1 of 1,300: 1954 Dodge Royal Convertible

In the 1954 Dodge lineup, the Royal was the cream of the crop. And the convertible was the rarest model with just 2,000 copies built. But 700 of those were replicas of the Royal drop-top that was chosen to pace the field at the Indianapolis 500 that year. Which means just 1,300 were not Indy pace cars, like this likely barn find. The car runs but needs detailing, which should improve its appearance greatly. Located on the back of a trailer in Vinita, Oklahoma, this rare Dodge is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $12,500.

We understand the Dodge slogan for the Royal in 1954 was “Elegance in Action”. And this automobile looks to have once lived up to that motto. It was likely the most lavish of any Chrysler product you could buy short of the New Yorker or Imperial. Under the hood was a 241 cubic inch “Red Ram” Hemi V8 paired with a 2-speed PowerFlite automatic transmission. This was a big deal in the mid-1950s as Chevrolet was a year away from putting V8 engines in their cars.

The Royal carried a higher level of exterior brightwork than the lower-level Coronet, and this example has the remnants of a Continental spare tire kit and wire wheels (like the Indy pace cars). Dodge-badged convertibles were scarce in 1954, as only three percent of total production had that body style. This one may have as few as 19,000 miles, but its history doesn’t seem to come with any documentation.

We’re told the car needs a “minor restoration,” but that depends on what level of quality you will want to present. The automobile does run, but the gas tank is gunked up and needs to be cleaned out after sitting for what may be many years. It’s a shame the photos don’t show the car in its as-found condition, but when washed, it might look pretty good. As a restored automobile, it could be an awesome example of how cars were made 70-75 years ago. And a bravo goes to “Terry” for this nifty tip!