Unless you’re a Mopar fanatic, the Lancer is one of those names that not everybody at car gatherings is likely familiar with, even though the moniker was used by Dodge on 3 separate occasions in 3 different decades. This 1958 Dodge Royal Lancer here on eBay dates back to the first use of the name, which was applied to designate hardtops in the Coronet, Royal, and Custom Royal lineups, with the Royal Lancer serving as the middle-level trim line. This one’s been in the same family for decades, and it seems like a capable driver already, with no immediate attention necessary. It’s located in Knoxville, Tennessee, with the opening and reserve-not-met bid of $20,000 yet to be placed.
The earliest incarnation of the Lancer tag was from 1955 through 1959, with Dodge quickly reviving the name in 1961 for an upscale version of the Valiant, then again in 1985 as a rebadged variant of the LeBaron. The 1958 Lancer displayed some beautiful lines on the outside, including prominent tail fins out back, and a busy front end with quad headlights and an elegantly styled bumper. The seller reports that he and his father painted the exterior way back in 1974, and the paint is said to still shine brightly, so there’s no sense of urgency to address anything outside.
A 350 was the midsize V8 offered in ’58, and that’s what’s in the bay here, with the seller noting that the engine has never been rebuilt. It’s also said to start easily and run excellently, so as long as the next owner maintains a high level of care and mechanical maintenance, there could still be many good miles left before any major work under the hood is required. This one is also equipped with an automatic transmission, operated by love-them-or-hate-them push-button controls, located on the far left side of the dashboard.
Inside, most of the components still look good for their age, with some showing light surface wear. Unless you’re wanting a showpiece, the interior is probably adequate as it is for a nice driver, which seems exactly what this one is all around. It also appears to be part of a Chrysler-oriented family, as I’m spotting some cool B-Bodies and a Barracuda nearby. Is this 1958 Dodge Royal Lancer one you’d be interested in pursuing?
Dude is DEF big in Mopars – he has more than a half a mil of cars on ebay right now – some serious muscle!
Nice looking car. Those Lancer hub caps sure looked good on my lowered ’54 Chevy. Push buttons or not these old birds could really fly.
Good write-up Mike on what appears to be a clean, straightforward Lancer. Love the over-the-top styling of the era.
Like Fahr says, that’s quite the group of Mopars the seller is offering.
Looks like that might be the 4bbl..if so..that’s the 300HP engine so it has some scoot to it. Always preferred the wilder Dodge over the slightly less wild Plymouth in the Forward Look era.
A beautiful `58, and in a catchy two-tone that looks especially good against the chrome! However, I sure wish they would have washed it prior to photos. The surface dirt/dust isn’t doing the car any favors. GLWTA!