1957 Dodge Custom Royal

The Custom Royal line served as Dodge's flagship model from 1955 through 1959. It had the top-level trim, wore chrome tail fins, special tail-light surrounds, an upscale interior, backup lights, and a Red Ram Hemi engine.

The entry-level 1957 Dodge was the Coronet offered as a sedan, club sedan, Lancer hardtop sedan, Lancer hardtop coupe, and convertible. The intermediate trim level was the Royal series offered in the same body styles as the Coronet sans club sedan. The top trim level was the Custom Royal with the same body styles as the Royal. Prices on the Custom Royal were approximately $150 higher than its Royal siblings.

All 1957 Dodge models rested on a 122-inch wheelbase platform with a length of 212.2-inches. The station wagons were slightly longer at 214.4-inches. The Coronet rested on 7.50x14 tubeless black sidewall tires, while the others had 8.00 x 15 tubeless black sidewalls.

The Coronet was powered by an inline, L-head six-cylinder engine with a 230 cubic-inch displacement, solid valve lifters, and delivered 138 horsepower. The Red Ram V-8 had overhead valves, five main bearings, hydraulic valve lifters, a 325 cubic-inch displacement, and 245 horsepower in the Coronet and Royal series. The Custom Royal version used a Carter carburetor (instead of a Stromberg two-barrel version) which boosted power to 260 horsepower. Transmission included a PowerFlite or TorqueFlite automatics. This was the first year of the torsion bar front suspension.

The styling incorporated Virgil Exner's 'Forward Look' designs. In the front were deeply recessed headlights with large headlight 'brows' flanking a grille that housed a gull-wing-shaped horizontal bar that dipped in the center and housed a large Dodge crest. The Dodge name, in block letters, was spaced along the front of the grille, directly below the chrome jet-styled hood ornament. Chrome trim surrounded the headlights, grille opening, windshield, rear window moldings, wheel covers, along with the fins, and side trim.

The Custom Royal Series had six vertical bumper bars between the horizontal grille bar and the bumper. The Dodge name was in gold along the hood and trunk lid, and the Custom Royal name appeared on the sides of the front fenders.

Optional equipment included Air temp air conditioning, Highway Hi-Fi automatic record player, Mopar radio, turn signals, power brakes, power windows, power steering, and an electric clock. The D-500, Super D-500, and D-501 engines were also optional. The D-500 displaced 325 cubic-inches, had hemispherical heads, a Carter four-barrel carburetor, solid valve lifters, and delivered 285 horsepower. The Super D-500 added a dual Carter four-barrel carburetor which boosted power to 310 horsepower. The D-501 was a 354 CID V8 with Hemi heads, two Carter four-barrel carburetor, hydraulic valve lifters, and delivered 340 horsepower. These engine options came with a heavy-duty suspension, upgraded brakes, and other chassis upgrades that were utilized from the New Yorker and Imperial lines.

Virgil Exner's 'Swept Wing' forward-look design earned the Industrial Designers Institute Gold Medal in 1957.

by Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2020