Working on them made me realize how much I dislike CAD for vehicles. Just try and get your hands to any parts for replacement, nearly impossible. If you want to get a tool those parts, good luck. It should be easy to work on any GM, it's not like they're complicated.
jS197 Grand Nationals didn't have a blow off valve and it's normal to see them with stock turbos over 100k. Turbodiesel trucks don't have them. It's a play toy for bro racers in slammed ricers.
jS197 Quality turbos out of the likes of Garrett and Borgwarner are built to last around (I know this is vague) 500,000-1,000,000 miles. That's not even the latest and greatest BB turbos I'm referring to either. Compressor surge definitely puts stress on the load bearings, however, a lot of people have found that not running BOVs doesn't significantly reduce the life of the turbo. I haven't seen enough evidence in either direction, so I would say I'm agnostic there. Both BOVs and 'turbo flutter' sound pretty cool IMO, too bad only one of them is verified safe.
I have a 1988 C4 and I have to tell you I'm pretty happy people don't give it love or call it the worst corvette. I bet most who say that have never actually driven one let alone appreciate the value you get when you purchase one. So for the haters of C4s thank you for keeping them affordable!
Supah One They're shite. It's the same logic as severe communism, everyone's miserable because everyone is stuck in the same dire circumstances. There is no silver lining, seemed like a good idea, actually wasn't.
a usable/functional c5 costs $10,000 , a functional c4 cost $1,800 to $5,000 and in that price range it will destroy any similarly priced car performance wise because all you can get for that much is a NA/NB miata , base e36 , 300zx and its already been proven that the c4 destroyed those cars on track in SCCA racing , other car companies successfully partitioned SCCA to ban the c4 after it won every race it entered for 3 years strait.
I'll be Frank I'm Leary about using my name ...and you're talking about brand new racecars from 25 years ago. I'm talking about NOW. A $10k loan is about $200/month...a high school kid working part time could pay that note. The point is, an old C4 is going to be so clapped out and need so much work that you'd spend all your free time fixing and replacing things (which is not fun on an old car when half the nuts/bolts will need to be cut or torched off). And at the end of the day, it's a C4 that's just not worth anything. Why not go for something kind of rare from the same era that won't be quite such a money pit.
I personally believe most people are completely full of crap and on the internet it goes up another notch.. I would love to be able to see what most of the keyboard warriors drove. Kind of like being at the drag strip where a guy tells you his car makes 500 hp and it traps at 92... I’ve had a C3, C5 Z06 and now a 89 Z51 6 spd. The Z06 was my favorite car of all that I owned but my 89 is a real fun car to drive. I’m sure the Callaway is incredible.
Matt was going around that track a hell of a lot faster in the Callaway then he was in the Lotus Esprit, he looked terrified the whole time in the Lotus but couldn't wipe the smile of his face in the C4 Callaway.
Daniel Svavars c4 we’re racers in World challenge. Did very well from the 1980to like 1996 vs nsx,vipers & mustangs. There way better on track then people give them credit for
My very first car magazine was sports car international which featured both a shoot out between ZR1 and a Callaway twin turbo, and a first drive of the Sledgehammer. I was eight and those cars fuelled my dreams for years.
That is a great car. Coming from a Brit that loves Porsches and Japanese cars and has very little interest in Corvettes. It doesn’t matter what country the car is made in, or what badge is on the front, or how much power it makes, what fuels it, it’s price, how it looks etc etc etc. Any car, ANY car that can make a grown adult giggle and grin as much as that is a great, great car.
This clearly is one of your most enjoyable videos.. These oddball cars you can't find any decent videocontent on are far more interesting than all of these modern computerized cars that are featured everywhere. I dont get all of the criticism coming from people that can't stop comparing everything to a modern 911 or the newest Mclaren. Whats bad about a car that requires a good driver, willing to give you its time-correct experience as a whole. Who cares about pure numbers when true perfection for an enthusiast will allways come from unique experiences, that might come with some downsides, but for that reason also can't be replicated.
Honestly that's why I don't watch The Grand Tour. Top Gear used to have these awesome odd ball older sports cars but now it's just the most expensive new cars out there and it's boring!
MrZyLeXx I'm from Europe/Austria, so actually it's difficult for me to judge about this car which has never really been sold in my country, but I really had a good time watching the video. It was obvious that Matt really enjoyed the drive, even though he pointed out some flaws. I don't question this car might not be for everyone, and it certainly has some kind of bad reputation amongst car guys in the States;)
Came to say the same thing, I never realized they only made one. I remember that on the cover of...I want to say Sports Car International, listed at 255mph if I recall correctly.
Don't know why the c4 gets so much hate. They are Phenomenal cars, handle unbelievably, and can still give modern cars a hard time especially a LT1 6spd.
I don't have to offer an alternative to have an opinion and express it, just as the OP didn't, or were you about to call him out as well? Hypocrisy AND a logical fallacy all in one post - good for you!
I've yet to hear a legit reason for the hate, it's just a bunch of kids throwing insults because someone else told them to and they have nothing else better to do.
Whats crazy is its putting the power down which says a lot about the chassis, with some sport cup 2 tires, big brake kit and coil overs the c4 transforms into a serious track car. its got 50/50 balance and a very direct steering rack, plus it pulls .96g on a skid pad which is still good and they turn in surprisingly good, plus the short wheel base makes it nimble and willing to change direction. But the coil overs are a must and very minor frame reinforcement to connect the roof fixes the chassis flex. Considering almost all cars need those same basic upgrades for track work the c4 is a very good platform to start with, the ones from the 90s are way better because they have a real ZF6 speed and a high revving LT1 plus they look better.
I see you know a lot about C4 vettes. I'm looking to buy C4 vette. But it can't be older than 30 years because of stupid taxes in Europe. So I'm stuck with L98 or swap it to LSX or SBC 383? Or maybe just buy head and cam for L98? How much does it cost to buy 84-88 vette? It doesnt need to have perfect interior or paint because its cheap to do where I live. What is the labour cost of V8 swap in US?
avoid the 84 it is crossfire , Try to get the 88 because it has the ZF6 speed ,aluminum heads, roller cam, and bunch of other little improvements, the L98 only limiting factor is the intake with basic bolt ons it maxes out at 300hp/400tq , just switching to any other intake and some AFR heads and a lt4 hot cam (218 duration/ .525 lift) it will make 475hp and still idle nice and run A/C.swapping the intake also moves the red line from 4,800rpm to 6,500rpm because the stock intake is crazy restrictive. $5,000 US is a fair price for a good condition moderate mile car a cheap high mile one can be had for $2,800, the rear suspension has 100 bushings which almost always need to be replaced but its only $120 to replace and while doing that its a good idea to replace the rear wheel bearing but thats also cheap to maintenance. It only takes one dry roted bushing to make it sloppy but if its fresh they are tight as a drum. It has a very efficient drive line the c4 ZR1 with only 375hp weighing 3,500lbs (base model is 3,300lbs ) it goes 0-60 in 4.3 and 12.7sec 1/4 mile so with 475hp it should be plenty fast. The manual transmission cars have a dana 44 rear and 4 bolt main bearing caps which is a lot stronger then automatic cars. Also look for Z51 suspension package it has better spring rates and aluminum driver shaft and axles.
I'll be Frank I'm Leary about using my name you got some stuff wrong. The ZF6 came out in 89 for the C4. Also, Callaway C4s, 93-95 ZR-1s, and 92-96 LT1/LT4 cars all had 4 bolt mains.
Don't care what anybody says, I love the C4. The pre 1990 versions were a little on the slow side but after that they're a performance bargain, especially the 92-96 LT-1 cars. You can still find decent examples for 6-8k. Those old Vettes made all of that power down low because of the short intake runners. They did that on purpose, can't remember why GM did it but I'm sure they had their reasons. Stock Vettes weighed around 3100 lbs if I'm not mistaken.
They made the intake runners something like 18 inches long to make crazy torque because the insurance companies and safety groups were fighting to keep cars slow (remember the 55mph maximum national speed limit ) so GM engineers came out with the L98 350 which made 230hp which seems low but it made 330Ft-lbs of Tq which pushed a 85 corvette 0-60 5.5sec and 13.9 sec 1/4 mile , that is crazy fast for only 230hp in a 3,350lbs car. Also because the peek power was at 4,500rpm the power was stealthy, just chugging along at low rpm but making peek power, it also made you get the most out of the engine because people tend to short shift the high rpm engines under normal driving but not when red line is 4,800rpm you get all the power all the time. The c4 was undefeated in SCCA racing till it was banned for unfair advantage.
The LT4 was a very good engine, very rev happy. there was a 97 LT4/330hp camaro that was faster then the LS1/ 345hp c5 corvette. The LT4 195cc heads actually out flow the LS1 210cc heads
leanlifter1 Not true. If that were true old muscle cars like foxes and new edge GTs would be way faster but they're not. All torque and no horsepower. They're dogs. And look at McLarens. Way more horsepower than torque and they dominate the roads today.
I want one. LOL I used to have an old '89 Bentley Turbo-R with a bleed valve and a manual gearbox conversion. That was the scariest, twitchiest, most hilarious car I have ever owned.
You verbalize the experience of a Callaway twin-turbo perfectly. Thanks for a great video posting I've been waiting for a long time for somebody to post on this particular automobile of that. The description of the torque that comes on in 3rd and 4th gear is like no other experience.
We were Steve Dinan's first SoCal distributor from the late 80's into the 90's and I vividly recall being at Willow Springs (big track) with the new owner of an BMW M6 turbo we had just completed a month prior and one of these was tooling around the course. After several 'initiation' warm up laps we (both the owner and myself in the car) caught up to the Callaway and he could pull us ONLY through 3, 4, and into 5 after which we just ran away and hid intentionally sandbagging going into 1, just so we could beat-up on it some more. This cat and mouse went on for about 8 laps and we pulled into the pits. The vette's owner was visibly distraught hurling some choice, colorful, langauge while smoke poured from his front binders. He just couldn't understand how a super plush white interiored blue metallic Rodeo drive-mobile could bestow such a merciless beating on his prized plastic fantastic twin turbo'd yankee ripper. Great video and thanks for rekindling some fond memories.
Awesome review ! That car can move and that torque dam 😍!! As a 2 C4 owner for 19 years I think your review was excellent and on point. The Callaway was pushed by the sbc side of GM powertrain as they were basically competing with the guys who went with Lotus for the LT5 in the ZR-1. I think in the end we are blessed with having so many different and unique C4s throughout the generation it’s almost hard to believe. The Callaway intercoolers on this car are simply beautiful. I certainly hope someday someone will build that longblock and put some serious boost into one of these instead of keeping them stock although given their values I doubt that will happen. I’m still hoping one day Matt can drive my C4s ! My 93 has an 8000+ rpm solid roller LT4, and my 94 ZR-1 are both like polar opposites in their power delivery to this car.
I'll be Frank I'm Leary about using my name I have ! Need to try and see when his schedule is free . I would love to have both of mine ready, and have 2 completely stock LT1 and zr1s for him to drive for comparison I think then Matt will be able to see how these cars are stock vs modified.
i stumbled across your channel years ago, a guy by my house was selling a clean 92 Zr1 for $4,800 on Craigs list i was dead ass broke at the time and still regret not pawning my butthole to buy it. He didn't think much of the car because he never put the go fast key in smh, such a wasted opportunity.
I'll be Frank I'm Leary about using my name that’s nuts !! For that price you couldn’t lose. That’s a shame it was never run in full power it does so much harm to not drive these cars hard because of the throttle valves being closed and the carbon buildup that results. Going to high school I walked past a yellow ZR-1 every day going home. Years later I went back and knocked on the door and the wife said she sold the car for $15k cdn because her husband had passed. At that time zr1s were still 50+ cdn I wanted to cry lol. I don’t believe she had any idea what it was and sold it at below base c4 prices 🤦🏻♂️
5abivt Watch Mike, he'll drive both the 93 and 94 soon. People will go nuts times 10 on those cars when they see them. Petrolicious needs to do a feature on you as well.
Back in the day I lived by Old Lyme Ct where Callaway had there shop, now and then I would see these flying down route 95 with no hood on testing them out.
My company HammerHead IRS makes differentials for modern IRS musclecars as well as C2/C3/C4's Corvettes & early Vipers. As a child of the 80's and owner of a Grand National, I want to get a C4, LS swap it (5 or 6 speed), use our diff and make it a cheap Autocross/Track day car. C4's dominated back in the day and even had their own SCCA Corvette Challenge series. Also Goodguys has moved year requirements for Autocross up from 1972 year limit to 1987 for 2018. Would totally be a just for fun project and I wouldn't worry too much about losing my investment in a collector car. If I had one I would definitely keep a Callaway or ZR1 stock. Those WILL be collectible.
I have watched many one take videos and I must say all the Corvette videos are the best. No bias at all considering I enjoy a Corvette on any day, but they just seem to be the most entertaining videos in terms of reactions
Dude! I've never had anything larger than a 4 cylinder, I'm almost 32 now and I really want to pick an 89 c4 up, so outrageously 80s, I wish I didnt see this video because now I want a twin turbo model. haha
@Nathan Caveney Really? An actual Callaway twin turbo model? Im only finding those starting at 24k in auctions. The standard c4's will go for 2-10k generally.
@Nathan Caveney Yeah I was gonna say, you better jump on that deal and check the VIN to make sure its legit. They make bolt on twin tubo kits for 5-6k, its going to be a fun car to own and build on.
I love 80's/early 90s cars. American, Japanese or Euro they all had so much character. So much fun to drive. They didn't have the power of today's cars so you can drive them hard to get them moving fast. They didn't have the handling of today's cars so you have to muscle them into corners with however much grip you have. Great steering feedback, engine noise coming into the cabin, the interior vinyl smell. That rich mixture smell they have when idling at the lights. I'll never lose my love for 80's cars, I wish I could buy them all.
Totally agree Jeremy. As cars become more and more polished and electrically assisted, they lose more and more soul. Better product, absolutely. That's expected. But in the 80's, they did what they could with all the restrictions and limitations, and a lot of fun was still had. Also, the style back then has such an obnoxious charm I can't help but love it lol.
The C4 is bad ass! In 1988, the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) outlawed all Showroom Stock Corvettes from its racing events. The reason? The Vettes had not been beaten in three years of racing against the world's best sports cars, and their competitors complained so loudly that the sanctioning body had to ban them.
kaldarleifar Which is so stupid, they needed to just smarten up and build a car the could compete instead of being a bunch of pussies and complaining and getting it banned just because it was superior.
Jordan Berube....... No truer words have ever been spoken! People rag on millennials for crying and getting participation trophies, but as you can see it was happening way before Millennials. Instead of making there cars better to compete, they just forced out the competition and kept themselves weak. Weak minded people in every generation.
The style of the C4 Corvette is timeless. A lot of people bag on them but never driven one or owned one. I really love the pop-up headlights, the Retro styling, it's so eighties. I want one so bad, and would love to LS swap it and daily it
My 91 is nearly done with a Ls1 can't wait!. But if it's an lt1 not worth it. If you have the older l98 like me then it is worth it. 245hp peaking at 4500 gets old really fast.
I think you miss understand the meaning of timeless. This car is very much strictly 80's styling. But thats not a bad thing. An example of a timeless car, would be a porsche 928. If you dont know cars, it would be very hard to guess what decade its from
I had an 86 Corvette with the 4+3. It's not nearly as lame as you claim. It works just fine and is in fact pretty slick (when it works; mine quit after a couple of years, but that's fine; I turned it into an autocross car). With no torque converter, there's no slushiness. You could be in 2nd gear and click on the OD and it's like being in 4th. Then just a stab of the gas shuts it off and bam you have an instant 2nd gear and tons of torque. Quite fun around town. And while the car may feel kinda flimsy, it's still a fantastic chassis. I had mine all setup for autocross and it was brutally stiff, but OMG did it handle!
We all know the C4 was one of the best handling cars of it's time. I think in 90 it was the best handling production car in the world. With him.....it's a Cadillac even though we see it cornering flat.
Thank you for being here with us today, sir! :) Hey Matt So i've been watching your videos for about 5 years now, it's been an amaizing journey, started back in high school, that audi dealership was the MVP :D And still enjoying it now at uni, thank you sir :D As you learned, I learned, thank you for providing great contect for the whole time man, i love that you are still doing it, even thought your ass is a bit more experienced now and not as amused easily as you were before. But this video has me laughing so hard I had to post this man so I hope it gets to you. Watching the start you're cocky and in the 911 mode, and I loved how the car brought you back into the "holly shit this is fun, i'm enjoying this" hahaha every lap flashing lights harder, then at 14:50 enjoying the car, then the powerhouse face through 2 gears, and that "weeee" and then immediately after the face of freaking horror hahahaha will I make it? Sorry for the illiterate commment man, but it's from the heart. I really enjoy your content, keep it coming good sir! Best regards Luke P.s: How's that 911 doing? I think she deserves some detailing :P
That same car (1988) with the Z51 suspension option would have erased EVERY single bad thing you said in this video... quite honestly, that was like watching my 16 year old niece driving... very hard to watch
I owned this car at one time. (#12) I loved it. Looks like some improvements since I had it. I also have an 89 convertible. The Callaway handled a lot better than the convertible, and had better brakes. It was great to see it on a racetrack. Looks like a lot of fun. Aaron, enjoy it.
These things are so damn cool. For those of us who grew up in the 80s these were cool. Even has the wheels and paint job. Really cool review, you can see Matt getting into it and making the car dance towards the end
I really enjoyed this video. You drove someone else's car like pro that actually CARED. A huge credit when you mentioned the braking and barely making the corner, I could not tell on my phone or my monitor. Well done. I just bought an L89 C4 and I just hit the subscribe link. Stay cool
My dad who runs a vintage car dealership just imported a 87' C4 Callaway TT (car number #23), what an awesome car! Really cool to see one featured with some good driving driving footage on a large channel like this! Keep it up Matt ;)
Woah out of years of watching you this is the first time I'm this early and noticing. Cool car finally some c4 love don't know why much people don't like the looks.
L98 engine could not past 5000 rpm If I'm not wrong, I remember the first time I saw a C4 Corvette in my country, I was 15 or 16 years old (I'm 46 now), I thought it was the coolest car. That digital cluster was awesome. I think that Corvette was an automatic. Great memories. Thanks Matt for making me remember that moment!
Take that restricted tune port intake off and that thing will fly. I would use the TPIS mini ram or the Holley stealth ram and you will see the rpm range around 6700 and up.
this era of 'vette was known for its stiff spring rates. my buddy's dad had one (forgot the year) and while driving on a back road i hit some washboards and in a split second had bounced into the opposite lane. but on smooth surfaces she was like a go-kart.
The C4 ZR1 and the C4 Callaway Cars especially the Lingenfelter 415 and 415 Twin Turbo ZR1's will be the next good money investment cars i think. I don't see the Syclone and Typhoons getting big money but the rare C4's will I believe.
so fast..they also had one called a sledge hammer that was super fast.Also the lingenfelter from like later on around 2001 ish I wanna say..some crazy vettes out their..I consider the zr1 to be special hyper vettes to zr1 are more special then people think.Cant wait to see the 2019 in person.Nice vid matt love Callaway they have crazy ideas lol
Callaway made me love Corvettes, especially the C4 aerobody. FINALLY we have Callaway racing in Pirelli World Challenge with the Corvette GT3 THIS YEAR!!! I'd LOVE to get one of these Callaway B2k cars for sure. I'm on my 7th Corvette so far...I'll get one.
I remember when the Callaway Corvettes came out. I really liked them then. They haven't aged well though. I remember Bobby Rahal tested one for a magazine (Road & Track I believe) back in the day and blew the motor on it. I met Pete Callaway when there was Callaway Cars West in Tustin, California. He was a nice guy. It's a shame Callaway aren't doing as well as they had hoped.
Ive got a 540hp LT1 94 C4 Corvette from Lingenfelter for an engine rebuild in the shop. I love these cars they dont get a lot of love but they are pretty badass.
Matt, I know this is 4yrs later, but imagine what coilovers, brakes, sway bars, exhaust, some frame bracing, and a transmission swap would do for this thing...... and then realize that you can pick these up for under 30k typically, in your flavor of coupe or convertible lol. There was a guy who owned a bright yellow convertible Callaway TT Vette over black leather across the street from me when I lived in Largo Florida, he used to drive it almost daily, the only thing, he NEVER ever once put his foot in it 😑 he drove it so damn slow it was utterly ridiculous, he would putter everywhere at like 25mph.....it was spotless, but how could you not drive the car like it was meant to? 🤣
This was the summit of stupendous when it was new, eclipsed only by a Ruf. Then Callaway did the insane Sledgehammer for his own firm without GM's constraints and for a moment in time we wondered what would happen if there were a production version of that 254mph monstrosity...
![TWIN TURBO VETTE 1988 Callaway Corvette | [4K] | REVIEW SERIES](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/o-7txl2LVP8/mqdefault.jpg)
been waiting for this one!
eeeey way to make it man! *fist bump*
Mr. Regular!
Wow. Thanks for the comment. (I'm the owner).
RegularCars hi dad
How many verified accounts can we get in this comment stream? BTW love you Mr. Reg.
I like the C4 Corvettes no matter what anyone says.
MLChristopher the best looking modern corvette the c4 zr1 looks porn
say that till you have to work on the stupid thing!
Working on them made me realize how much I dislike CAD for vehicles. Just try and get your hands to any parts for replacement, nearly impossible. If you want to get a tool those parts, good luck. It should be easy to work on any GM, it's not like they're complicated.
@@tirbomax tbh the hood makes it a lot easier to work on than full fendered cars. Spark plugs on the other hand can suck it.
only things i dislike is the digital dash and TPI...
So much horsepower even the blowoff noise sounds like a horse.
jS197
Grand Nationals didn't have a blow off valve and it's normal to see them with stock turbos over 100k. Turbodiesel trucks don't have them. It's a play toy for bro racers in slammed ricers.
Turbo diesels don't have throttles that instantly stop air flow. You also lose shaft speed on shifts without a BOV.
jS197
Quality turbos out of the likes of Garrett and Borgwarner are built to last around (I know this is vague) 500,000-1,000,000 miles. That's not even the latest and greatest BB turbos I'm referring to either. Compressor surge definitely puts stress on the load bearings, however, a lot of people have found that not running BOVs doesn't significantly reduce the life of the turbo. I haven't seen enough evidence in either direction, so I would say I'm agnostic there. Both BOVs and 'turbo flutter' sound pretty cool IMO, too bad only one of them is verified safe.
I have a 1988 C4 and I have to tell you I'm pretty happy people don't give it love or call it the worst corvette. I bet most who say that have never actually driven one let alone appreciate the value you get when you purchase one. So for the haters of C4s thank you for keeping them affordable!
Supah One
They're shite. It's the same logic as severe communism, everyone's miserable because everyone is stuck in the same dire circumstances. There is no silver lining, seemed like a good idea, actually wasn't.
Sorry, but the c5 was such a huge jump in performance and the fact that they're dirt cheap now makes the c4 irrelevant.
a usable/functional c5 costs $10,000 , a functional c4 cost $1,800 to $5,000 and in that price range it will destroy any similarly priced car performance wise because all you can get for that much is a NA/NB miata , base e36 , 300zx and its already been proven that the c4 destroyed those cars on track in SCCA racing , other car companies successfully partitioned SCCA to ban the c4 after it won every race it entered for 3 years strait.
I'll be Frank I'm Leary about using my name
...and you're talking about brand new racecars from 25 years ago. I'm talking about NOW. A $10k loan is about $200/month...a high school kid working part time could pay that note. The point is, an old C4 is going to be so clapped out and need so much work that you'd spend all your free time fixing and replacing things (which is not fun on an old car when half the nuts/bolts will need to be cut or torched off). And at the end of the day, it's a C4 that's just not worth anything. Why not go for something kind of rare from the same era that won't be quite such a money pit.
I personally believe most people are completely full of crap and on the internet it goes up another notch.. I would love to be able to see what most of the keyboard warriors drove. Kind of like being at the drag strip where a guy tells you his car makes 500 hp and it traps at 92...
I’ve had a C3, C5 Z06 and now a 89 Z51 6 spd. The Z06 was my favorite car of all that I owned but my 89 is a real fun car to drive. I’m sure the Callaway is incredible.
I remember in the early 2000's, we laughed at the C4. Now its a beautiful classic sportscar.
Matt was going around that track a hell of a lot faster in the Callaway then he was in the Lotus Esprit, he looked terrified the whole time in the Lotus but couldn't wipe the smile of his face in the C4 Callaway.
That poor Lotus needed a day or two of track time and tuning to dial it in. It didn't look right from what I could see. The front was way too low.
The lotus has no Torque so its much harder to maintain speed.
Daniel Svavars c4 we’re racers in World challenge. Did very well from the 1980to like 1996 vs nsx,vipers & mustangs. There way better on track then people give them credit for
But c5 are just better so c4 get a bad wrap.
Michael Gomez by a bunch of people that never owned, or driven them.
My very first car magazine was sports car international which featured both a shoot out between ZR1 and a Callaway twin turbo, and a first drive of the Sledgehammer. I was eight and those cars fuelled my dreams for years.
I remember that magazine...
That is a great car. Coming from a Brit that loves Porsches and Japanese cars and has very little interest in Corvettes. It doesn’t matter what country the car is made in, or what badge is on the front, or how much power it makes, what fuels it, it’s price, how it looks etc etc etc. Any car, ANY car that can make a grown adult giggle and grin as much as that is a great, great car.
This clearly is one of your most enjoyable videos.. These oddball cars you can't find any decent videocontent on are far more interesting than all of these modern computerized cars that are featured everywhere.
I dont get all of the criticism coming from people that can't stop comparing everything to a modern 911 or the newest Mclaren.
Whats bad about a car that requires a good driver, willing to give you its time-correct experience as a whole. Who cares about pure numbers when true perfection for an enthusiast will allways come from unique experiences, that might come with some downsides, but for that reason also can't be replicated.
Honestly that's why I don't watch The Grand Tour. Top Gear used to have these awesome odd ball older sports cars but now it's just the most expensive new cars out there and it's boring!
I like how you're saying this on a c4 vet, like wtf it's one of the worst sports cars ever.
MrZyLeXx I'm from Europe/Austria, so actually it's difficult for me to judge about this car which has never really been sold in my country, but I really had a good time watching the video.
It was obvious that Matt really enjoyed the drive, even though he pointed out some flaws. I don't question this car might not be for everyone, and it certainly has some kind of bad reputation amongst car guys in the States;)
@@MrZyLeXx It was so crap that the scca banned it in the 80's for beating everything...
@@MrZyLeXx One of the best if we adjust for the time period
Now you need to drive a Callaway Sledgehammer.
Callaway only made one Sledgehammer . It was up for auction a few years ago. I think the reserve was $350k but it never sold.
Actually it bid up to $600k in 2014 but didn't meet its 7 figure reserve.
Love the sledgehammer but it’s really just a single modified corvette. The ultimate collaboration of Callaway And Lingenfelter !
Came to say the same thing, I never realized they only made one. I remember that on the cover of...I want to say Sports Car International, listed at 255mph if I recall correctly.
Motor week did a couple of videos on it
Swap in a later C4 6 Speed and C4 ZR1 suspension and that car would rock even more
Don't know why the c4 gets so much hate. They are Phenomenal cars, handle unbelievably, and can still give modern cars a hard time especially a LT1 6spd.
I dont understand the hate. Matt's content is dope asf.
Dope is right. You have to be a dope to enjoy it.
Guess people are still gonna hate when you have the best job in the world. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I don't have to offer an alternative to have an opinion and express it, just as the OP didn't, or were you about to call him out as well? Hypocrisy AND a logical fallacy all in one post - good for you!
I've yet to hear a legit reason for the hate, it's just a bunch of kids throwing insults because someone else told them to and they have nothing else better to do.
+Secrets No More I said a dope to enjoy it. Pay attention and try to keep up.
Love my Callaway TT. 1989 Metallic Red with 10k Miles. All original.
RIP One Takes. I'm gonna miss videos like this one.
?
Matt announced awhile ago that this format of video will be done soon.
Brent MacDonald any idea why?
thats the only reason i watched his channel so he better have some sort of replacement
Hype Tempo So do you like the nerdy hipster kid they got to replace him LOL I unsubscribed that’s why I’m back watching these old ones
Whats crazy is its putting the power down which says a lot about the chassis, with some sport cup 2 tires, big brake kit and coil overs the c4 transforms into a serious track car. its got 50/50 balance and a very direct steering rack, plus it pulls .96g on a skid pad which is still good and they turn in surprisingly good, plus the short wheel base makes it nimble and willing to change direction. But the coil overs are a must and very minor frame reinforcement to connect the roof fixes the chassis flex. Considering almost all cars need those same basic upgrades for track work the c4 is a very good platform to start with, the ones from the 90s are way better because they have a real ZF6 speed and a high revving LT1 plus they look better.
I see you know a lot about C4 vettes. I'm looking to buy C4 vette. But it can't be older than 30 years because of stupid taxes in Europe. So I'm stuck with L98 or swap it to LSX or SBC 383? Or maybe just buy head and cam for L98? How much does it cost to buy 84-88 vette? It doesnt need to have perfect interior or paint because its cheap to do where I live. What is the labour cost of V8 swap in US?
avoid the 84 it is crossfire , Try to get the 88 because it has the ZF6 speed ,aluminum heads, roller cam, and bunch of other little improvements, the L98 only limiting factor is the intake with basic bolt ons it maxes out at 300hp/400tq , just switching to any other intake and some AFR heads and a lt4 hot cam (218 duration/ .525 lift) it will make 475hp and still idle nice and run A/C.swapping the intake also moves the red line from 4,800rpm to 6,500rpm because the stock intake is crazy restrictive. $5,000 US is a fair price for a good condition moderate mile car a cheap high mile one can be had for $2,800, the rear suspension has 100 bushings which almost always need to be replaced but its only $120 to replace and while doing that its a good idea to replace the rear wheel bearing but thats also cheap to maintenance. It only takes one dry roted bushing to make it sloppy but if its fresh they are tight as a drum. It has a very efficient drive line the c4 ZR1 with only 375hp weighing 3,500lbs (base model is 3,300lbs ) it goes 0-60 in 4.3 and 12.7sec 1/4 mile so with 475hp it should be plenty fast. The manual transmission cars have a dana 44 rear and 4 bolt main bearing caps which is a lot stronger then automatic cars. Also look for Z51 suspension package it has better spring rates and aluminum driver shaft and axles.
Magic Ren honestly try to get a 91 or newer with an lt1, they’re much better over all
I'll be Frank I'm Leary about using my name you got some stuff wrong. The ZF6 came out in 89 for the C4. Also, Callaway C4s, 93-95 ZR-1s, and 92-96 LT1/LT4 cars all had 4 bolt mains.
Brandon Herrera Yep was going to say the same. Nice car by the way.
Don't care what anybody says, I love the C4. The pre 1990 versions were a little on the slow side but after that they're a performance bargain, especially the 92-96 LT-1 cars. You can still find decent examples for 6-8k.
Those old Vettes made all of that power down low because of the short intake runners. They did that on purpose, can't remember why GM did it but I'm sure they had their reasons. Stock Vettes weighed around 3100 lbs if I'm not mistaken.
biggunzcdb Yes and actually make more power than a stock LS1.
They made the intake runners something like 18 inches long to make crazy torque because the insurance companies and safety groups were fighting to keep cars slow (remember the 55mph maximum national speed limit ) so GM engineers came out with the L98 350 which made 230hp which seems low but it made 330Ft-lbs of Tq which pushed a 85 corvette 0-60 5.5sec and 13.9 sec 1/4 mile , that is crazy fast for only 230hp in a 3,350lbs car. Also because the peek power was at 4,500rpm the power was stealthy, just chugging along at low rpm but making peek power, it also made you get the most out of the engine because people tend to short shift the high rpm engines under normal driving but not when red line is 4,800rpm you get all the power all the time. The c4 was undefeated in SCCA racing till it was banned for unfair advantage.
james staggs I'd rather get one than a mustang gt or z28
I've always had a secret love for the LT based C4 Corvettes. I'd love to own a Grand Sport.
The LT4 was a very good engine, very rev happy. there was a 97 LT4/330hp camaro that was faster then the LS1/ 345hp c5 corvette. The LT4 195cc heads actually out flow the LS1 210cc heads
This car is the definition of torque over horsepower.
John Ulicky undersized turbos will do that
combine that with the stump-puller tpi and you have yourself a torque monster. 700lb ft at 3000rpm..imagine that.
Torque wins races.
hazerkitten Most people are dumb.
leanlifter1 Not true. If that were true old muscle cars like foxes and new edge GTs would be way faster but they're not. All torque and no horsepower. They're dogs. And look at McLarens. Way more horsepower than torque and they dominate the roads today.
I want one.
LOL
I used to have an old '89 Bentley Turbo-R with a bleed valve and a manual gearbox conversion.
That was the scariest, twitchiest, most hilarious car I have ever owned.
sure you did lol cool story bro
I met my wife in a 383 stroker C4 Corvette, with a Lingenfelter Super Ram. It pulled hard to 7000 RPM unlike the Callaway.
Sebbonx Xsebbon
Would get smoked by the turbo car. Torque.
I have a 200 shot of nitros, want to bet?! O-ringed heads and studs.@@turbolq4
You verbalize the experience of a Callaway twin-turbo perfectly.
Thanks for a great video posting I've been waiting for a long time for somebody to post on this particular automobile of that.
The description of the torque that comes on in 3rd and 4th gear is like no other experience.
We were Steve Dinan's first SoCal distributor from the late 80's into the 90's and I vividly recall being at Willow Springs (big track) with the new owner of an BMW M6 turbo we had just completed a month prior and one of these was tooling around the course. After several 'initiation' warm up laps we (both the owner and myself in the car) caught up to the Callaway and he could pull us ONLY through 3, 4, and into 5 after which we just ran away and hid intentionally sandbagging going into 1, just so we could beat-up on it some more. This cat and mouse went on for about 8 laps and we pulled into the pits. The vette's owner was visibly distraught hurling some choice, colorful, langauge while smoke poured from his front binders. He just couldn't understand how a super plush white interiored blue metallic Rodeo drive-mobile could bestow such a merciless beating on his prized plastic fantastic twin turbo'd yankee ripper. Great video and thanks for rekindling some fond memories.
It has cloth seats! Quite rare, and I love them!
It was my dream car and still is.
Awesome review ! That car can move and that torque dam 😍!! As a 2 C4 owner for 19 years I think your review was excellent and on point. The Callaway was pushed by the sbc side of GM powertrain as they were basically competing with the guys who went with Lotus for the LT5 in the ZR-1. I think in the end we are blessed with having so many different and unique C4s throughout the generation it’s almost hard to believe. The Callaway intercoolers on this car are simply beautiful. I certainly hope someday someone will build that longblock and put some serious boost into one of these instead of keeping them stock although given their values I doubt that will happen.
I’m still hoping one day Matt can drive my C4s ! My 93 has an 8000+ rpm solid roller LT4, and my 94 ZR-1 are both like polar opposites in their power delivery to this car.
email him
I'll be Frank I'm Leary about using my name I have ! Need to try and see when his schedule is free . I would love to have both of mine ready, and have 2 completely stock LT1 and zr1s for him to drive for comparison I think then Matt will be able to see how these cars are stock vs modified.
i stumbled across your channel years ago, a guy by my house was selling a clean 92 Zr1 for $4,800 on Craigs list i was dead ass broke at the time and still regret not pawning my butthole to buy it. He didn't think much of the car because he never put the go fast key in smh, such a wasted opportunity.
I'll be Frank I'm Leary about using my name that’s nuts !! For that price you couldn’t lose. That’s a shame it was never run in full power it does so much harm to not drive these cars hard because of the throttle valves being closed and the carbon buildup that results. Going to high school I walked past a yellow ZR-1 every day going home. Years later I went back and knocked on the door and the wife said she sold the car for $15k cdn because her husband had passed. At that time zr1s were still 50+ cdn I wanted to cry lol. I don’t believe she had any idea what it was and sold it at below base c4 prices 🤦🏻♂️
5abivt Watch Mike, he'll drive both the 93 and 94 soon. People will go nuts times 10 on those cars when they see them. Petrolicious needs to do a feature on you as well.
The shift pattern is 1, 2, 3, 4, when OD kicks in shove it back into 3. Pray OD stays engaged. Had a 1987. Lots of fun!
Back in the day I lived by Old Lyme Ct where Callaway had there shop, now and then I would see these flying down route 95 with no hood on testing them out.
Fantastic, as a C4 nut I was excited to see this! Glad to see it was an exciting experience!
My company HammerHead IRS makes differentials for modern IRS musclecars as well as C2/C3/C4's Corvettes & early Vipers. As a child of the 80's and owner of a Grand National, I want to get a C4, LS swap it (5 or 6 speed), use our diff and make it a cheap Autocross/Track day car. C4's dominated back in the day and even had their own SCCA Corvette Challenge series. Also Goodguys has moved year requirements for Autocross up from 1972 year limit to 1987 for 2018. Would totally be a just for fun project and I wouldn't worry too much about losing my investment in a collector car. If I had one I would definitely keep a Callaway or ZR1 stock. Those WILL be collectible.
I have watched many one take videos and I must say all the Corvette videos are the best. No bias at all considering I enjoy a Corvette on any day, but they just seem to be the most entertaining videos in terms of reactions
Dude! I've never had anything larger than a 4 cylinder, I'm almost 32 now and I really want to pick an 89 c4 up, so outrageously 80s, I wish I didnt see this video because now I want a twin turbo model. haha
@Nathan Caveney Really? An actual Callaway twin turbo model? Im only finding those starting at 24k in auctions. The standard c4's will go for 2-10k generally.
@Nathan Caveney Yeah I was gonna say, you better jump on that deal and check the VIN to make sure its legit. They make bolt on twin tubo kits for 5-6k, its going to be a fun car to own and build on.
I love 80's/early 90s cars. American, Japanese or Euro they all had so much character. So much fun to drive. They didn't have the power of today's cars so you can drive them hard to get them moving fast. They didn't have the handling of today's cars so you have to muscle them into corners with however much grip you have. Great steering feedback, engine noise coming into the cabin, the interior vinyl smell. That rich mixture smell they have when idling at the lights. I'll never lose my love for 80's cars, I wish I could buy them all.
Jeremy The 80s were possibly the darkest days of automotive history.
Totally agree Jeremy. As cars become more and more polished and electrically assisted, they lose more and more soul. Better product, absolutely. That's expected. But in the 80's, they did what they could with all the restrictions and limitations, and a lot of fun was still had. Also, the style back then has such an obnoxious charm I can't help but love it lol.
The C4 is bad ass! In 1988, the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) outlawed all Showroom Stock Corvettes from its racing events. The reason? The Vettes had not been beaten in three years of racing against the world's best sports cars, and their competitors complained so loudly that the sanctioning body had to ban them.
kaldarleifar Which is so stupid, they needed to just smarten up and build a car the could compete instead of being a bunch of pussies and complaining and getting it banned just because it was superior.
Jordan Berube....... No truer words have ever been spoken! People rag on millennials for crying and getting participation trophies, but as you can see it was happening way before Millennials. Instead of making there cars better to compete, they just forced out the competition and kept themselves weak. Weak minded people in every generation.
frank white R & D lol the GNX was a simple V6 with turbos lol.
when this car was released it was the fastest car on the planet. absolutely love it.
Oh yeah, my favorite 80's American car next to the Buick Grand National GNX.
Finally a C4, and the craziest rarest one ever! Ive never seen one of these in person, but ive seen a ton of ZR1. So glad this happened.
"Although we're on a racetrack, I don't drive it like a racecar" - melts the brakes after the straight :D
Very entertaining video! Sounds like a blast
The style of the C4 Corvette is timeless. A lot of people bag on them but never driven one or owned one. I really love the pop-up headlights, the Retro styling, it's so eighties. I want one so bad, and would love to LS swap it and daily it
You can do so much with a small block chevy an LS swap is kind of a waste of money.
My 91 is nearly done with a Ls1 can't wait!. But if it's an lt1 not worth it. If you have the older l98 like me then it is worth it. 245hp peaking at 4500 gets old really fast.
I think you miss understand the meaning of timeless. This car is very much strictly 80's styling. But thats not a bad thing. An example of a timeless car, would be a porsche 928. If you dont know cars, it would be very hard to guess what decade its from
04dram04 Nah, timeless.
You should get one then, I have one and love it.
I had an 86 Corvette with the 4+3. It's not nearly as lame as you claim. It works just fine and is in fact pretty slick (when it works; mine quit after a couple of years, but that's fine; I turned it into an autocross car). With no torque converter, there's no slushiness. You could be in 2nd gear and click on the OD and it's like being in 4th. Then just a stab of the gas shuts it off and bam you have an instant 2nd gear and tons of torque. Quite fun around town.
And while the car may feel kinda flimsy, it's still a fantastic chassis. I had mine all setup for autocross and it was brutally stiff, but OMG did it handle!
We all know the C4 was one of the best handling cars of it's time. I think in 90 it was the best handling production car in the world. With him.....it's a Cadillac even though we see it cornering flat.
Cool review. I drove the car in 1989 and ultimately purchased the 1995-ZR1 - same color
Thank you for being here with us today, sir! :)
Hey Matt
So i've been watching your videos for about 5 years now, it's been an amaizing journey, started back in high school, that audi dealership was the MVP :D And still enjoying it now at uni, thank you sir :D
As you learned, I learned, thank you for providing great contect for the whole time man, i love that you are still doing it, even thought your ass is a bit more experienced now and not as amused easily as you were before. But this video has me laughing so hard I had to post this man so I hope it gets to you. Watching the start you're cocky and in the 911 mode, and I loved how the car brought you back into the "holly shit this is fun, i'm enjoying this" hahaha every lap flashing lights harder, then at 14:50 enjoying the car, then the powerhouse face through 2 gears, and that "weeee" and then immediately after the face of freaking horror hahahaha will I make it?
Sorry for the illiterate commment man, but it's from the heart.
I really enjoy your content, keep it coming good sir!
Best regards
Luke
P.s: How's that 911 doing? I think she deserves some detailing :P
He pretty much just described my Syclone, another low reving GM torque monster from that era.
Had to revisit this one. Still so good
That thing sounds absolutely amazing.
This is so awesome, the torque pull must be insane
That same car (1988) with the Z51 suspension option would have erased EVERY single bad thing you said in this video... quite honestly, that was like watching my 16 year old niece driving... very hard to watch
C4 Corvettes were so dominant in Showroom Stock Racing , that the SCCA eventually made them race in there own class
I owned this car at one time. (#12) I loved it. Looks like some improvements since I had it. I also have an 89 convertible. The Callaway handled a lot better than the convertible, and had better brakes. It was great to see it on a racetrack. Looks like a lot of fun. Aaron, enjoy it.
Dave when did you own that...I had out of the box...sold it in 12
Love my 2008 atomic orange Callaway. She goes!
One of my favorite episodes you’ve ever done
These things are so damn cool. For those of us who grew up in the 80s these were cool. Even has the wheels and paint job. Really cool review, you can see Matt getting into it and making the car dance towards the end
I lived in Houston and DFW area and I can say I've seen the best C4s here in DFW only place I see real C4 grand sports when I was a child in the 90s
I really enjoyed this video. You drove someone else's car like pro that actually CARED. A huge credit when you mentioned the braking and barely making the corner, I could not tell on my phone or my monitor. Well done. I just bought an L89 C4 and I just hit the subscribe link. Stay cool
Extra points for the mk1 mr2 shirt!
Sam Kwant oh, I've got the whole car to go with it. Haha.
ATS Racing nice haha, absolutely love those cars! Will it be in an upcoming onetake?
Sam Kwant unfortunately no.
My dad who runs a vintage car dealership just imported a 87' C4 Callaway TT (car number #23), what an awesome car! Really cool to see one featured with some good driving driving footage on a large channel like this! Keep it up Matt ;)
So much torque that I can feel it while watching on my smartphone!
These guys helped me put a 20G turbo on my MR2 back in the day!
Yes a true legend indeed.
Really lovely machine!
Woah out of years of watching you this is the first time I'm this early and noticing. Cool car finally some c4 love don't know why much people don't like the looks.
Anthony Sanchez me too
Matt was seriously having a good time. Fun to watch.
Super American 80s icon,
These will stomp their contemporaries
This does exactly what you imagine a HotWheels car can do, and from Matt's on-board, just as fun as one.
Well done, Callaway.
Great vid guys. We've been trying to guess how the reactions would be and couldn't have been more fun to watch. Well played.
Got a good laugh out of you almost overshooting the corner. That thing is a rocket ship at crazy low revs. Strange car now I want one
*THE C4!!!*
Shakalkg who cares
What a crazy car! It's like a time capsule! It looks good on the track from the outside shots.
L98 engine could not past 5000 rpm If I'm not wrong, I remember the first time I saw a C4 Corvette in my country, I was 15 or 16 years old (I'm 46 now), I thought it was the coolest car. That digital cluster was awesome. I think that Corvette was an automatic. Great memories. Thanks Matt for making me remember that moment!
Take that restricted tune port intake off and that thing will fly. I would use the TPIS mini ram or the Holley stealth ram and you will see the rpm range around 6700 and up.
this era of 'vette was known for its stiff spring rates. my buddy's dad had one (forgot the year) and while driving on a back road i hit some washboards and in a split second had bounced into the opposite lane. but on smooth surfaces she was like a go-kart.
4am west coast time. no better time then the present!
The excitement is through the roof with this video. 🤥
Been a fan of all things Callaway since when I was kid.
The car has a 3 digit speed under the 85 mph one.
Yeah, I don’t know why he keeps saying he doesn’t know how fast he’s going!! The digital readout is RIGHT THERE next to the bars!
If anyone is reading this around this time frame, THIS CAR (#012) is for sale on Bring a Trailer. So fucking cool.
Matt, you have the best job in the world.
Okay this is an excellent episode! Really interesting corvette that I didn’t know about and the owner is a real cool guy as well
Really like the fact you are on a race track with street cars! You can push them quite a bit more than on the streets, and makes for a good video👍🏼
VETTE! Dos game nostalgia - Stock, ZR-1, Callaway Twin Turbo, Sledgehammer vs 928, Countach, Testarossa, F40
This review made me laugh. Looks like you had a great time. I'm really starting to like the C4s that my younger self made fun of.
My C4 had a 383 and was no joke, terrified the mechanic when he floored it at 70 and it violently spun the tires.
Aaron does have a crazy car collection, cant wait for the turbo ferrari video.
After 2 warm up laps he's actually moving pretty well on the track!
The C4 ZR1 and the C4 Callaway Cars especially the Lingenfelter 415 and 415 Twin Turbo ZR1's will be the next good money investment cars i think. I don't see the Syclone and Typhoons getting big money but the rare C4's will I believe.
I remember going to his shop when i was like 16ish he had a VW GTI too lusted over that car! It's good that he's still in bussiness.
I love these guys. Great stop in Texas, Matt!
Perfectly used looking car, fantastic example
Can't believe this is on.here. never been so excited!!
so fast..they also had one called a sledge hammer that was super fast.Also the lingenfelter from like later on around 2001 ish I wanna say..some crazy vettes out their..I consider the zr1 to be special hyper vettes to zr1 are more special then people think.Cant wait to see the 2019 in person.Nice vid matt love Callaway they have crazy ideas lol
Callaway made me love Corvettes, especially the C4 aerobody. FINALLY we have Callaway racing in Pirelli World Challenge with the Corvette GT3 THIS YEAR!!! I'd LOVE to get one of these Callaway B2k cars for sure. I'm on my 7th Corvette so far...I'll get one.
Revisiting this comment...I just bought one in Chula Vista, Ca! Picking it up this week. 5yrs later!!! I GOT IT.
what a sick car, love the look of it
I remember when the Callaway Corvettes came out. I really liked them then. They haven't aged well though. I remember Bobby Rahal tested one for a magazine (Road & Track I believe) back in the day and blew the motor on it. I met Pete Callaway when there was Callaway Cars West in Tustin, California. He was a nice guy. It's a shame Callaway aren't doing as well as they had hoped.
Quiet power and torque. Love it.
At 15:10 he quickly goes from “weeee” to “oh fuck!” 😆
Gotta love that horsepower to torque ratio.
This is the ultimate 80s Miami Beach Bar Owner's car wearing a nice golden Rolex :D
Zacapa Havana that'd be a countach
countach would be the unserious businessman, callaway is the real fat fucked up bar owner :D
Ive got a 540hp LT1 94 C4 Corvette from Lingenfelter for an engine rebuild in the shop. I love these cars they dont get a lot of love but they are pretty badass.
Matt, I know this is 4yrs later, but imagine what coilovers, brakes, sway bars, exhaust, some frame bracing, and a transmission swap would do for this thing...... and then realize that you can pick these up for under 30k typically, in your flavor of coupe or convertible lol.
There was a guy who owned a bright yellow convertible Callaway TT Vette over black leather across the street from me when I lived in Largo Florida, he used to drive it almost daily, the only thing, he NEVER ever once put his foot in it 😑 he drove it so damn slow it was utterly ridiculous, he would putter everywhere at like 25mph.....it was spotless, but how could you not drive the car like it was meant to? 🤣
Not gonna lie this car's exterior still looks good ! I really like it .
That interior though lol 🤣.
I'll take a new lt4 in this c4 .
Great classic video
This was the summit of stupendous when it was new, eclipsed only by a Ruf. Then Callaway did the insane Sledgehammer for his own firm without GM's constraints and for a moment in time we wondered what would happen if there were a production version of that 254mph monstrosity...