Optimism! That’s the one word that I would use to describe this 1957 Dodge Royal Lancer hardtop. Actually, many domestic marques expressed a similar outlook – an unbridled existence, free of government interference/regulation with all of the emission control regulations, crash standards, CAFE rules, etc., so forth, and so on that those regs would ultimately mandate. It was a build-what-you-want era, just in time to mesh perfectly with the newly passed Federal Aid Highway (Interstate System) Act of 1956. Over at Dodge, they created their “Swept Wing” design and today’s Royal Lancer find is a perfect example of that penmanship while still being free from the yet-to-come excesses of ChryCo’s head stylist, Virgil Exner. This impressive piece of ’50s automotive existentialism is located in Lady Lake, Florida and is available, here on eBay for a current bid of $13,356 with the reserve not yet met.
Dodge’s ’57 line-up consisted of the Custom Royal Lancer at the head of the table, with the Royal Lancer, seated just beyond, and the Coronet at the kitchen end of the table. The “Lancer” designation was bestowed on hardtop models, as well as convertibles as they too were pillarless (obviously). The Custom Royal Lancer included two and four-door hardtops, a convertible, a non-Lancer four-door sedan, and finally a Custom Sierra station wagon. Dodge came in seventh place in the ’57 domestic auto production race, building 287K cars of which 49K were Custom Royals. Unfortunately, I can’t find a Custom Royal body style breakdown.
Understated? Hardly, this Dodge cuts quite a swath but it is, to my eyes, balanced and proportioned in a way that some of Exner’s later designs weren’t. As with most cars of this era, I would have liked to have had the stainless steel and/or chrome plating franchise that was involved – there’s no shortage of that going on but then there never is when we’re talking 1957. The seller tells us that he’s the second owner of this Dodge, having purchased it in 1996 from the original owner. He claims that the Glacier White and Gallant Gold two-tone finish is original and it presents beautifully – clearly, this car has been properly stored. The seller mentions that it’s a car show attendee, and has accumulated about 4K miles over the last twenty-seven years, but that’s about it for use.
Providing motivation is a 325 CI “Polysphere” V8 engine, fed by a single four-barrel carburetor and developing approximately 285 gross HP. Utilizing a three-speed automatic transmission, we’re told this Dodge, “runs great“. The engine compartment certainly gets points for originality!
The interior is wearing an oh-so-fifties flecked and tweedy upholstery pattern and it’s just perfect for a car of this stature. It’s another example of an environment protected by a plastic seat cover insurance policy. It’s a dual-edged feature, they’re uncomfortable and lousy looking but then again they’re one of the reasons that the seats are in such pristine condition. Hard to ignore is the engine-turned instrument panel – it’s a beaut! And of course, no ’50s Mopar would be complete without push-button transmission activation.
This Dodge Royal Lance needs nothing! Yes, it’s probably just a car show/Cars & Coffee prop at this point but a regular open-road cruise would be a welcome outing too. I fear for Dodge, their line-up is limited and their future is cloudy but with examples like this, we can at least recall their glory years while we remain optimistic about their future, right?
Nice car. Lots of chrome, lots of fins, and those killer spinner wheel covers that sure looked good on my ’54 Chevy two door low rider.
Beautiful car from what once was a beautiful land long ago and far away now. Cars of today have ZERO styling imo. I see Teslas that envirowackos drive all over the place where I live and they look like eggs or frogs imo.Ugleeee.glwts.
Yeah those darn envirowackies, how dare they take lead out of gasoline. We should be free to breathe leaded gasoline fumes.
Just think before auto’s no gasoline pollution in NYC , JUST a 1000 tons of horse manure deposited daily on the streets !! That’s better.? How about that methane release? LOL.
Todays gasoline has no lead in it it was phased out in the early 80’s.Adding alcohol to straight gasoline that lobbyists and politicians and GREENIES promote as much better for the climate is actually worse and increase c02 emmisions by 24% more then straight gasoline.according to a USDA report from the Biden administration dated 2022.. It’s purpose is and always was in my beliefs to make them filthy rich while as a byproduct destroying anything rubber in a fuel system while polluting the environment which they could care less about but claim to care about while lining their pockets.Straight gasoline is by far cleaner burning and gives added mpg’s to combustion engines thus saving the environment. I never said anything was bad about getting rid of Tetraethyl lead out of fuel and I agree with you on that it’s good it’s gone. .Follow the $.
Nothing wrong with reducing pollution, problem is, the tree huggers don’t know when to stop. It’s all or nothing. On a less controversial note, this car has lots of style from the side. The front doesn’t do a thing for me.
We tree huggers stop when pollution is no longer a threat to the environment or our very existence on this planet.
Actually lead was still around into the nineties. In September 1991, I pulled into a gas station in Marin County, California, of all places, and bought leaded regular. Yes, I was surprised!
JO
Jim…Late 1984 it was completely banned where I lived growing up in Chicago. Maybe you still had it in CA but it was probably in very low amounts.
Every single “green” thing the global warming scammers do, or want to do, is far worse than whatever they claim they want to fix.
Lead wasn’t removed because of air quality. It was removed because handling it could cause cancer. You know, like the highly toxic and deadly materials harvested by slaves in Africa to make batteries and permanent magnet motors for these ridiculous electric cars, which cause far more net pollution than any gasoline or diesel powered car ever could.
None of this “green” nonsense is based in science or reality. It’s all about greed and power.
If we wanted actually clean cars, we’d be using natural gas to power them. Zero emissions at the tailpipe and virtually no carbon build-up inside the engine. Meaning less wear and much longer life. Diesel engines love propane, natural gas, etc.
The Forward Look forum has the model break down and production numbers you seek below.
That Custom Royal Lancer 2-door hardtop is 1 of 15,632.
Only the 2-Door Hardtop, 4-Door Hardtop and Convertible models were marketed under the name “Dodge Custom Royal Lancer:.
http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=44572
I love the forward looks, but my favorite is the 57 and 58 Plymouths. I hope it finds a good home, where it’s preserved and enjoyed for what it is.
Cudos to that!!👍
They’re my favorites too. My dad bought me a ’57 Belvedere as a high school graduation present from a friend of his, so I sold my BSA 650 motorcycle to get the money to fix up the Plymouth. A few months later she had new tie rod ends, a new interior, new tires, chrome reverse wheels, and rather than rebuilding the 318 I opted to drop in Hemi in it. It took making some serious mods to the tie rods to clear the oil pan, but we got away with it. Good thing they didn’t require safety inspections in those days.
Notice the headlights? The 57 was designed for 4 but government regs only allowed for 2 at the time. 1958 they fit right in!
We had a1958 Dodge Coronet when I was a kid, then dad got a 1965 Coronet 500, my wife had a 1970 Coronet 440, and we had a1974 Coronet wagon for 10 years when the children were growing up. Two Dodge Pickups, a couple of Chryslers, and a couple of Plymouths. Mopar was good.
I’m inclined to disagree with your assessment that Mopar is good. My parents purchased a brand new 1974 dodge fart, about 6 months after purchase, the stupid transmission FELL OUT, and I mean that literally. Up in the Mountains of Western Pennsylvania, at midnight. Yeah try getting a tow truck at midnight in 1975. Every Chrysler product I’ve ever had any contact with has had transmission issues. Even if I was just a passenger. My friend’s GTX and another Friend had a 58 Windsor. Plus the stupid k car my grandmother left me. Le Baron. Nice car but bad transmission.I would have rather inherited a k cup instead.lets not even get into the wiring gremlins with Chrysler products. So go ahead,you are more than welcome to go for dodge, Plymouth and Chrysler. Me I stay away from them. Oh another one. 2000 dodge 2500 work van. 2 engines 4 transmission changes and never did get the heater switch to work right. AC in winter and heat in summer. Less than 150,000 before boss man turned it into 4wheeled storage.
The only thing more beautiful than the lines on this Dodge’s design is its engine bay. That and the interior still wearing plastic covers leads one to believe the 36,000 miles on its odometer are correct. Just eye candy.
What kind of air filter is that?
I believe it had a baffle in it as a noise cancelling feature.
Chryco was fond of making large air cleaner housings during this period. They just had a normal paper element in them. It was probably designed to be quiet during hard acceleration.
Research oil bath air cleaners. Most vehicles used them until the early ’60s when they got rid of them and road draft tubes. Replaced with dry paper filters and P.C.V. valves. Great early ideas that cleaned up the air and didn’t affect performance.
This curious shape was needed because ther’s no room under the hood with the new 57 Forward Look lines: the cars were lower !
But the engine and carb (Carter WCFB) were the same than in 1956. So the filter element was pushed to the side of the filter housing. This will change with the new AFB carbs in 1958, which are lower.
Drove a 58 dodge custom royal D500 in high school A total blast and fast too!
Surprised those wheel covers haven’t “gone missing”. I remember many of these with “Chicago wheel covers”, and consequently, the most highly unlikely vehicles with 14″ wheels adorned them. Good luck finding 14″ tires, btw. I know my old man had a ’57 Dodge when I was a toddler, don’t remember much, I have seen pics it was a gold and white 4 door. It was told we were in an accident with it, and he got the 1960 DeSoto that I do remember. Looking at it, it’s amazing how our designs have changed. Nice car.
I don’t care if I EVER – own a car with a touchscreen! This car is GORGEOUS! I like to drive. I like what I drive and, I know where I’m going and how to get there. I would love to drive this car and would also take meticulous care of it. This 1957 Dodge Royal Lancer is a keeper! I only wish I was the keeper! Good luck to all. Nice article too – my style.
When I was a teenager, my father bought a ’57 Dodge Coronet 4 door sedan with the push button transmission. Only I could figure out how to JAM 2 buttons at the same time while it was parked! Had a heckuva time getting them unjammed before Pop came out of the feed store. When I finally got my license 2 years later, I figured out how to “burn rubber” with those push buttons and one foot on the brake and the other on the gas pedal! Daggone that V-8 could really move that big ole 4 door!
Nice to see a 100% original car like this,not even an upgrade to an alternator,still rockin the generator.I like the push button auto.my 64 plymouth valiant had it too.they are a bit tricky to adjust though.
Very nice car. The seat covers kind of remind me of Grandmas sofa. (LOL). The car has so much style compared to todays plastic look alike autos.
Today’s cars are certainly more efficient and less polluting and probably more appropriate for 8 + billion people on this planet. But this style and beauty can never be recreated. My 1959 Buick Invicta also belonged to an era of style and excess that was pure post war Americana and it was magical.
That head on photo seems to say GET OUT OF THE WAY OR THESE SIX TEETH AND TWO TONS WILL SHRED YOU.
Exactly, who pissed off the ’57
Dodge?
This is a beautiful example for ’57. I love many things about the looks from the era, and Mopar was the best at fins and dashboards IMO.
This one is too nice to modify, but it sure would be nice with some updates like Gen 2 hemi and 8 sp (operated by the OEM pushbuttons of course), brakes, suspension, etc. Keep the body and interior just as it is.
IMHO, YMMV…
What Maggie said.👍
Not a problem adjusting lead in gas and making gas burning cars a little more eco/smog friendly. The problem is when wacko greenies start wanting to charge carbon footprint taxes on everything, like in Europe, including farmers who own livestock. Greenies want to charge a methane tax on cows etc for the methane they produce by their poop. Just crazy.
Beautiful car! Many fond memories flood back. My grandmother bought a new pink and black one from Jocelyn Dodge in Culver City CA in 1956. What an eye turner. Unfortunately she traded it for a ’63 Dodge Dart just before I could drive. So disappointed!!
This is a Beautiful Car 🚗 All Around, To The Grill, Tail Lights, and The Wheel Covers. The 2 Tone Paint The Gold is Fantastic On this Car 🚗 👌.
About the lead in gas, I lived in Southeast Mi, until about 2018. It was farm country and folks with older tractors etc that needed leaded gas bought from “farm stores” that sold fuels and other farm products. I had a sweet 1975 Johnson Sea-horse 25 hp that I used on an even older pontoon boat. The ’75 Sea horse was the water equal to a slant 6 225. The motor ran better with leaded gas. I did pick up a newer boat eventually .and the dealer insisted I include that ’75 Johnson as part of the deal. Last I heard he was using it for HIS fishing boat. I’m sure it screamed because it was only a 12 ft aluminum!