Milwaukee-born designer and industrialist Brooks Stevens’ genius can be seen on everything from locomotives to appliances, and his association with Studebaker led to the birth of Excalibur Automobiles in the early 1960s. After designing the Hawk for Studebaker, Stevens designed a retro-styled car based on the Mercedes SSK and when it became clear that Studebaker couldn’t produce the car due to their own impending demise, he formed Excalibur Automobiles to see the Series I to fruition.

Three series of Excaliburs had been produced over a 16 year period by the time the Excalibur Series IV went into production in 1981. This fiberglass-bodied throwback rode on a proprietary chassis with a 125-inch wheelbase and a Chevrolet 305 V-8 coupled to a 3-speed automatic and was available in Roadster and Phaeton form. Both of these sported convertible tops and Continental kits, and the roadster was unique in being the only production car available in the world (at the time) with a folding rumble seat. These Excalibur Series IV cars were known for extensive power amenities in the cockpit and a more flowing style of bodywork as compared to previous series. Another difference was that the side cowl exhaust was no longer functional on Excaliburs starting with these cars. Series IV cars were in production from 1981-84 and in their final year, 50 anniversary cars were built, comprising of 12 roadsters and 38 phaetons.

The popularity of the neoclassic segment has grown due to these cars being every bit as much of a celebration of the decade they were built as the decade they seek to represent, and these Series IVs boast a delightfully unapologetic extravagance while containing the same DNA of the genius who designed such icons as the Jeep Wagoneer and the Harley Davidson Electra-Glide.