1955 Dodge Royal Lancer

Description

Ask around, and I bet you'll find that your parents or even your grandparents drove a car just like this 1955 Dodge Royal Lancer back in the early '50s. Rugged, reliable, and surprisingly entertaining on the road, this was basic transportation for millions of Americans. Today, it represents a cool niche in our hobby-cars that were restored for love, not profit.

Dark colors always looks great on cars like this, and the streets were filled with similar low-profile cars throughout the '50s. All those old photos you see have cars just like this going about their business, parked by the curb outside a dry-cleaner or hardware store, or churning up a cloud of dust on some lonely country road. And they looked awesome doing it. This dark blue Dodge was repainted a few years ago, with pretty straight sheetmetal, good panel alignment, and fit and finish that makes it look more expensive than it is. It's not perfect, but this car was obviously something special to someone and they threw the budget out the window when they were doing the work. There's also a lot of chrome and stainless, most of which is original and in good shape and adds a distinctive look reminiscent of the big, expensive Chrysler 300.

With room for six, cars like this were part of family road trips on America's fresh superhighways. The upholstery is handsome blue cloth and white vinyl, and virtually every automaker offered something similar. It's simple, elegant, and dignified, which encompassed everything about the early 1950s. The instrument panel shows a few flashes of artistry, with the original gauges replaced with modern white-faced gauges that fit like they were born there. Plastics improved greatly during the war, so it's not unusual to find post-war steering wheels like this one in good condition and check out that shifter! The carpets are new and it still carries its original AM radio in the dash, although it might be time for an upgrade. You'll also be pleased to see that there's a lot of room in the fully trimmed trunk, which has been done in blue for a semi-custom look that really works well.

The 318 cubic inch V8 isn't original, but it sure moves this blue sedan with genuine authority. Rebuilt within the last two years, it features a Lunatic camshaft, new valve springs, fresh gaskets, and a Carter 2-barrel carb as a nod to the past. They decided not to dress it up and instead it has a period look with modern functionality in the form of an alternator, dual reservoir master cylinder, and a big aluminum radiator up front. "Golden Lion" decals on the valve covers are a nod to tradition and factory-style exhaust manifolds dump into a great-sounding dual exhaust system. The front suspension has been fully rebuilt, there's a fresh 727 TorqueFlite automatic transmission, a fresh driveshaft, and new wheel bearings and seals, so it's ready to roll. Chrome steelies with baby moon hubcaps are a traditional look and carry 205/75/15 whitewall radials all around.

Discover how much fun an old car like this can be without a huge investment. Dipping into a bygone era might be just what you're looking for in your next old car. Call today!