Polish Pickup: 1997 FOS Polonez Roy

At first glance, you would think this vehicle was cobbled together in someone’s garage using whatever parts were at hand. If you did, you’d be wrong, as this is a real pickup, built in Poland, restored to as-new condition, and probably the only one like it in the U.S. For whatever reason, someone imported it and then went to the trouble of refurbishing it, so an emotional decision probably outweighed a monetary one. Located in Roselle, Illinois, this “dancing king” (the name of the truck translated) is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $13,500. We appreciate Rocco B. finding this tip for us.

According to another review, this 1997 FSO Polonez Roy was produced by a Polish company whose name in English was Passenger Car Factory. At one time, they were at the top of their game in Poland, who built Soviet cars after World War II and then later relying on Fiat for some of their engineering. Though the English translation of the truck’s name as Dancing King seems unorthodox, it is not someone’s wild dream of a homemade pickup.

Chances are you’ve never heard of the manufacturer, or this brand of vehicle, and the chances of finding another one anywhere in the lower 48 are probably slim and nil. This truck was top drawer when it was built, since leather upholstery is not something you normally find in a workhorse. Under the hood resides a 1.6-liter OHV inline-4 of Fiat design employing fuel injection. A 5-speed manual transmission is along for the ride.

We’re told this truck has been restored even though the bed looks like it was simply welded onto a 4-door sedan. The former is made of aluminum and has a flip-down opening as you would expect. The mileage is said to be 35,000, but we don’t know the degree of its accuracy. We’re told it has a clean U.S. title and is registered as such, too. If you’re looking for something no one else has, this is it. But we don’t know how you’d go about getting parts down the road.