My fever began back at the 2006 LA Auto Show, what a spectacular car the
Callaway C16 is. I remember telling Reeves, next year god willing, I'll
get to order one. A few months later (April 2007) while
spending time with great friends at the National Corvette Museum C4
gathering, my fever
intensified when I set my eyes on the Callaway C16 Cabrio. A
rationalization process began in my brain... why do I work so
hard? and most
importantly what am I going to do to when the warranty on my XKR is up
next year? Then it all started to fit together. I hear that GM ups the
ante for the 2008 Corvette with the LS3, an extra 30 HP base engine. So
I make up my mind, I'm getting a new 2008 C6 Corvette, but to what
extent do I go? Do I just get a stock C6 or do I Supercharge it and
make it a Callaway Corvette? or can I go
the extra mile and get a full Callaway C16? If I go with the C16 should
I get a custom color to match my C4 Callaway Twin Turbo and get it
in Turquoise Metallic
(one of my favorite colors)? or perhaps a Candy Apple Red? Hmm...
decisions, decisions.
Now it is early June.So my plan begins with making things right at home first (learned that lesson before). But it will cost me... and big. Time to spring for yet another new car and trade our Audi TT for a new fully loaded MINI Cooper S convertible all tricked out with everything and the works, the JCW Works package that is. It adds up fast. After that is out of the way, I then have a green light at home to go with the new 2008 Corvette. After seeing the new colors for 2008, I decide that the new Crystal Red Tintcoat Metallic is close enough to the Candy Apple Red I was thinking about.
Now it is early June.So my plan begins with making things right at home first (learned that lesson before). But it will cost me... and big. Time to spring for yet another new car and trade our Audi TT for a new fully loaded MINI Cooper S convertible all tricked out with everything and the works, the JCW Works package that is. It adds up fast. After that is out of the way, I then have a green light at home to go with the new 2008 Corvette. After seeing the new colors for 2008, I decide that the new Crystal Red Tintcoat Metallic is close enough to the Candy Apple Red I was thinking about.
| Back in May I had started asking question
at my local GM dealer
(Maroone) which is part of a huge dealer network and specifically
talking with their inventory manager. They
had just placed their last 2007 Corvette order. The inventory manager
promised to call me in 3
weeks when they were ready to place their first 2008 order (June 8th)
and he does -
very good people, I must say. Then there's a snag... he tells me that
the new color Crystal Red Metallic Tintcoat is in
allocation, there will be only 18 available slots nationwide and
at the moment
and he is not slated for one yet. Despite that,
I put a deposit down for a 2008 Crystal
Red Tintcoat Metallic Corvette Coupe with Black interior, 3LT, dual
tops, navigation,
Z51, Automatic, awaiting an allocation slot and not knowing when the
order will be finally placed. It felt that the wind had been let out of
my emotional sail. A week and a half later, June 19th. I get a surprise call from Maroone's Inventory Manager. He has a slot for 1 Crystal Red Corvette... do I want it? YES! It has to be ordered that same day. So we get on a conference call between Maroone's Inventory Manager, Callaway's Mike Vendetto and I and get the ship to information (Dealer Code) needed to drop ship the new C6 to Callaway's local dealer and ensure that the car is ordered with the correct Connecticut emmisions so that the feds and GM are happy. The two dealers also talk to each other to make sure they know the new car is comming and make arrangements. I have a Target Production Period of July 23rd-July 30th. Never before has a dealer been so upfront and pleasureable to deal with like Maroone was. July 9th. After discussions back and forth with Reeves about interior color combinations and options, off goes a sizeable deposit to Callaway for C16 conversion. I'm doing it and mine will be the 1st 2008 LS3 based Callaway C16. I'm very excited that things are coming together. It is now August 11th. I get a call from my local dealer. My car was completed Aug 6th. I now need to pay for the car so that it can ship. It is time to clean up my 2000 Jaguar XKR and take her in for trade and pay the balance due. Goodbye XKR, you were a pretty car to look at but a new 2008 Callaway C16 is coming my way. |
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August 15th. I'm at
Pebble Beach for the unveiling of the Callaway C16 Speedster. What a
unique and spectacular looking car. I know that
I'm doing the right thing in going for the C16. Mine will be the first
2008 LS3 based, power TBD but it will exceed the 2007 LS2 Callaway C16
which produces has 616HP.
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At Corvettes at Carlisle (Aug 25th) I get
to confirm the arrival of my Crystal Red C6 Coupe at Callaway. Not much
news but there is a lot of excitement there with the presence of
Tangerina (Callaway C16 #001) which is at the show. I also get to drive
Callaway's 2007 test and development Corvette which is an automatic and
now has the 616HP package. It is one fast car. At Carlisle I also get to see for the first time what the Crystal Red Metallic Tincoat color really looks like because when I ordered my car all I had to go by were pictures on the web. I have always wanted a Candy Apple Red car and this to me was very darn close. I'm in love with it already, Now the summer car show season is almost over and its September. They have had time to look over my new car and the 6.2 Liter 2008 LS3 engine has different dimmensions than its LS2 predecessor so this means that it will require a larger supercharger housing. This means that its going to be a wait and new 2008 Corvettes awaiting the supercharger package start coming in. |
One aspect of the 2008 3LT
Corvette over the previous year's model is
that the center console panel that it has a shiny (fake) carbon fiber
finish. It looks far nicer in my opinion to the silver painted panel
that came in previous years. After much talk at home we decide what we
want. Black Leather with
Charcoal Alacanta Accents and dark Red Stitching, but rather than cover
over
the center console panel with leather as was done with the standard
C16, I would like to keep the fake Carbon Fiber panel.
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Its now October. Specifications for the
2008 C16 package are now in and
Callaway has changed its a-la-carte pricing from 2007. The C16 as an
automobile has been defined
and though the price of the base car seems higher, it includes most of
the optional components (Leather Interior, 10 position independently
adjustable Suspension, Carbon Fiber/Magnesium Dymag Wheels, and LeMans
Brake package) are now included in the base cost of the car. The only
optional components are now custom paint color (House of Kolor), Sport
Bucket Seats, and Matched Luggage.
OFF and ON... I've now heard roumors that my car was Supercharged, and then I heard it was not. Hmm... let them experiment so that the program moves on.
OFF and ON... I've now heard roumors that my car was Supercharged, and then I heard it was not. Hmm... let them experiment so that the program moves on.
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Time continues to pass slowly as the
holidays approach. It's the week before Thanksgiving and the LA Auto
Show is taking place. Luckily I'm nearby and get to swing by and chat
with the man himself, Reeves Callaway. Peter Callaway is also there and
I get to spend the day with them and help them out with setting up
their show space. No news on the status of my car but I am told that
there is now a Test and Develpment car in Old Lyme so they are no
longer using my car for that. I am also told that cars are piling up
awaiting the new, larger model Supercharger. The new 2008 program
brochures are available with the new specs and pricing and are being
passed out at the show and I'm happy that the rendering of what looks
what my car will ultimately look like is on the brochure, website, and
illuminated sign at the show. It makes sense, last year a rendering of
Tangerina (2007 C16 #001) appeared on the website and brochure, now
what looks like a rendering of my car (2008 C16 #001) appears in its
place. I am told however, that the car number sequence will continue
and will not be reset so while my car will be the first, it will not be
numbered car #001. |
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The holidays have now passed. Its 2008.
Last year when I started to
think about the new Corvette I started lurking in some of the other
Corvette Forums on the net. There was a bit of negative slant towards
Callaway and theC16 on those boards and I decided that I was going to
put aside my past prejudices against these sites and begin to
participate which may help change their prejudices. Interestingly,
Callaway is the sponsor of the C6 Technical/Performance sub-forum at
corvetteforum.com and I start to post. Mike Vendetto posted some
beautiful pictures of a new recently completed 2007 Pearl White C16 with a Tan Leather
Interior.
Its the end of January and to my surprise Mike Vendetto posts some amazing numbers from their 2008 Supercharged Callaway Corvette (580HP) racing the quarter mile at Moroso in West Palm Beach about 45 minutes north of me. The new supercharger, the MP122 is on the car. It ran the quarter mile at 11.16 sec at 123.8 MPH. I wish I would have known of the run as I would have loved to have been there. Additionally, I'm told that the new MP122 Superchargers are now in production, they are all polished, and that they are catching up with the backlog of cars sitting in the lot.
Its the end of January and to my surprise Mike Vendetto posts some amazing numbers from their 2008 Supercharged Callaway Corvette (580HP) racing the quarter mile at Moroso in West Palm Beach about 45 minutes north of me. The new supercharger, the MP122 is on the car. It ran the quarter mile at 11.16 sec at 123.8 MPH. I wish I would have known of the run as I would have loved to have been there. Additionally, I'm told that the new MP122 Superchargers are now in production, they are all polished, and that they are catching up with the backlog of cars sitting in the lot.
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March 1st, I hear from Reeves. He is
coming down to the are to visit
some dealers. He is driving the Test & Development car. I get to
spend some time and talk with him and drive the test car.
WOW!.... If that is how fast 580HP is, 650HP will be down right scary. Catching up on the backlog, Mike Vendetto posts pictures of recently completed 2008 Supercharged Callaway Corvettes. It good to see progress. |
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Meanwhile, I'm starting to get anxious. I
have not heard from the shop
specifically about my project since October, only rumours as to what is
going on. When I talked to Reeves, he called and asked that I get
bi-weekly status calls and its been a few weeks since I talked to him
so its time to get an update. In the meantime, a friend drops by the
shop and sends me these pictures of my car in process.
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Today is March 27th. With the opening of
Callaway West, cars are now
being built at both facilities. Obviously Old Lyme has a larger
facility and a larger number of cars backlogged awating supercharger
installations. My C16 is taking a back seat to the Supercharged
Corvettes. Additionally, Callaway West annouces that they have
completed and are in the process of delivering their first 2008
Callaway C16 to World
Class Driving School. While I am
dissappointed that my C16 will not be the first physical 2008 C16, it
does have a lower sequence number as Callaway has chosen not to reset
the car numbers every calendar year. My car is Callaway C16 #008. Had I
shipped my car to Callaway West, it would have been out.
The new estimate delivery date is now sometime in June 2008. We now have regularly scheduled calls about the project.
| April 4th, 2008. Today pictures of a new
2008 Crystal Red Metallic Tintcoat Supercharged Callaway were posted on
the forum. This car has the new darker silver colored hood. I think
this darker colored color on the hood scoop will go better with my
interior color selection of Black Leather C-650 and Charcoal (Real
name Thundercloud) C-645
(which is a dark Gray)
Alcantara inserts with Dark Red Stitching. A good friend has prototyped
what this combination may look lilke though the red colors in the
prototype are lighter than what I expect. |
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| It is now tax day, April 15th. The interior
has been removed and the front and rear body panels are off the car.
The interior will now be inventoried and catalogued in preparation for
its trip to Germany to be recovered. By the end of the week, my
interior color selection choices will be final. In the meantime, the
C16 body panels will be fitted and adjusted several times prior to them
being sent for painting off the car. Needless to say, I am very excited. |
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Today, April 18th, I finalized my interior
color choices. I went with
the colors shown above but I have decided to remain consistent with
other C16's and have the center console's "fake" cabon fiber panel
covered as rendered in the above prototype as it looks very nice.
May 12th. A lot of work has taken place in
the last month. My interior is in Germany being reconfigured to the C16
pattern and having the Deutschleder package (of fine German Leather and
Alcantara) installed. The new steering wheel alone takes about 3.5
labor hours of hand stitching to complete. Meanwhile in CT, the new
body panels have been fitted and aligned on the car. The
Callaway/Eibach suspension has been installed along with the
Callawy/Stoptech brakes. My car will now be shipped for painting. The
panels will be removed, painted, and then reinstalled. Once the engine
is completed and verified, it will meet up with the car and installed.
Here are some fresh pictures:
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