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| Reeves Callaway with engine creation and driving in his Formula Vee (the one in the bottom of the background picture over Reeves' shoulder). Image Credit: Callaway Cars FB/META (2023) |
Ely Reeves Callaway III Leaves Behind A Legacy Second To None In Business,
Culture, & Competition
Preferring to use his given second name as his first, Reeves (Ely Reeves
Callaway III) Callaway succumbed to injuries he had sustained in a fall on
Tuesday, July 11 - he was at his home in Newport Beach California and was 75
years old.
Many observing from the outside would say, "With a name like Callaway, this
guy had it made from the very beginning. A privilege beyond belief." This is
understandable since many are familiar with the name Callaway from the worlds
of competition in Wine and Golf. Both of these notable achievements of his
textile businessman father, Ely Reeves Callaway Jr. (June 3, 1919 - July 6,
2001 at 82).
The actual privilege for Reeves Callaway, from the beginning, was being born
with a sense of purpose and a self-taught mechanical wit. He was a person
captured by motor culture and racing early in life where he was able to
learn how to drive a race car to secure championships in racing Formula Vee
on the East Coast of the United States.
Not having the resources to pursue a career in racing, Reeves decided to
teach others how to drive fast and efficient by being hired by Bob
Bondurant's racing school. While using the newly launched BMW 320i as a
school car, Reeves became familiar with its intricacies and deficiencies of
the German design, and later convinced BMW to let him take one of its cars
to his garage in Old Lyme, Connecticut, to tune it for more power. As is
said ... "the rest is history."
This from Callaway Cars -
This excerpted and edited from Golf Digest -
Ely Callaway’s son Reeves, founder of Callaway Cars, dies at 75
By Matthew Rudy - July 14, 2023
The Callaway name is ubiquitous in golf, but in a certain part of the
automotive world it means something completely different and unrelated.
Reeves Callaway - son of Callaway founder Ely - started Callaway Cars in
1977 and became one of the most respected builders of powerful and
highly-modified Corvettes, Range Rovers and other models for customers who
spent most of their time in the passing lane. Callaway Cars announced
Friday that Ely Reeves Callaway III passed away July 11 after a fall at
his home in Newport Beach, Calif. He was 75.
Callaway Cars started as a response to the first wave of heavily de-tuned
"emissions-era" cars of the mid-1970s. By the mid-1980s, Callaway was
putting highly engineered turbo kits into Corvettes and turning them into
monsters hidden behind relatively stock looking exteriors. His twin-turbo
"Sledgehammer" Corvette set the world street legal speed record of 254
miles per hour in 1988 and held it for more than 20 years.
Callaway's version of the 1999 Range Rover 4.6 HSE had a modified engine
and drivetrain, and the 220 limited edition SUVs sold for an eye-watering
(at the time) $75,000. His company currently offers modified versions of
Chevrolet models ranging from the Corvette, trucks to SUVS like the
Silverado and Tahoe.
Callaway's pioneering work with high-performance materials like carbon
fiber were influential in Callaway Golf's research and development, and in
recent years he served as a founding advisor for a start-up developing a
blended-wing aircraft for NASA and the Air Force.
World Long Drive champion Kyle Berkshire might use a Callaway driver, but
Reeves Callaway was the fastest Callaway on Earth.
What was most impressive in being around the presence of Reeves as he lived
his life was his general joy in being around folks who appreciated
competitive pursuits in motor sports and motor culture in general. A
gentleman in most every way.
As noted by Callaway Cars, Inc, in their announcement of Ely Reeves Callaway
III (Nov 22, 1947 - July 11, 2023 at 75) presence leaving us to continue
>>>
The first son of Ely Reeves Callaway, Jr., the founder of Callaway Golf,
and brother of publisher Nicholas Callaway, Reeves proudly epitomized the
entrepreneurial Callaway family tradition of making the finest goods that
enhance an individual's enjoyment, performance and lifestyle.
A true gentleman, he was the devoted father of four and grandfather of
two.
His large circle of friends, colleagues and admirers around the world will
mourn his passing and miss him deeply.
For inquiries, please e-mail: info@callawaycars.com
... notes from
The EDJE
FEATURED ARTICLE >>>
TAGS:
Ely Reeves Callaway III, Callaway Cars, NASA, BMW, Corvette, GM,
Reeves, Motor Press Guild, The Sledgehammer, Alfa Romeo,
Aston Martin, Land Rover, Mazda, The EDJE
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