sort the racecar. During the second session you run as hard as you can.

To most bystanders at the time this feat was most noteworthy; it was assumed there were no American production cars that could compete with the highly specialized GT races from Porsche and BMW. Likewise, who would bring a 30-year-old push rod design V8 engine to compete with the highly refined multi-overhead cammed and race-designed engines of Europe? Were the Americans really that crazy?



As the race began, driving for Team Callaway were American Boris Said III, French driver Michel Maisonneuve and German Frank Jelinski. During the race, Team Callaway driver Said maintained the class lead for four hours and reached as high as eighth overall. Brake problems plagued the team and time was lost in the pits for brake pad repair. Race reports suggested that in an effort to regain the time lost for repairs, fuel mileage calculations for re-fueling became distorted. This was not the case according to race team manager Ernst. Driver Maisonneuve did not have the radio connected and passed the “IN” sign three times. Despite repeated attempts to signal the driver because of a lack of radio communication the LM ran out of fuel on the course after 11 hours with Maisonneuve at the controls. After an hour the LM returns to the pits and frantic crew- members find Said and Ernst in the motor coach to take command of the car. Once on the track, Said signals that the car is fine and running fast. Unfortunately, the fatal blow occurred earlier when members of the Callaway team tried to refuel the LM on the track, this was against the sanctioning rules resulting in an early retirement for the team. Immensely disappointing at the time for Team Callaway, their dominance of the GT2 category and the reliability of the LM were most obvious to the GT community and eventually satisfying to Reeves Callaway. They were going to be ready for the next year.

 

[C-4 Now]

Great info. Thanks. Nice to know that the cars were always more than just pretty to look at. Remember seeing some of this info in Autoweek not so much any where else. Ike

 

[*89x2*]

Great info. Thanks. Nice to know that the cars were always more than just pretty to look at. Remember seeing some of this info in Autoweek not so much any where else. Ike

Autoweek had some coverage and Corvette Fever Magazine used to run Callaway racing info almost monthly! Check your archives if you have old copies :cool

 

[critt99]

A thing of Beauty...if you ask me

A rare look at the modified Edlebrock Victor JR intake with Callaway modified throttle body EFI on the LM 94-001. Injectors are Bosch and modified as well by CAT. Thanx for the pic Ray S. of Atlanta

 

[Triple-V]

Hello Mike,

Good to hear from you! As usual, this is again a good idea from you, to share stories of the Callaway racing history! Please go on!

Mike, if you mail me your email address (my old comp passed away a few months ago and I lost most of my datas an adresses...) I will send you some nice pics of the Super-Corvette-Sunday in Switzerland last WE (takes place once every year). There was a special Callaway show with a sweet handfull of Callaways, such as: 1x'87-B2K-no10; 1xB2K/'91/Coupe/Aerobody; 1xB2K/'91/Roadster/Aerobody; 1xCR-1/'90/Coupe/Aerobody; 1xLM-CR-1/Coupe; 1xSN/Roadster/'92/Aerobody plus (from Urs.B) C12; C12R and Elsa...

Send me your email and I'll send you the pics (...ahem...I don't know how to post pics....sorry...!).

elangenegger@gmx.ch

greetings Edi

 

[kingforward]

They say "racing improves the breed" and Callaway at LeMans truly differentiates them from the littered highway of "tuners". I believe thier success in international road racing competition is underappreciated within the Corvette and TT circle....and, I believe, that Callaway racing Corvettes in the mid '90s sparked initiatives for a GM factory team we have today.

hope Team Callaway attacks the racing circuits again and/or builds affordable road racing cars for its customers....more than anything, its the success in road racing that will validate the Callaway brand.
Great job Mike.....keep it coming

 

[Peer81]

Great pictures Mike!
Nice to see somebody so close to the action is willing to share some photo's with us

Groeten Peter.

 

[critt99]

Gee...I wonder why the ACO (Le Mans) officials had heartburn with this...

A shot by my friend of the C7R-001 without the hood in Europe (Testing in Italy if I am correct). This car was so complex and ahead of its time, they did not know what to do with it. The shroud over the engine was a second air foil under the hood. This was one of the items that had to go. This is my most favorite C7R photo.

 

[TurboLuigi]

Interesting Picture. I would be rather scared to see that in the rear view mirror!

-Luigi
:cool

 

[critt99]

Mirco-Callaway Competition is still alive..

Well, someone asked me to show you the latest progress on my Callaway models. I have to admit, I have not done much for a few months for many reasons, but I have resumed with force.



What you see first is a 1/8th scale C4 with almost completed Dymags and the beginnings of side skirts. This is going to be a Hammer replica. I am going to get the body kit done and hopefully see it setting in the lobby of Old Lyme someday. I have a second one that will get the body kit and the full engine someday. I hope to show it with the Hammer together someday (years). The 1/18th scale LM hood is nearing completion. I am now forming the rear fascia and side skirts for the LM in acrylic as we speak. This will be formed into a single piece just like the full sized. The rear lenses are going to be separate pieces as well. This will be completed as a race version first (LM 94-001) and followed with the road version in about a year. The C7R is my baby…I have been working on this one for almost 3 years. The body is 95% complete. The chassis is from the Shelby roadster and is a perfect fit. I am starting on the RW wheels for the LM and the C7R now. It will be made as a curbside model without interior or engine for now. I someday will attack the full chassis…(many years later). The 1/24th LM racer is still slowly in progress. I am making each carbon piece prototype for the chassis. This is a painfully slow process. The wheels are done and the hood is in the midst of a re-make. The roll-cage has proved to be the most difficult part.



I have suggested that I might do a complete set of Callaway’s for each model as a static display. I have elected to postpone that project till I get some old ones done. When each one is complete I will be happy to provide parts for anyone who wants to make their own.

 

[*89x2*]

WOW :eek Looks like a lot of time & patience involved - Is the red 1/8th the old 1985 model?? If so, I have that one, unconverted though... :cool

 

[critt99]

Yup...hang on to it, they are about 75$ now. I will send you the conversion parts some day..mike

 

[critt99]

This is one of the coolest photos of all times...

I love this one...Taken by Ron Perry for Road & Track...pure art if ya ask me.

Thanx Ron...

 

[reubenmc]

I love this one...Taken by Ron Perry for Road & Track...pure art if ya ask me.

Thanx Ron...

That picture....IS awesome!!! I love it!

 

[critt99]

C12R engines

The C12 has to be one of the most elegant designs I have ever seen. There is no other GT car that has the combination of style and speed that the C12R has. It still amazes me that they can take a stock LS1 and just with attention to detail and allot of CNC machining get 30% more HP. This bad boy was rated at 440HP.



Remember the C12R engine that sold on EBay a year ago, I believe that it was C12R-001 the qualifying engine. I hear that this engine is gracing someone’s living room as we speak.... I am not so sure my wife would go for that.



Do you think Callaway will ever go racing again...I wish they would..?

 

[Peer81]

Whow very cool picture's Mike!

I never knew the LS1 bottom looked so close to the ZR1 ones...
Also very nice to see the LS1 in the GT version is mounted at the bottom of the chassis and not hanging in it, i didn't know that!

Groeten Peter.