The saga of my 1955 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer For several years I tried to locate a 1956 Plymouth Savoy 4dr sedan. This was my Father's first new car and one that I remember vividly. We I located several cars and I went far and wide to see them. None we what I was looking for. Modified, rodded or rotted out. Well as luck would have it I was in Lake City South Carolina picking up PT Cruiser seats for my buddy Hamlet's '37 Plymouth. As we drove by a storage facility 3 guys were pushing a tri-colored car. At 50MPH it looked like a Mopar, so we turned around and sure enough it was a 1955 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer and it was a complete car. Everything was there, but not knowing all about the car I was sold as soon as I opened the hood. There sat a small hemi engine, which I later found out was a 270cu in displacement. Not trying to seem too eager I went to see the owner of the yard. He said the car was available for sale but had a lien on it due to unpaid storage fees. He gave me the info to contact the local court house. So as we continued to go pick up the bucket seat for the '37 Plymouth, I called the court house and had the necessary paperwork sent to my home. 2 weeks later found Hamlet and myself north bound on I95 in my Lil Red Express truck towing my Featherlite trailer on the 750 miles round trip to Lake City SC. When we arrived I primed the car, got a 6volt battery from the yard and with a little coaxing she started, smoking quite a bit but we were able to drive it on my trailer (which has an electric winch). The storage and lien fees were paid and we headed home. Knowing I would be returning the next week as the guy threw in a '55 Dodge Coronet as a parts car. Once home after getting a Fla title and tags I brought the car to A & R Auto Electric in St Augustine. The generator was not working and the started motor dragged. So I drove the car home and removed the starter and generator. Luckily I had the parts car as we needed its generator as my was not rebuild able! While that work was done I pilled the dual point distributor (remember its a HEMI) disassembled it and rebuilt it. Dropped the gas tank after emptying it thru the bottom drain (don't you just love the old cars) replaced the tank and was only able to put in 6 gals as it had a leak at the over flow neck. As I made plans to restore the car I drove it up and down A1A. It ran smoothly, shifted ok and after 2 weeks and about 100miles it stopped smoking. So at the beginning of December 2005 I began taking the car apart. The engine went to Beachside Motor and Machine in Melbourne Fl (Peter did the work om my 392 Hemi) I brought the car to East Coast Powder Coating and with the help of a folk lift and some old carpeting we removed the body from the chassis. I had already removed the hood, trunk front fenders, doors and all glass. I had the frame sand blasted and epoxy painted and made arrangements to have new floor panels and rocker panels installed and the entire body chemically stripped. When the frame was finished I brought it home and put it on my lift where I began to reassemble the front and rear end. I had Horton Truck of Jacksonville make up a set of brake shoes, I had the drive shaft rebuilt. I brought the 2 speed trans to American Transmission in St Augustine, but Danny said he did not have the time to rebuild it, but if I wanted to I could use his extra bench and get to work. Well it took me almost 2 hrs but I had it apart, we discovered that the cast I iron case was cracked with a poorly welded repair. (not to worry, remember I had a parts car). Danny gave me the number for Northwest transmission and I ordered a complete rebuild kit along with a reconditioned torque converter. The parts arrived later that week and on Monday I began the reassembly using diagrams from my '55 Dodge parts book and service manual. Over the next 3 afternoons I cleaned up the old case in Danny oven and reassembled it, with just a bit of help from Danny. Finally in July of '06 the engine was ready so with the help of my wife Lynda we got the engine and trans together on the frame. The next day I brought the frame back to get re mated with the body. All the welding and paint removal was done and the car was in prime. I left it for another 3 1/2 months and picked it up in December of 2006, already 13mos into the project. Presently I am waiting from the chrome plating to be completed by Space Coast Plating in Melbourne Fl. By the way I was told the the '55 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer 4dr sedan has more chrome and stainless that any other Mopar of the era.The car is presently on my lift and as soon as the chrome for the dash comes in I can get started. I messed up a bit as I need the chrome parts on the dash before I put in the gages and wiring. Then once the dash goes in the new windshield from Busy Bee Glass and the read window is installed I can get the car to the upholstery shop I hope to have the car completed by Feb of 2008 when I will begin to bring it to Antique Automobile Club of America and Walter P Chrysler shows. I will finally put my 2004 Rumble Bee to work pulling my recently purchased covered car trailer. I have gone to meets in Carlisle Pa, Hershey Pa, Daytona Fl, Moutrie Ga as well as eBay to locate all the parts to complete the project. Other sources I used were Fine lines for gas/brake lines. Florida Power and Hydraulics to rebuild the pair of the weirdest universal joints I have ever seen.. I gave National Carburetors of Jacksonville 2 carbs to make into a nice looking working 2bbl. Mandarin Radiator recored my radiator and flushed and repaired my gas tank. Old City Upholstery is doing the entire interior. YnZ of California made me a correct wiring harness from bumper to bumper. I again used Hot Heads of NC for some of my Hemi parts and supplies. I have used many other companies for smaller parts but that l;list would be exhausting to type. Anyone with questions can contact me at lilredtk@bellsouth

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Published on: 2007-04-23 (3108 reads)