The iconic Callaway twin-turbo conversions were available through select Chevrolet dealers as Regular Production Code (RPO) B2K from 1987 through 1991 and brought the Corvette brand to the next level of performance with styling upgrades that rivaled the best the European marques offered. The Callaway C4 had the exclusive and rare boxes checked, with just 510 special RPO B2K examples produced during this short five-year period, and these twin-turbo monsters still hold the distinction of being the only engine package produced outside of GM to hold an RPO code. The unfortunate passing of Reeves Callaway just last year makes these rare Callaway Corvettes even more collectible.
All of these factors prompt CorvSport to keep an eye on the Callaways, so when this near $100,000 example recently popped up on a popular Facebook for sale page, it was only natural for us to take a closer look at the market. Below, we have some notable sales from Bring a Trailer and Mecum, with a quick look at the C4 title holder, a 1991 Callaway Speedster that sold for $148,500.
First, let’s examine the seller’s listing, which led us to this interesting look into the Callaway market.
- 1989 Callaway Twin-Turbo Convertible
- Seller claims “Frist [sic] convertible areobody [sic] ever made.”
- The seller’s husband and Reeves were friends,
- 41,547 miles
- Asking Price: $95,000
Our Favorite Shot [Full Photo Gallery Below]
A Snapshot of the Facebook Zingers
Activity Graph From Bring a Trailer Tells The Story
- Since August of 2018, 36 Callaway C4s have been offered on the popular Bring a Trailer (BaT) auction platform.
- 24 of those Callaways sold.
- There are essentially no dots near the $100,000 mark, sold or unsold (the SledgeHammer being the exception).
The Largest BaT Sale
- This 51k-mile 1988 Twin Turbo Callaway sold for $63,000 on 8/19/2020 [full listing here]
- The auction garnered 29,014 views, 1,042 watchers, 207 comments, and 50 bids.
- Delivered to Corvette engineer, race car driver, and former director of GM Performance John Heinricy when new.
- The 5.7-liter L98 V8 was converted to B2K twin-turbo configuration by Callaway when new, and raised output to 382 horsepower and 562 lb-ft of torque, according to period materials.
The Largest BaT No-Sale
- The legendary Callaway SledgeHammer was bid to $500,000 on 5/23/2021, but the reserve was not met. See the full Bring a Trailer listing here.
- This auction garnered 170,100 views, 2,757 watchers, 657 comments, and 12 bids.
- This 1988 Corvette coupe was dealer-ordered by Reeves Callaway with Regular Production Option code B2K and shipped to Callaway Engineering in Old Lyme, Connecticut, where it was built as the 51st Callaway Twin Turbo Corvette for the model year and selected as the donor vehicle for Callaway’s Project SledgeHammer.
- In October 1988, the car was driven round-trip from Callaway headquarters in Connecticut to the Transportation Research Center’s 7.5-mile oval track in Ohio and piloted by John Lingenfelter to a record-breaking speed of 254.76 mph.
A Great Comp
- A 6k-mile 1989 Twin Turbo Callaway sells for $44,000 on 11/15/2023 [full listing here]
- The auction garnered 20,314 views, 1,139 watchers, 94 comments, and 37 bids.
- This Chevrolet Corvette is #02 of 68 examples modified by Callaway Cars of Old Lyme, Connecticut for the 1989 model year, 25 of which were convertibles.
- Callaway-branded 9.5″x 17″ wheels from Dymag feature Corvette center caps with locking bolts are wrapped in 275/40 Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02 tires.
Two Comps From Mecum
- A 1990 Callaway Coupe sells for $46,200 during the Kissimmee 2023 extravaganza [listing here]
- A 1988 Callaway Coupe sells for $41,800 during the Glendale 2023 auction [listing here]
The Fourth-Generation Callaway OG
- 1991 Callaway Speedster
- Number 8 in the series of Callaway Aero-bodied speedsters, a notable limited edition series 1 speedster conversion,
- The conversion featured cut-down windshields, wrap-around glass and twin integrated headrests,
- L98 Callaway twin turbo 403 HP engine
- Full 2013 listing here
- Sold for $148,500 during Dana Mecum’s 26th Original Spring Classic 2013
The simple answer to our earlier question, “Could This Be The Next Callaway C4 To Fetch $100,000?” is a very emphatic NO. While not an exhaustive market analysis, this snapshot into the Callaway market indicates our featured vehicle is worth more in the neighborhood of $45,000. What’s your favorite C4 Callaway model? If you want to keep up to date with all the fresh Corvette news and maintain a pulse on the lifestyle and culture of this exciting, iconic brand, CorvSport has the fastest-growing Corvette community on our Facebook page, with over 172,000 followers (53,000 since January 2023!). Come join other hardcore enthusiasts and say hello, Douglas B.
Featured Callaway Photo Gallery
