West Coast Classics are proud to present this 1956 Dodge Custom Royal 4-door sedan and this was Dodges top-tier luxury car, featuring Virgil Exner's "Forward Look" styling, striking three-tone paint, and a standard V8 engine. It was available as both a traditional 4-door sedan and a pillarless 4-door Lancer hardtop and is an automobile which was produced for the 1955 through 1959 model years.
In each of these years the Custom Royal was the top trim level of the Dodge line, above the mid level Dodge Royal and the base Dodge Coronet.
This is a well maintained long time original southern California family owned car which boasts both a very honest and stock originality and a rust and accident free history which drives as good as it looks.
Major standard equipment includes:
Solex Tinted Glass, Wheel Covers, Three tone Jacquard & Cordagrain "Panel Perfect" interior, full floor carpeting, two speed electric windshield wipers, beltline & bodyside stainless trim, rear fender gravel shields.
Factory options:
Airtemp AIr Conditioning ($567)
Power Steering ($92)
AM Radio ($110)
4 Way Power Front Seat ($70)
Heater & Defroster ($78)
Power Brakes ($38)
Unlike lower trims that offered a 6-cylinder engine, all Custom Royals were strictly powered by V8 engines.
Standard Powertrain:
The base configuration utilized a 315 cubic-inch (5.2L) Red Ram V8 engine, generally paired with a 2-barrel carburetor that pushed out 218 horsepower. For buyers seeking factory hot-rod performance, Dodge offered the legendary D-500 Hemi V8 option. This upgraded 315 cu in engine featured Hemispherical combustion chambers and produced 260+ horsepower.
Push-Button Transmission:
A mechanical hallmark of Chrysler Corporation vehicles in 1956 was the introduction of the mechanical push-button shifter panel, situated on the left side of the dashboard to control the PowerFlite automatic transmission.
Dashboard & Luxury Interior:
The interior mirrored the "space-age" exterior with highly styled dashboard controls, premium fabrics, and advanced options for the period. High-spec models boasted creature comforts like a working power front seat, unique trunk-mounted factory air conditioning, and power windows.
Key Design Elements & Exterior Styling:
Distinctive Chrome & Trim:
The Custom Royal stood out with its uniquely hooded and painted headlight doors, alongside grooved backup and taillight housings. A special chrome strip swept across the side, allowing lower body paint colors to extend upward toward the rear fenders.
Reflecting the vibrant design trends of the era, these cars were famous for their eye-catching "three-tone" paint options. This classic corporate palette combined off-white, dark charcoal gray, and coral/salmon.
Tailfins and Glass:
The rear featured emerging 1950s tailfins frequently equipped with dual antenna mounts while the front highlighted a wraparound windshield that enhanced visibility and captured a "space-age" aesthetic.
