Excalibur Series 3, White, for sale in Charlotte, North Carolina, for $41,995.

Excalibur wasn't the first to combine classic styling with a modern, high-performance powertrain, but they were likely the most successful. Designed not as kits, but as fully finished high-end luxury cars that competed on equal footing with the likes of Aston Martin and Mercedes-Benz, they were extravagantly expensive cars that frequently found celebrity owners. With high quality materials and a virtually hand-built body and interior, they were unique products of their time that offer their own special brand of nostalgia today.

Few people will mistake this 1977 Excalibur roadster for a real Mercedes SSK, but everyone who sees it knows the Excalibur is something special. Driving this car will make you a one-car parade, and it will be impossible to travel anywhere without being noticed. You will receive A-list service from valets, and children will wave to you without even knowing why they're doing it. It's a special car. Fortunately, you'll be proud to be seen in it, since this one is beautifully preserved with a dazzling white paint job that shows off the luxurious curves to full advantage. The fiberglass body remains in excellent condition with no signs of accident damage or botched repairs, and with only 45,787 miles on the clock, you know it was never a daily driver. Today, as it was then, the Excalibur is a special car for special occasions.

The supple tan leather interior is perhaps the Excalibur's calling card. While the bodies were extravagant, the interiors were opulent without being gaudy, functional without being over-engineered. In a nod to the past, there's a full array of round gauges on a flat dashboard, and a series of rocker switches control everything from the headlights to the A/C. The view out over that long hood is unparalleled in modern motoring, and the deep leather buckets are sumptuously comfortable. Despite its vintage looks, however, the Excalibur offers its passengers all the amenities, from A/C and a powerful stereo, to a tilt wheel and an automatic transmission. Out back, there's a gorgeous fitted trunk wearing matching tan leather.

Powered by a Corvette-spec 454 cubic inch V8, the Excalibur is a potent street machine, although it's likely that its owners cared more about the big block's effortless smoothness. Dressed in Excalibur's light gray engine paint to give it a more traditional look, the engine is really packed in under that long, louvered hood. And yes, those side pipes are functional, with custom exhaust manifolds feeding the exotic exhaust system. Properly maintained, it starts and runs beautifully, and is as easy to service as a Chevrolet. The engine spins a 3-speed automatic transmission, which really is the only sensible choice in a car of this caliber. Real wire wheels, including those in the fender wells, carry wide whitewall radials that add the perfect period touch.

Thrilling to drive and better at attracting attention than a Lamborghini, the Excalibur is for the discerning hobbyist who appreciates the classics, but yearns for something more. Call today!