Monster ’65 Corvette Brings the Thunder to the Land Down Under!

Coming into racing later in life, Joe Calleja revived his ’65 Corvette into a 620-horse beast ready to lay the hammer upon Bathurst.

The Corvette is America’s sports car. This much is true. What’s also true, though, is the world has embraced this all-American icon. From the cloudy skies of England to the sunny climes of Australia, wherever the Corvette goes, fans are sure to follow.

Once such fan is Joe Calleja. Having worked in the steel industry for a good part of his life, the Australian took up collecting and vintage racing in his fifties. Among them is a special ’65 Corvette, one Australian insurance company Shannons recently checked out for its DRIVEN series.

“I do love American cars,” said Calleja. “There’s no doubt. I just love big V8s. The ’66 Corvette was probably the worst possible car anyone could take on a race car, because it scared the hell out of me when I first started driving it in historic cars.”

So scary, in fact, that a few years ago at Bathurst, it was so off the pace, he was warned to pick it up. In 2019, though, he and his co-driver, John Bowe, brought the monster home in sixth. Calleja adds he’s more interested in racing at places like Bathurst, Goodwood and Circuit of the Americas than bringing home the big trophy, as he enjoys racing the ‘Vette more than anything else.

“The car was originally a 327,” said Calleja. “We whacked a 427 into it about two years ago. It raced in America in the Sixties. It then took life going to Europe. There was an English rugby player, and he raced it with Peter Brock in Goodwood in the mid-2000s, I think in ’04, ’05 and ’06.”

Through a Muncie four-speed manual, the 427 V8 delivers 620 horses to whatever track the Corvette wants to dominate. Calleja believes its top speed is 165 mph, more than enough to keep up with the pack. Not to mention the beastly sound the 427 sings through the side pipes.

“If you never raced a race car,” said Calleja, “getting in a big-block Corvette, it handled like an absolute pig […] We did a lot of work and trying to get it to handle. But it’s always been a very difficult car, like all these American cars […] They’re great in a straight line, but you really know you’re alive when you’re goin’ around the corner and the back’s hangin’ out. Then, the front wants to go in a different direction.”

Though Calleja started racing later in life, it’s good to know his Corvette will keep him and his spirit alive for years to come.

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