Reeves Callaway, founder of Callaway Cars and a legend in the Corvette world, has died. Callaway Cars confirmed in an email that he passed on Tuesday after injuries sustained in a fall in his Newport Beach, California home. He was 75.

Ely “Reeves” Callaway III was born in November 1947 in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania and raised in Darien, Connecticut. His father, Ely Callaway, founded the Callaway golf company, one of the world’s premiere manufacturers of golf clubs. He raced go-karts as a kid, and in 1973, won the SCCA Formula Vee championship. By 1976 he was an instructor at the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving.

After his professional racing career didn’t pan out, he turned his attention to modifying cars. His first product, a turbocharger kit for the E21-generation BMW 320i, generated enough interest to lead Callaway to start Callaway Cars from his garage in Old Lyme, Connecticut in 1977. Soon, he began offering performance kits for other cars.

Corvette Legend Reeves Callaway Dead at 75

Callaway Cars

“We don’t call ourselves a tuner,” Callaway told Road & Track in a 2017 interview. “A tuner takes an aggregate of parts that already exists, bolts them on the automobile, and calls it a customization. Everything we make is made specifically for the car. And we manufacture it ourselves.”

Quickly, his work attracted attention from major automakers. Alfa Romeo was the first, commissioning a turbocharger kit for the GTV6 that debuted in 1983, then it was GM. Callaway developed a twin-turbo kit for the Chevrolet Corvette, which became available through Chevy dealerships in 1987. At the time, a standard Corvette offered 240 horsepower; Callaway’s twin-turbo Corvette upped that to 382 horsepower, making it one of the most powerful cars on sale at the time.

Corvette Legend Reeves Callaway Dead at 75

The 254.76-mph Callaway Sledgehammer

Callaway Cars

Ever faster Corvettes followed, perhaps the most famous being the Sledgehammer, a C4 Corvette with low-drag aerodynamic bodywork and an 898-hp twin-turbo V-8. The Sledgehammer hit a top speed of 254.76 mph and forever linked Reeves Callaway and the Chevrolet Corvette.

Corvette Legend Reeves Callaway Dead at 75

DW Burnett

While Callaway Cars worked with many other automakers, Aston Martin, and Land Rover among them, its strongest association was with the Corvette. Callaway also built Corvette race cars, starting with the SuperNatural that made appearances at Le Mans in 1994 and 1995, finishing 2nd and 3rd in that year’s GT2 field, and culminating in a GT3 racing version of the C7 Corvette that still races globally to this day. A notable recent highlight was the C7 Corvette AeroWagon, which featured a body kit that turned the coupe into a stylish shooting brake. Today, Callaway Cars’ offerings consist of upgrade packages for a variety of GM vehicles, including a supercharger kit for the new C8 Corvette.

Corvette Legend Reeves Callaway Dead at 75

Callaway Cars

“Thanks to Reeves’ visionary entrepreneurial spirit, Callaway Cars will continue to innovate and grow in the 21st century, inspired by his unique, extraordinary vision, and by his personal example of integrity, resourcefulness, and leadership as our founder,” said his son Peter Callaway, Callaway Cars President, in a statement. “Dad’s passion for making beautifully designed and crafted machines can be seen in each and every project, and we remain devoted to executing to the highest standards, in true Callaway fashion. He was rarely found doing anything other than working towards the next milestone for the company. He was a charismatic leader with a sense of humor that we will all remember through various ‘Reeves-isms.’ I feel fortunate to have grown up working with him and the company.”

He is survived by four children and two grandchildren.

Chris PerkinsSenior Reporter

A car enthusiast since childhood, Chris Perkins is Road & Track’s engineering nerd and Porsche apologist. He joined the staff in 2016 and no one has figured out a way to fire him since. He street-parks a Porsche Boxster in Brooklyn, New York, much to the horror of everyone who sees the car, not least the author himself. He also insists he’s not a convertible person, despite owning three.

Keyword: Corvette Legend Reeves Callaway Dead at 75

CAR'S NEWS RELATED

LT7 Turbo Engine Appears in GM Parts Catalog. Is It For The Corvette ZR1?

A different gearbox is also listed.

View more: LT7 Turbo Engine Appears in GM Parts Catalog. Is It For The Corvette ZR1?

Classic Corvette, Jaguar E-Type Look Beat Up But Salvageable In UK Barn Find

2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1: Everything We Know

It should be the most powerful production Corvette ever. For a little while, anyway.

View more: 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1: Everything We Know

See Four Chevy Corvette ZR1 Prototypes In Action At The Nürburgring

We rarely see prototypes with a US license plate testing at the Green Hell.

View more: See Four Chevy Corvette ZR1 Prototypes In Action At The Nürburgring

Chevy Corvette Z06 Sounds Wicked At Full-Throttle On Hennessey's Dyno

The engine makes the maximum horsepower near redline and makes an amazing noise there.

View more: Chevy Corvette Z06 Sounds Wicked At Full-Throttle On Hennessey's Dyno

Another DeLorean Successor Planned With Chevy Corvette C8 Bones: Report

It will have nothing in common with the Alpha5 unveiled last year.

View more: Another DeLorean Successor Planned With Chevy Corvette C8 Bones: Report

2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Convertible First Drive Review: Hot Tamale

The mid-engined Corvette goes exotic with a 670-horsepower flat-plane V8.

View more: 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Convertible First Drive Review: Hot Tamale

Listen To A 2000 Chevy Corvette Rumble Its Way To 172 MPH On Autobahn

The sleek C5 has an upgraded exhaust, though the 5.7-liter V8 is likely still under 400 horsepower.

View more: Listen To A 2000 Chevy Corvette Rumble Its Way To 172 MPH On Autobahn

2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray First Drive Review: Electrifying In Every Way

The Corvette E-Ray Is The Half-Price American Answer To Porsche's 911 Turbo S

2025 Corvette ZR1 Is Loud And Quick In Nürburgring Spy Video

‘The start of a bittersweet weekend’ – Taylor on his final race with Corvette Racing

BMW X2 and iX2, Jaguar F-Type ZP Edition, Audi SQ8, Chevy Corvette ZR1, Subaru WRX TR: Rambling About Cars 145

Chevy Corvette ZR1 Drops Heavy Camo As Development Moves To Nurburgring

2023 Corvette Z06 Deliveries Delayed Amidst Parts Shortages

Million-Dollar Barn Find Uncovers Classic Corvettes With Less Than 100 Miles

Hear Chevy Corvette ZR1 Engine Idle In Spy Video At Gas Station

Chevy Silverado Crushes C8 Corvette In Crazy Crash, Everyone Walks Away

Dealership Drops, Smashes Brand New Corvette Z06 Before Delivery

Watch 1,000-HP Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Drag Race Stock Corvette Z06

OTHER CAR NEWS

; Top List in the World https://www.pinterest.com/newstopcar/pins/
Top Best Sushi Restaurants in SeoulTop Best Caribbean HoneymoonsTop Most Beautiful Islands in PeruTop Best Outdoor Grill BrandsTop Best Global Seafood RestaurantsTop Foods to Boost Your Immune SystemTop Best Foods to Fight HemorrhoidsTop Foods That Pack More Potassium Than a BananaTop Best Healthy Foods to Gain Weight FastTop Best Cosmetic Brands in the U.STop Best Destinations for Food Lovers in EuropeTop Best Foods High in Vitamin ATop Best Foods to Lower Your Blood SugarTop Best Things to Do in LouisianaTop Best Cities to Visit in New YorkTop Best Makeup Addresses In PennsylvaniaTop Reasons to Visit NorwayTop Most Beautiful Islands In The WorldTop Best Law Universities in the WorldTop Richest Sportsmen In The WorldTop Biggest Aquariums In The WorldTop Best Peruvian Restaurants In MiamiTop Best Road Trips From MiamiTop Best Places to Visit in MarylandTop Best Places to Visit in North CarolinaTop Best Electric Cars For KidsTop Best Swedish Brands in The USTop Best Skincare Brands in AmericaTop Best American Lipstick BrandsTop Michelin-starred Restaurants in MiamiTop Best Secluded Getaways From MiamiTop Best Things To Do On A Rainy Day In MiamiTop Most Instagrammable Places In MiamiTop Interesting Facts about FlorenceTop Facts About The First Roman Emperor - AugustusTop Best Japanese FoodsTop Most Beautiful Historical Sites in IsraelTop Best Places To Visit In Holy SeeTop Best Hawaiian IslandsTop Reasons to Visit PortugalTop Best Hotels In L.A. With Free Wi-FiTop Best Scenic Drives in MiamiTop Best Vegan Restaurants in BerlinTop Most Interesting Attractions In WalesTop Health Benefits of a Vegan DietTop Best Thai Restaurant in Las VegasTop Most Beautiful Forests in SwitzerlandTop Best Global Universities in GermanyTop Most Beautiful Lakes in GuyanaTop Best Things To Do in IdahoTop Things to Know Before Traveling to North MacedoniaTop Best German Sunglasses BrandsTop Highest Mountains In FranceTop Biggest Hydroelectric Plants in AmericaTop Best Spa Hotels in NYCTop The World's Scariest BridgeTop Largest Hotels In AmericaTop Most Famous Festivals in JordanTop Best European Restaurants in MunichTop Best Japanese Hiking Boot BrandsTop Best Universities in PolandTop Best Tips for Surfing the Web Safely and AnonymouslyTop Most Valuable Football Clubs in EuropeTop Highest Mountains In ColombiaTop Real-Life Characters of Texas RisingTop Best Beaches in GuatelamaTop Things About DR Congo You Should KnowTop Best Korean Reality & Variety ShowsTop Best RockstarsTop Most Beautiful Waterfalls in GermanyTop Best Fountain Pen Ink BrandsTop Best European Restaurants in ChicagoTop Best Fighter Jets in the WorldTop Best Three-Wheel MotorcyclesTop Most Beautiful Lakes in ManitobaTop Best Dive Sites in VenezuelaTop Best Websites For Art StudentsTop Best Japanese Instant Noodle BrandsTop Best Comedy Manhwa (Webtoons)Top Best Japanese Sunglasses BrandsTop Most Expensive Air Jordan SneakersTop Health Benefits of CucumberTop Famous Universities in SwedenTop Most Popular Films Starring Jo Jung-sukTop Interesting Facts about CougarsTop Best Hospitals for Hip Replacement in the USATop Most Expensive DefendersTop Health Benefits of GooseberriesTop Health Benefits of ParsnipsTop Best Foods and Drinks in LondonTop Health Benefits of Rosehip TeaTop Best Air Fryers for Low-fat CookingTop Most Asked Teacher Interview Questions with AnswersTop Best Shopping Malls in ZurichTop The Most Beautiful Botanical Gardens In L.A.Top Best Mexican Restaurants in Miami for Carb-loading rightTop Best Energy Companies in GermanyTop Best Garage HeatersTop Largest Banks in IrelandTop Leading Provider - Audit and Assurance In The USTop Best Jewelry Brands in IndiaTop Prettiest Streets in the UKTop Best Lakes to Visit in TunisiaTop Highest Mountains in Israel