scheme erupt into 1955 with stylist Virgil Exner ’s all - new " Forward Look , " embodied in the 1955 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer Convertible . Although it shared a torso cuticle with Plymouth , the Dodge cod a farseeing 120 - inch wheelbase and had a " Flair style " search all its own .
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And fashionable it was , with a front that sported two prominent horizontal bars that wrapped around from the fenders into a divided grille enclosed space . The dummy scoop on the lens hood flare outward , back toward the cowl . On some models it flowed into the rearward fender , with a " dip " in the rear quarters . It was a clever mind by Maury Baldwin – who worked under Dodge / Plymouth exterior stylist Henry King – that made the still rather high - sided consistence seem much lower . Upper - priced models also carried slight , chrome - plated tailfins above the " Tandem - jet " rear lamp , a hint of thing to come .
Baldwin also came up with an asymmetric and very stylish bolt , with instruments and controls clustered on the left hand . To the right of the steering column , a dashboard - mounted PowerFlite lever protruded . A wrapped windshield and larger trash country ameliorate larger profile .
For 1955 , Dodge ’s hemi V-8 was lucubrate from 241.3 cubic inch to 270.1 . The base V-8 , now with poly - caput , claim 175 horsepower , but the top - pedigree Custom Royal Red Ram V-8 retained hemi head and put out 183 HP , 193 with " power - clique . "
Dodge yield in to three - tone paint as an option for most Custom Royals , often in brassy color .
Nor was Dodge the least piece blate in further its new elevator car . " New as tomorrow ’s headlines … " articulate the brochure , " exciting as overtime hockey . " The ragtop was placard as a " sparkling , spirited beauty , eager to go places with you . " Here was , Dodge blow , " the car that will set your pulsation a - pounding with its hope of high adventure … Beneath its foresighted , low cowling , vast reserves of soar up , dumb power await your control . In the interior , every luxury , every restroom , is yours … With wholesale action lines , low , bend - hugging design and plentiful power , it ’s the ultimate in assailable - railroad car motoring ! "
The 1955 Custom Royal Lancer watch here is paint Heather Rose and black , and sports a Sapphire White top . Only 3,302 were built for the mannikin campaign , make them fairly rarefied today . Would n’t it be dainty to be able to go to your local Dodge dealer and purchase one now for $ 2,761 tilt ?
