{revisited}Remember the Car&Driver magazine article May 89-What ever happened to#005?

[*89x2*]

Remember the Car&Driver magazine article May 89-What ever happened to #005??

I have found the "other car" from the magazine cover in Southern VA (the SSC) but have not heard/seen car # 89-005. The car was sold to a dealer in KS and wore the Xenoy "prototype" Aerobody w/ unique nose (nostrils and lower dam)
Any confirmed sightings???????

Here's the cover shot...

 

[malc350]

American supercars

Hi 89x2, any chance of scanning that article and posting it on the forum, or if it's a long article and too much hassle how about just the bit that counts (performance stats!!!)

I've never seen that Mustang, what mods did it have? Was it a real competitor to the Callaway?

Regards, Malc.

 

[*89x2*]

Performance stats on the SSC were:
0-60=5.9
1/4 mi.=14.2@98
top spd=149mph
(or about what an 89 STOCK vette would run)

Callaway
0-60=4.4
1/4 mi=12.9@111
top spd=191mph

That magazine is currently on e bay...

 

[zrozie]

#89-005

Hi *89x2*,

I stumbled onto your web page while surfing the net and saw your question regarding the #89-005 Areobody Coupe. I can shed a little light on its whereabouts since 1991 as I am the first and only register owner of that vehicle. The car is in the San Francisco area and has been driven and drag raced, weekly, during the race season. The home track for the car is Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, California. I have been drag racing it with the same engine and turbos since 1991, going on 12 years, without any engine problems.

I have had to replace a lot of the drive line parts as they were not designed to hold-up to the torque monsters that Callaway built. I try to do preventive maintenance by changing the half shafts annually, and the rear-end after about 125 runs. I worked closely with Centerforce Clutch Co. in the early 90’s to develop a clutch that would work with the torque developed by this car. After two years of trial and error I had a clutch that would last the season. The problem was the driveline could not take popping the clutch at 4600 RPM’s without breaking something about every third run. So, in 1995 I changed the 6 speed to an automatic. The car is still in original condition with the exception of a 4L80E automatic transmission and a 5 point roll bar. No modifications have been made that would change this historic car. The criteria that I use are to not cut or alter anything that would change or detract the original vehicle.

The car generally runs in the low 11’s or high 10’s. Best ET to date is 10.77, and MPH is 128 at Sacramento Raceway. If anyone has a copy of the March 7, 2003, National Dragster, you can see a picture of the car, and read the article regarding the race, on page 67. This race was a Summit Racing Series event at Infineon Raceway which I won in the Sportsman class.

Well, that all the time I have for now. I hope this helps you out.

Thanks for asking,
Zabaz Rosales

 

[LEEJANDZ]

:Twist

Yay!!!
89-005 has been found.

JASON *** BRAND NEW MAGNECOR WIRES FOR SALE!!! *** 1979 L-82

 

[*89x2*]

Zabaz, Welcome to
I understand you also have a Speedster and the 89 must be the same car used in the BFG Drag radial ad :cool
Looking forward to hearing more

 

[CKA_Racing]

Re: #89-005

Hi *89x2*,

I stumbled onto your web page while surfing the net and saw your question regarding the #89-005 Areobody Coupe. I can shed a little light on its whereabouts since 1991 as I am the first and only register owner of that vehicle. The car is in the San Francisco area and has been driven and drag raced, weekly, during the race season. The home track for the car is Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, California. I have been drag racing it with the same engine and turbos since 1991, going on 12 years, without any engine problems.

I have had to replace a lot of the drive line parts as they were not designed to hold-up to the torque monsters that Callaway built. I try to do preventive maintenance by changing the half shafts annually, and the rear-end after about 125 runs. I worked closely with Centerforce Clutch Co. in the early 90’s to develop a clutch that would work with the torque developed by this car. After two years of trial and error I had a clutch that would last the season. The problem was the driveline could not take popping the clutch at 4600 RPM’s without breaking something about every third run. So, in 1995 I changed the 6 speed to an automatic. The car is still in original condition with the exception of a 4L80E automatic transmission and a 5 point roll bar. No modifications have been made that would change this historic car. The criteria that I use are to not cut or alter anything that would change or detract the original vehicle.

The car generally runs in the low 11’s or high 10’s. Best ET to date is 10.77, and MPH is 128 at Sacramento Raceway. If anyone has a copy of the March 7, 2003, National Dragster, you can see a picture of the car, and read the article regarding the race, on page 67. This race was a Summit Racing Series event at Infineon Raceway which I won in the Sportsman class.

Well, that all the time I have for now. I hope this helps you out.

Thanks for asking,
Zabaz Rosales

:cool

What rpm were you shifting at with both the 6-spd and the automatic? Was the rear end using the stock gear ratio? Those times were on drag radials? what kind?
Thanks

 

[*89x2*]

Re: #89-005

Hi *89x2*,

If anyone has a copy of the March 7, 2003, National Dragster, you can see a picture of the car, and read the article regarding the race, on page 67. Zabaz Rosales

I picked up a copy of it today :cool The pic shows what looks to be the "tinted" fog lights (covers) is the "prototype nose" still on the car (w/ the more squared 4 nostrils?? )
Tell us more about where the car has been over the past 14 years
Ohh, did you buy it from the dealer mentioned in the article??
Thanks & again - Welcome to

ps. I understand you own the Fuscia Speedster as well, the one in the BFGoodrich banner/ads - That is :cool

 

[zrozie]

Hi Steve,

Here are answers to your questions. I shift both the 6 speed and the automatic around 4600 rpm’s. When I first started racing the car I tried higher rpm’s but the engine doesn’t pull above 4600 although it rev beyond that. When I talked to Callaway he told me to shift it at 4600 rpm’s…It works!

I am still running the stock 354 gear ratio. I tried lower gears but the car likes the long hard pull.

The 10.77 ET was with 28x11.5-15 Mickey Thompson slicks. Best time in street class with BFG P315/35R17 drag radials is 10.81 ET. You really have to get the tires hot in order to bite. I get about 23 runs on a set of drag radials.

 

[CKA_Racing]

Hi Steve,

Here are answers to your questions. I shift both the 6 speed and the automatic around 4600 rpm’s. When I first started racing the car I tried higher rpm’s but the engine doesn’t pull above 4600 although it rev beyond that. When I talked to Callaway he told me to shift it at 4600 rpm’s…It works!

I am still running the stock 354 gear ratio. I tried lower gears but the car likes the long hard pull.

The 10.77 ET was with 28x11.5-15 Mickey Thompson slicks. Best time in street class with BFG P315/35R17 drag radials is 10.81 ET. You really have to get the tires hot in order to bite. I get about 23 runs on a set of drag radials.

Was the engine modified at all from the day it left Callaway. I'm just curious if you ever dyno'd it. What were the numbers? I always wondered what they can do with some sticky tires to put all that torq down.

 

[SCVette]

zrozie,
I want to hear about the clutch that you and Centerforce developed. I put in a $940 stage III kevlar disk and it doesn't hold under full boost much less with a nitrous shot. I am told that I need more break in miles, but after 1800 miles I am ready to throw it out.
Is there a part number for the clutch you guys developed?
Thanks,
Taylor

 

[zrozie]

Centerforce clutch#

Hi Taylor,

You can go to http://www.centerforce.com/ which is Centerforces’ home page. Select their on line catalog. Find your path through to a 1989 Corvette. Be sure to select the 1989. On that page they have a listing for the 89 Callaway ( DF000100), also listed is one for a single mass flywheel (DF039000). Prices shown are list price. Other vendors sell them at discounted prices.

You might want to call Centerforce direct and ask them if this is the one we developed. I worked with KC during the development. Since I changed to an automatic in 1995, I am not sure if he is still there. If he is, tell him I said hello. I will try to insert a link to the clutch page at the bottom of this page. If it doesn’t work, try the upper one.

Midway Industries, Inc.
2266 Crosswind Drive -- Prescott, Arizona 86301
Tel: 1-928-771-8422
FAX: 1-928-771-8322

Good luck,
Zabaz
89 Callaway Clutch

 

[SurfnSun]

I still want to hear if this is a stock car.

 

[zrozie]

Stock Engine

About a year and a half ago I changed the cam and heads, installed an engine management system and larger fuel injectors. The rest of the engine is as it was when I purchased it. The best time with the original engine as received was a 10.93 ET, and best MPH was 126.44. The stock engine, with a lot of tweaking (trial & error) that I learned over the years, was capable of running consistently in the mid to low 11’s with an occasional dip into the10.9’s. The biggest problem is getting the power to the ground. The track has to be prepped properly to help you get those kinds of numbers.

No one that I know of makes bolt on kits, for the Callaway, to make you go fast like they do for the Grand National’s and Imports. I have seen other Callaway’s that had the complete engine’s gone through, including boring, that don’t run as fast as the stock engine can. I can’t stress enough how important it is to get traction before you try to add more power to it. There is also a lot to do with the driving and you can only learn that with seat time. The proper launch technique is important and costly. You have to launch with a high enough rpm that you come out in boost and still not blow the tires away. When you hook up like that, that’s when you start breaking driveline parts.

One of the reasons that I changed the heads was that the engine went lean on me during a race and melted a groove in a head between two cylinders. Luckily it didn’t do anymore damage than that. I figured that was a good time to make some changes. The other reason was that just a year earlier NHRA made a rule change that allowed independent rear suspension cars with four-link to run faster than 11.00 flat. After changing the heads and cam I did put the car on a rear wheel dyno. It was on the dyno that I found the reason for the engine leaning out on me. The cause was a bad ground causing the fuel pump to lose voltage during acceleration. Fuel pressure would drop instead of rising. I was unable to get a true reading from the dyno as during the run the dyno shut down with a message that the car exceeded it torque limits of 840 lbs. We did another pull and had it happen again. Because of that we couldn’t get a true HP reading but it exceeded 550 at the rear wheels.

I will try to answer these questions but my time is limited. If I don’t respond right away it is because I can’t get to it. Also I will not give specific information on the tricks or tweaking that I have done since I may have to race you one day, so please don’t ask. There is an all Corvette only race, Vette Magic, June 1, 2003, at Sacramento Raceway. For those of you that are interested you can call 510-376-5814 for more info. They have classes for everyone, including the girls with their own class, if they want, otherwise they can beat the boys. It would be fun to see some of you there.

That’s it for now,
Zabaz

 

[SurfnSun]

840rwtq!!!!!!!!!:eek :eek

 

[*89x2*]

Zabaz, Thank you for your insight I think your car is where a lot of owners want their cars to be, performance wise but it does sound like there is a small price to pay for the hard launches.
Out of the box, these are the BADDEST Corvettes ever.
Thanks for sharing some details about yours as we have all wondered what ever became of the Callaway that really introduced us to the Aerobody (My original copy of the May 89 C&D is held together by masking tape and has a "well used" look to it
If there are any other details about your car that you could possibly share, I think it would be beneficial to all owners alike.
-Regards.

 

[*89x2*]

I talked to the current owner of the Saleen SSC #02 over the weekend - we are planning on "recreating" the cover shot w/ our cars (although it would be awesome to get #005 in the shot )
Hopefully this Summer

 

[callaway95]

Zabaz.....

What are your short times with the automatic and prior to the conversion, with the 6-speed (drag radials and ET streets?) Also, how much boost are you developing and @ what octane?

Dave

 

[*89x2*]

About a year and a half ago I changed the cam and heads, installed an engine management system and larger fuel injectors. The rest of the engine is as it was when I purchased it. The best time with the original engine as received was a 10.93 ET, and best MPH was 126.44. The stock engine, with a lot of tweaking (trial & error) that I learned over the years, was capable of running consistently in the mid to low 11’s with an occasional dip into the10.9’s. The biggest problem is getting the power to the ground. The track has to be prepped properly to help you get those kinds of numbers.

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jcummings250]

I take it this #005 was built differently than the others??