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Corvette MY 1987

Twin-Turbo Time

Sales remained over 30,000 with a base price of less than $30,000 for the coupe and $33,172 for the convertible.   As in MY 1986, the convertible accounted for more than half of the Corvettes sold.   The exclamation point in the year was provided by the introduction of a Callaway Twin-Turbo option, B2K.

 

RPO#

DESCRIPTION

QUANTITY

$ RETAIL

1YY07

Base Corvette Sport Coupe

20,007

27,999

1YY67

Base Corvette Convertible

10,625

33,172

AR9

Base Seats - Leather

14,579

400

AQ9

Sport Seats - Leather

14,119

1,025

AC3

Power Driver Seat

29,561

240

AC1

Power Passenger Seat

17,124

240

AU3

Power Door Locks

29,748

190

B2K

Callaway Twin-Turbo

184

19,995

B4P

Radiator Boost Fan

7,291

75

C2L

Dual Removable Roof Panels (coupe)

5,017

915

24S

Removable Roof Panel, blue tint (coupe)

8,883

615

64S

Removable Roof Panel, bronze tint (coupe)

5,766

615

C68

Air Conditioning, Electronic Control

20,875

150

DL8

Twin Remote Heated Mirrors (convertible)

6,840

35

D74

Illuminated Driver Vanity Mirror

14,992

58

D84

Two Tone Paint (coupe)

1,361

428

FG3

Delco-Bilstein Shock Absorbers

1,957

189

G92

Performance Axle Ratio

7,285

22

KC4

Engine Oil Cooler

6,679

110

K34

Cruise Control

29,594

185

MM4

4-Speed Manual Transmission

4,229

0

NN5

California Emission Requirements

5,423

99

UL5

Radio Delete

247

-256

UU8

Stereo System, Delco-Bose

27,721

905

VO1

Heavy Duty Radiator

7,871

40

Z51

Performance Handling Package (coupe)

1,596

795

Z52

Sport Handling Package

12,662

470

Z6A

Rear Window/Side Mirror Defogger (coupe)

19,043

165

For the fourth straight year in the C4 generation, Bright Red was the top exterior color choice.  White followed, then Black.  Other available colors included Medium Blue Metallic, Dark Blue Metallic, Dark Red Metallic (shown here), Gray Metallic and Charcoal Metallic.   Interior colors included White Leather, Black Cloth, Black Leather, Saddle Cloth, Saddle Leather, Red Leather and Gray Leather.  The Black Leather interior was chosen by 3,747 owners, the leading choice.   If you purchased one of the 7,047 convertibles, you more than likely chose a black ragtop.  White and saddle followed in popularity.

CODE

EXTERIOR COLOR

QUANTITY

13

Silver Metallic

767

18

Medium Gray Metallic

1,035

20

Medium Blue Metallic

2,677

35

Yellow

1,051

40

White

3,097

41

Black

5,101

53

Gold Metallic

397

59

Silver Beige Metallic

950

66

Copper Metallic

87

69

Medium Brown Metallic

245

74

Dark Red Metallic

5,578

81

Bright Red

8,285

13/18

Silver/Gray

403

18/41

Gray/Black

316

40/13

White/Silver

195

59/69

Silver Beige/Medium Brown

447

 

CODE

INTERIOR COLOR

12C

Graphite Cloth

122

Graphite Leather

15C

Medium Gray Cloth

152

Medium Gray Leather

21C

Blue Cloth

212

Blue Leather

62C

Saddle Cloth

622

Saddle Leather

65C

Bronze Cloth

652

Bronze Leather

732

Red Leather

Friction reduction from roller valve lifters (new for 1987) resulted in a power increase to 240hp, up 5 hp from 1986's aluminum-head engines.    Changes in the wheels occurred with the center sections and radial slots of 1987 wheels painted argent gray.   Centers and radial slots for 1984 and 1985 were painted black, while 1986 wheel centers were not painted.

Over 1300 owners seeking performance, albeit a slight performance increase, paid $1,295 for the Z51 Performance Handling Package.  The Z51 option provided P275/40ZR15 Z-rated tires on 17" wheels, heavy-duty suspension, fast-ratio steering, larger front rotors and calipers, a radiator boost fan, a finned power-steering cooler, Delco-Bilstein shocks, an engine oil cooler, and higher rate springs.   Chevrolet planned an RPO UJ6 low tire pressure indicator option, but the $325 option was on constraint during 1987 due to false signaling problems. However, Chevrolet records show forty-six units sold.  

A new RPO Z52 "sport" handling package combined elements of ZS 1 with the softer suspension of base models. The RPO Z52 package was refined to include structural enhancements developed for the convertible, and a finned power steering fluid cooler.   RPO Z52 also included the radiator boost fan, Bilstein shock absorbers, engine oil cooler, heavy-duty radiator, l6x9.5-inch wheels, faster 13:1 steering ratio, larger front stabilizer bar (except early production), and the convertible-inspired structural improvements for coupes.   Z52 was available with coupes or convertibles, automatic or manual transmissions.  

The overdrive-engage light was moved from the center-dash area (1984-86) to an easier-to-view location within the 1987 tach display.   Electronic air conditioning control (RPO C68) became an available option for coupes and convertibles in 1987; in 1986, it was coupe-only.   New 1987 convenience options included and illuminated vanity mirror (D74) for the driver's visor, and a passenger-side power seat base (AC 1). Twin remote heated mirrors became available for convertibles as RPO DL8. The heated mirrors were included with the heated rear window in the RPO Z6A defogger option for coupes.   Convertibles and early coupes had outside mirror air deflectors.  

The Callaway Twin-Turbo engine package introduced in 1987 was not a factory-installed option, but could be ordered through participating Chevrolet dealers as RPO B2K, adding $19.995 to the price.  (The Callaway required the Z51 Handling Package.)   Fully assembled Corvettes were shipped from the Bowling Green Corvette plant to Callaway Engineering in Old Lyme, Connecticut, for engine and other modifications.   The 1987 Callaway had ratings of 345hp and 465 lbs.-ft torque, and reached a top speed of 177.9 mph with .60 overdrive gearing.   The first four 1987 Callaways used replacement LFS (truck) shortblocks, but subsequent cars had reworked production Corvette engines.  

All 1987 Callaways had manual transmissions, though not an official option, two of the 1987’s were equipped with automatic transmissions.   None were certified for California sale. Of 184 twin-turbos built in 1987, 121 were coupes, 63 were convertibles.   167 cars were ordered with RPO B2K, while Callaway records show 188 cars constructed.   You may have also seen the number of cars built listed as 184 (121 Coupes & 63 convertibles) however, four more cars were produced bringing the overall total to 188 Callaway Twin Turbo's for 1987 (123 coupes and 65 convertibles.

The L98 350 engine was blueprinted and balanced.   Roto Master 1H1 RHB52 twin turbos nested on both sides of the engine, and an air-to-air intercooling system was used.   Special parts to accommodate the demands of the turbo installation replaced many stock parts, including; Cosworth 7.5:1 forged pistons, a high-output Melling oil pump, an auxiliary solid-state fuel enrichment system, and a heavy-duty brass and copper radiator.   Hood mounted NACA ducts were considered, but it was found that ducting from under the front of the car worked better.

The only visual change on the car was the elimination of the heavy stock wheels and the use of 17-inch, 9.5-inch wide light-alloy Dymag wheels and 275/40ZR Goodyear Eagle tires.   For the most part, the new Callaways wore the factory wheels, while two different Dymag Magnesium wheels were offered during the model year run. The early Dymags were 16” wheels in a dark graphite finish with the late Dymags, 17” wheels in silver. These were the Dymags that became standard in 1988 on the Callaway Corvette.  

The extra goodies on the Callaway added up to 100 pounds resulting in a Callaway weighing up to 3600 pounds. But with an additional 105 horsepower, who cared?

 

 

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