Ok guys I need your help, the other day I found a '56 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer 500 Convertible just down the street from my house. Car is super clean but appears to have been sitting outside for a while. (Who in their right mine does that?!?!?) Paint, interior and chrome all look super nice, looks like all of the rubber is rotted but overall the car is super cherry, and yes, it has a HEMI!! Anyways, I know we all hate this question but what is a car like this worth? These Dodge's are new to me and there definitely is not a whole lot of info on them online but from what I see it look like it's a pretty rare car... Any help? Wanna get my facts straight before I make an offer. Thanks guys.
With a really good detailing (the kind of detailing that takes a month and a couple grand) that's probably a $35K car. That's assuming it's a real D-500 Freshly restored ones that are done right would go for around $60K give or take.
Ok great, thanks so much! How do I prove it's a real D500? VIN or?? Were the D500's the only ones with Hemis??
Not just the D500s were hemis.. but a picture of the engine would be helpful.. Im just in the process of Snagging a 56 Royal Convert.. with a hemi as well.. I know its not the D500 model though..
A 1956 Dodge D-500 by itself is a pretty rare car, a Custom Royal Lancer D-500 convertible is incredibly rare. Earlier cars built from the release of the D-500 in late December, 1955, got a 260HP, 4 bbl, 315 hemi with adjustable valvetrain and dual point ignition along with specific Chrysler chassis and brake parts and wider wheels. These are referred to as "road to roof cars". The D-500 was originally available only on the Coronet sedan, Custom Royal convertible, and Custom Royal Lancer 2-door hardtop. I have a copy of the Hot Rod Magazine D-500 road test by Racer Brown in 1956 and he called it the best car he had ever driven. Certainly a candidate for one of the first true factory muscle cars. Sometime in early March of 1956 the D-500 option was made available across the entire Dodge line-up, even including wagons. About a week later, Dodge announced that the D-500 could be a power option on any V-8 model. by adding dual exhaust and 12" brakes. The optional 12" brakes could be deleted. and it did not include the specific chassis hardware in response to customer complaints that said the D-500s rode like trucks. Dodge referred to these power-option cars as D-500 specials. I have also heard of some government or fleet vehicles that had the D-500 suspension and brake package like on the earlier cars but came with the Poly power plant instead of the hemi. Dodge really had a great product with the early D-500s but the marketing became cloudy because changes were fast and frequent.In the span of about 70 days the D-500 was released, followed by the D-500-1 ( two four bbl motor), then the across the board availablity and finally the Specials. The data plate should be on the cowl by the passenger side hood hinge, you can decode the build date and trim from that. The D-500 engine could be verified by the stamping on the top of the engine just in front of the intake manifold. From the fact it is a CRL D-500 , it would suggest that it is probably a later build car, probably a Special. I'd be curious if it has the 12" brakes and 6-leaf spings in the back. A lot of Mopar and Forward Look people think that '57 and '58 were the pinnacle of styling from the Exner-era and those cars, especially the ragtops dominate the era in terms of price. The '55s and '56s have never had quite the following of the later cars and have not held up in value as a consequence. There won't be a lot of comparables to judge this either, but I think if it's a real D-500 and has the correct engine in it, $40-50K would be in the money, and under the right conditions an exceptionally nice, clean original car, even more.
Thanks for the info guys, I really appreciate it. Keeping my fingers crossed I can get my hands on it. Here's a crappy pic of the motor.
NADA book price. These prices are not always real sale prices. <TABLE style="WIDTH: 180px" border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px" vAlign=bottom>share </TD><TD vAlign=top> print </TD><TD vAlign=bottom> email </TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 3px"><TD colSpan=2></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><STYLE type=text/css> body {height:100%; margin:0;} /*~!~*/</STYLE><INPUT type=hidden name=pageURL> <INPUT id=pageUrl type=hidden name=pageUrl> <TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" bgColor=#00245d><TBODY><TR><TD class=header vAlign=top align=left>Email this page</TD><TD vAlign=center align=right><INPUT style="CURSOR: pointer" id=btnClose class=simplemodal-close value= type=submit name=btnClose> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" bgColor=#ffffff><TBODY><TR style="HEIGHT: 5px"><TD width="1%"></TD><TD width="36%"></TD><TD width="62%"></TD><TD width="1%"></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD vAlign=top align=left>Email to *</TD><TD><INPUT style="WIDTH: 250px" id=txtEmailTo class=inputText maxLength=100 name=txtEmailTo></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD vAlign=top align=left> </TD><TD>To send to multiple addresses, separate each address by a comma. </TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD vAlign=top align=left>Your Name</TD><TD><INPUT style="WIDTH: 250px" id=txtSenderName class=inputText maxLength=50 name=txtSenderName></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD vAlign=top align=left>Your Email Address *</TD><TD><INPUT style="WIDTH: 250px" id=txtSenderEmail class=inputText maxLength=50 name=txtSenderEmail></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD vAlign=top align=left> </TD><TD vAlign=top align=left><INPUT id=chkCopy value=true type=checkbox name=chkCopy><INPUT value=false type=hidden name=chkCopy> Send me a copy of this message</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD>Email addresses are used for this request only and are not saved or used by NADAguides.com for any other purposes. </TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD vAlign=top align=left>Subject</TD><TD><INPUT style="WIDTH: 250px" id=txtSubject class=inputText maxLength=50 name=txtSubject></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD vAlign=top align=left>Comments</TD><TD><TEXTAREA style="WIDTH: 250px; HEIGHT: 100px" id=txtComments class=inputText name=txtComments maxlength="200"></TEXTAREA></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 10px"><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD vAlign=top align=left>Required Fields *</TD><TD vAlign=top align=right><INPUT style="CURSOR: pointer" id=btnSubmit class=submit value= type=submit name=btnSubmit> </TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=4 align=middle>Privacy Policy </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> 1956 Dodge Royal Custom 2 Door Convertible <TABLE id=ctl00_ctl01_ucValues_tblSummary cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1><TBODY><TR class=vdppricetypes><TD style="WIDTH: 147px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle">Pricing </TD><TD class=pricetype>Original MSRP</TD><TD class=pricetype>Low Retail</TD><TD class=pricetype>Average Retail</TD><TD class=pricetype>High Retail</TD></TR><TR class=tableHeaderVDPValueRow><TD class=tableHeaderVDPValue> </TD><TD class=optionvalue align=right>$2,913</TD><TD class=optionvalue align=right>$21,800</TD><TD class=optionvalue2 align=right>$35,300</TD><TD class=optionvalue3 align=right>$56,700</TD></TR><TR class=vdpoptionsrow><TD colSpan=5><TABLE style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" class=summaryData2 border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=ccpricinglblnewbase colSpan=5>Options: (add options)</TD></TR><TR class=summaryData2altcolor><TD class=optiontitle>ADD-315/230 HP V8 ENG</TD><TD class=optionvalue> </TD><TD class=optionvalue2>15%</TD><TD class=optionvalue2>15%</TD><TD class=optionvalue2>15%</TD></TR><TR><TD class=optiontitle>ADD-D500 PKG</TD><TD class=optionvalue> </TD><TD class=optionvalue2>35%</TD><TD class=optionvalue2>35%</TD><TD class=optionvalue2>35%</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> See all options chosen </TD></TR><TR><TD style="WHITE-SPACE: nowrap" class=summaryFooterVDP>TOTAL PRICE</TD><TD class=summaryFooterVDP align=right>$2,913</TD><TD class=summaryFooterVDP align=right>$32,700</TD><TD style="WHITE-SPACE: nowrap" align=right>$52,950 </TD><TD class=summaryFooterVDP align=right>$85,050</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
I think this is the same vehicle that was just dropped at our shop a couple weeks ago by the owner. I will try to attach a picture. It is a real D500, we've already decoded it, and specialize in restoring forward look mopars. Only two of these have been sold in the last five years. One for $180k and the other last january at barret jackson for $128k. We are doing a complete frame off, concourse restoration. As clean as this car looks in pictures, the floor and rockers are completely gone under that carpet.The quarters are also made of bondo. The motor and trans. are toast too. I'll try to post pics as we go.
Old Cars Price Guide says #6 $2120 #5 $6360 #4 $10,600 #3 $23850 #2 $37100 #1 $53000 Add 30% for D500, 20% for Golden Lancer, 35% for LaFemme or Texan options.
Sutton, can't offer any numbers on the price; but regardless, good luck obtaining the neat 56. That should clean up really nice.
so, yes. this is the same car that is now in our shop. guess its not for sale anymore,sorry for the bad news.
Glad to see it's in the hands of someone who cares enough to restore it instead of leaving it sit outside.
Whats the name of your shop. It's nice to have a total in house restoration service, when my dad and I set out to restore a 59 Chrysler 300 we found we needed the expertise of a number of specialty shops.
Well, the original post is the better part of a year old, and the car is in a shop for a restoration that by the sound of it is super long term. So it's probably not for sale, and if it is for sale it's going to take $100K to buy it, based on the auction results posted previously.
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