55 - 57 Dodge's Possible purchase.. Good buy? Info..

I got a chance to pick up a 56 Custom Lancer (royal lancer) 4 door with an original red ram hemi. Body is in really good shape, i cant find rust anywhere on it... the paint looks nice from 5 - 10 ft, but im a paint and body man and i can tell a cheap job.. can you say orange peel?

I havent really went over it with a fine tooth comb yet, but seems really solid... The original engine was just rebuilt and runs really nice. trans shifts smooth. Bench seats were re-upholstered, looks good, but not a expensive job.

asking $5500... would probably take $4500 - 5,000...

ive seen a couple real nice ones bring 11 - 12k on ebay...

Deal or no? any info on these year models would be appreciated... places to look for rust problems... etc. thanks

 

need pics!! 55-56 are the same for the most part, 57 is totally different.

 

Ok, i dont have any pics yet... can get some tommarow maybe..

alittle more info.

Its a 1955 model... not a 56. The engine is a "Super Red Ram" not just a red ram... Dont know if that means anything.. ?!?

 

cool find and a factory fresh hemi. neato

 

Put it on a lift and look for any rust in floor pans, bottom of door pillars, inside fender wells, trunk floor, headlight buckets.

 

Cool. Plan on doing that tommarow or the next..

Anyone care to take a shot at the price? good or bad?

 

bump for evening crowd... Nobody knows anything about them?

these rare at all?

 

probably has a 270 HEMI. good little engines. Not really rare at all but you don't see many of them getting fixed up. If the engine was just rebuilt and he has receipts that's a pretty good chunk of change right there especially with the hemi.

 

The rear frame is prone to rusting. They were good cars in their day, not super popular but not particularly rare. They're a Forward Look car, www.forwardlook.net is a good place for more info.

 

Thank you. I would say its a pretty nice car... better than average for its age.

 

Ha, I changed my post because I reread everything and noticed the fresh engine that makes a difference for sure.

 

They also had weak leaf springs in the rear.

 

The Encyclopedia of American cars shows that in 1956: 3475 model D63-2
Royal V8 4door sedans were built. Price $2513. Also 3520
model D-63-3 Custom Royal V8 4 door sedans were built. Price was $2623.
Find out for sure which model the car is.

 

If it checks out well, I'd say it's worth the money. I had a '56 Plymouth Plaza once, it was a great car. I'd give $5K to get it back in the same shape it was in when I sold it nearly 25 years ago for $750.

 

Go here to find value: Make sure your vehicle is either a Dodge Custom Royal or a Dodge Custom Royal Lancer as values are different.
http://www.manheimgold.com/car_lo.html

 

If the engine really has been rebuilt recently then the $5k price is reasonable considering that the engine would be worth that alone.

 

All Lancers are hardtops. Either 2 door or 4 door. Be sure to check the rockers for rust.

 

I had a 56 dodge 4 door coronet. I loved it. Diifferent. I had the 270 poly in it. Man the car wouldnt die for ****. Problem areas I had in mine were the rockers. And the rear leafs are weak.