corvettes of fresno - Description: Description: Description ...

Oh, and one more thing: Cauley augmented the exterior with Specter Werkes/Sports’ Group 6 package,
which includes a new front fascia and rocker-panel extensions. Specter also contributed a yellow accent on the
steering wheel, as well as suede trim on the wheel, shifter boot and parking-brake boot. This car is nothing if
not exclusive, and it’s also fast and refined.
Positive Displacement
At the heart of Callaway’s power-adding package is an Eaton-based MagnaCharger intercooled
supercharger system. It’s fed by 53-lb/hr injectors and features a polished blower case, along with an airto-water
intercooler. The setup makes about 7 pounds of boost, bumping the 6.2-liter LS3 engine’s output
from 436 to 580 horses, and 428 to 510 lbs-ft of torque.
Also part of the basic Callaway SC580 package are fuel-rail covers, a cold-air-style intake system,
Callaway’s Double-D exhaust and a “power bulge” hood—the same design found on the company’s C16
model—which was fitted because the blower doesn’t fit under the stock unit.
Adding the Callaway hood presented a quandary during the final assembly of this car because it
meant ditching the stock piece with its special graphics—graphics that wouldn’t fit the contours of the
bulged one. Cauley Chevrolet addressed the issue by painting the Callaway hood to match the GT1
graphics, including the subtle “Jake” logo. It’s all paint, too, whereas the factory GT1 graphics are laid on
as a large decal.
Though the car was fitted with Dymag nine-spoke “Hyper Black” wheels, the suspension was left
untouched, as were the tires and brakes. Callaway offers a brake-upgrade package, something that’s
probably worth having on a car with nearly 600 horsepower.
Cauley’s painters were just finishing up the final details on the car when Jerry Hubbuch wandered into
the dealership. He wasn’t necessarily looking for a new Corvette, let alone a Callaway-ized GT1, but he
was quickly bowled over by the unique specimen.
“When I saw the yellow on the hood and the way it contrasted with the rest of the car’s black paint, I
just absolutely fell in love with the car,” says Hubbuch. “I wanted it right then and there. Corvette
enthusiasts are always looking for something unique or different, and this is it.”
Behind the Wheel
Hubbuch was kind enough to give us some seat time in his unique Corvette, and we were
immediately impressed. The MagnaCharger blower brings all the attributes of a positive-displacement
supercharger, not the least of which is that it makes boost at all rpm levels—even during idle. We
detected no flat spots in the performance of this Callaway-tuned LS3. The power comes on
immediately and the engine pulls strongly past 6,000 rpm. If a plateau exists in this V8’s performance,
it’s at a place on the speedometer where most drivers will spend little extended time.
The supercharger’s refinement was also appreciated. Though it can annihilate the rear tires on
command, it also delivers excellent low- and mid-range power when driven judiciously. A lot of the
credit for this goes to spot-on engine mapping. The engine displayed no hiccups, bogging or
hesitation; it started, idled and ran like a factory-stock powerplant. This is also partly due to the fact
that, save for a Callaway short-shift kit, the drivetrain is unaltered. The car is one refined cruiser.
There’s a notable aural cue from the supercharger—a mechanical whir that’s audible at start-up
and under hard acceleration—but it’s a sound that hits the sweet spot in the psyche of enthusiasts.
Callaway claims that SC580-equipped Corvettes can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 3.7
seconds, run through the quarter mile in 11.3 seconds and hit a 200-mph top speed. We couldn’t
verify those numbers with instrumented testing, but after driving the car we have no reason to
question them.
Not surprisingly, the Corvette rides and handles essentially the same as a stock, Z51-equipped
convertible. The Goodyear Eagle F1 tires are commendably grippy, without being too hard or noisy
on the street, and the car stops authoritatively—the stock brakes seem up to the task.
The collector status of this car is all but assured, though we suspect Hubbuch will have a hard
time keeping the miles off it. With a supercharged LS3 engine under the hood and the easy drivability
of a V6 Malibu, this Corvettes is as enticing as a free pit pass at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
When all the numbers are juggled with this rare Corvette, they all boil down to one: a one-of-one
GT1.