The Excalibur story began in 1964 when renowned industrial designer, Brooks Stevens, at that time working as a consultant to Studebaker, was asked to design a show car for that year’s New York Auto Show. An avid automobile enthusiast and collector, Stevens was a fan of the pre-war Mercedes-Benz SSK and sold the idea of a ‘contemporary classic’ take on the German sports car to Studebaker, who were at that time Mercedes importers. For the ‘Mercebaker’, Stevens used a modified Studebaker Daytona chassis, which was clothed in retro-styled lightweight coachwork that he had first sketched on a place-mat one lunchtime. Built in just eight weeks, the prototype Excalibur SS was ready three days before the New York Auto Show where it caused something of a sensation, albeit too late to save the ailing Studebaker Corporation. A long list of potential buyers resulted, one of whom – a Chevrolet dealer – asked if the car could be built with a Chevrolet engine. Stevens was only too happy to oblige. An advertisement in the Wall Street Journal generated sufficient deposits to enable production to start, and in 1966 the company moved into premises in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The Excalibur would find a whole new market for this style of retro in an era when car collecting was a hobby pursued and understood by very few. The iconic styling of a pointed radiator grille, external exhaust pipes, wire wheels, and a sporty two-seater look propelled by a modern V8 with a choice of an automatic or manual transmission pretty much provided the tonic to a number of hobbyists craving for nostalgia; that was just what Stevens had hoped to create.

There were even a few surprises in the growing roster of buyers. Steve McQueen, better known for his ownership of a coveted XK SS, had one of these cars and he was not alone. Excaliburs have been owned by many famous celebrities including Bill Cosby, Frank Sinatra, Dick Van Dyke, Tony Curtis, Sonny & Cher, Dean Martin, and Jackie Gleason. One of the most enthusiastic owners is Phyllis Diller; she has purchased four. King Juan Carlos of Spain is notably one of the more recent customers.

This magnificent Excalibur SS Series I Roadster featured here is finished in stunning Glacier White over Red leather with a White manually folding convertible top. This exquisite example was ordered from the factory with a 327cid Chevrolet Corvette V8 pumping out 350hp coupled to a 4-speed manual transmission. As such, the 2,200 pound car could practically pull rank on a 289 Cobra since it had a similar power-to-weight ratio. Just released from a respected private collection, this exceptional Excalibur series 1 roadster was restored with no expenses spared to show quality and is now ready for its next caretaker. This is an incredible opportunity for the most demanding collector, investor, or enthusiast who understands and appreciates the investment potential of this iconic limited production car to own one of the very best at an investment price.

Ready to make an investment that you can actually enjoy? Classic cars have proven to be among the most resilient and rewarding investments in recent years with the Historic Automobile Group Index (HAGI) jumping 39% in 2013, 16% in 2014 and 17% in 2015 while posting gains of 467% over the last 10 years. Please contact one of our expert sales consultants for more information. They will be happy to give you a complete walk-around, supply you with a more detailed description and answer any questions you may have. Buy with confidence.