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Vehicle
Description
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1955
Dodge Custom Royal
For Sale By Owner
Offered For $17,500.00
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| 1955
Dodge Custom Royal. This model features
a V-8 engine with PowerFlite automatic transmission.
82K original miles. The exterior is in very
good condition. Minor chip on wheel lips,
no rust, or missing/broken parts. The interior
condition is in excellent condition, all
gauges are operational and intact, the upholstery
is in excellent condition. Spare, jack and
tools. All chrome is in place and in exceptional
condition. Single exhaust, needs front shocks.
New master cylinder, Factory AM radio ---
needs new tube. Offered for $17,500.00. |
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|
Dodge
Owners Rate Handling As The Best-Liked
Features,
by Dodge Owners, for Popular Mechanics,
June 1955
|
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| There's
very little disagreement among owners of
the 1955 Dodge V8 about its good points.
Nearly half (47 percent) of them list Dodge's
fine handling as the best-liked feature.
This big chunk of agreement is especially
surprising in view of Dodge's emphasis on
its new styling this year. |
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| "Handling
is excellent. Power steering is very precise,
I like it this way." - New Jersey manufacturer. |
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| "The
day after I bought my new Dodge with power
steering I drove 874 miles (from 8 p.m.
until 4 p.m. the following day). Prior to
that I was not interest in power steering.
Now I would not own a car without it ---
Dodge power steering, that is." ---
New Jersey Fire Chief. |
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| "A
good woman's car. Easy to handle and easily
parked." --- Virginia housewife. |
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|
Clymer
Road Test, by Floyd Climer, for Popular
Mechanics, June 1955
|
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| The
test was made over the route from Los Angeles
to Phoenix, Arizona, returning via San Diego,
a distance of 849 miles which included some
tests on back trails of the desert. The
test car was the Royal Custom four-door
sedan, powered by the Super Red Ram V8 engine
of 7.6:1 compression ratio. This over-square
engine has hemispheric combustion chambers.
Displacement is 270 ci as against 241 for
1954 and horsepower has been increased to
183 from last years' 140. |
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| Dodge
for 1955 offers two V8 engines. The more
expensive is the Super Red Ram described
above. It features the double rocker-arm-shaft
design with hemispheric combustion chambers.
The second Dodge V8 is the 175-horsepower
Red Ram. |
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|
Owners
Report: 1955 Dodge V8, by Floyd Climer,
for Popular Mechanics, June 1955
|
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| "So
far my gasoline mileage is not what I was
led to expect. It is 12.8 miles per gallon
for overall average for 1000 miles. Hope
to have this situation improved by the 3000
mile check." --- Texas guard. |
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| Other
Best-Liked Features |
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| Dodge
owners rate power and performance second
on the list of best-liked features and much-publicized
"flair fashioned" styling is third.
|
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| "I
like its ready response when I want to go.
All trips seem too short. It is indeed a
pleasure to drive." --- Nebraska farmer. |
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| "The
193 HP engine has plenty of get-up-and-go.
It takes hills like a charm. I make an average
of 35 stops a day calling on customers,
and I am amazed at the mileage I get with
such a big car." --- New Jersey salesman. |
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| "Even
after I have owned the car for three months,
people still stop, stare and admire it and
ask questions about it." --- Pennsylvania
store owner. |
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| "I
like the styling best. Chrysler Corporation
has finally caught up with the rest of the
industry in this aspect." --- Pennsylvania
insurance man. |
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| "Over-all
beauty gives the car snob appeal. Colors
harmonize beautifully. Incidentally, in
a demonstration drive with PowerFlite, I
was told by the salesman it was safe to
reverse the car at speeds under 40. I tried
it at 30 mph repeatedly. No damage done.
It's a nice feeling, while driving with
children in front, to know they will not
cause harm to the transmission by an accidental
bump of the shift." --- Pennsylvania
printer. |
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| And
Other Complaints |
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| Second
and third on the list of most-frequent complaints
are body noises (squeaks and rattles) and
the operation of PowerFlite transmission.
|
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| "There
are too many rattles in doors and instrument
panel." --- Virginia factory superintendent. |
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| "PowerFlite
is not smooth operating. It is noisy and
jerks when dropping into low gear at stops.
Has not had final adjustment, however."
--- Nebraska Army employee. |
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| "PowerFlite
thumps when car is put into motion."
--- Florida nurseryman. |
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| Owners
of the Dodge V8 are unbothered by engine
trouble, the survey shows. Three out of
four say they had no engine trouble at all
(77 percent). Another 20 percent say they
had some trouble and only a tiny 3 percent
report considerable trouble. |
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| Although
Dodge offers a brand new V8 this year (the
175 HP Red Ram with a single-rocker-arm-shaft
Super Red Ram (183 HP), there apparently
in no oil consumption problem among the
engines. Only 7 percent of the owners report
using some oil and none reports that the
engines use considerable amounts of il.
|
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| Most
of the owners who report some engine trouble
list the automatic choke as the offender.
A few more say the engine is hard to start
in cold weather. |
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| "Automatic
choke flooded frequently until it was adjusted
properly." --- Kansas executive. |
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| "Carburetor
kept flooding. Dealer installed a new one.
It's okay now." --- Florida dragline
operator. |
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| "On
cold mornings the car has been very hard
to start due to the choke." --- Mississippi
mill operator. |
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| Another
complaint is that the engine has a rough
idle. |
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| "Engine
should idle more smoothly. It rocks all
the time." Pennsylvania laborer. |
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| What
Should Be Changed? |
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| Asked
to name one change they would make in their
Dodge, 43 percent of the owners say no change
is needed. The other 57 percent offer various
suggestions, but no more than 5 percent
agree on any specific change. Five percent
want the glove compartment larger or moved
closer to the driver. The same percentage
(5 percent) want gasoline economy improved.
Another 5 percent say the body should be
tighter. Here are some typical quotations
by owners asking for specific changes (in
order of frequency of mention): |
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| "I
would like the glove compartment to be larger
and in center of dash. Also two ash trays
in front." --- Texas clerk. (Quotations
about better fuel economy have already been
given.) |
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| "Factory
or dealer should take more care to tighten
body. I found I had to replace several bolts
and tighten others under the car and inside."
--- Arizona contractor. |
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| "Add
parking dog to PowerFlite." --- Ohio
insurance agent. |
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| "Make
the steering wheel clear the lap more."
--- Kansas fireman. |
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| "Get
rid of push-button door latches. Hard to
open with groceries in hands." ---
Oregon minister. |
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"Eliminate cowl ventilator." ---
Texas clerk. |
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"Put
ram's head back on hood." --- Tennessee
machine operator. |
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| Other
Best-Liked Features |
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| The
following typical quotations were made by
owners in stating what they like best about
their 1955 Dodges: |
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| "Excellent
riding comfort. Do not get jarred on bad
roads." --- Pennsylvania sales manager.
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| "It
has the best visibility of any car on the
market" --- North Carolina farmer.
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| "Sloping
hood and raised fenders offer good vision."
--- Iowa railroad fireman. |
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| "Windshield
design makes it easy to get in and out plus
giving a nice view to front and right side."
--- Washington service station attendant.
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| "Roadability
excellent. You feel safe at all times."
--- Iowa auto mechanic. |
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| "Interior
styling is excellent, especially the plastic
upholstery that eliminates the previous
dissatisfaction of buying good looking upholstery
and then having to cover it for protection."
--- Florida owner. |
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| "Doesn't
use any oil to speak of and is so easy on
gas. Always ready to go when others won't
even start." Missouri owner. |
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| "I
drive to work every day. With six in the
car we are not crowded." --- Pennsylvania
crane operator. |
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| "I
like the way I get traction on ice and snow
with PowerFlite." --- Washington petroleum
wholesaler. |
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"I like the new bright colors. They
ar cheerful and can be seen quicker on the
highway." --- Arizona shovel operator.
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| "Large
trunk area and convenient map light on instrument
panel." --- Oklahoma housewife. |
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| Additional
Complaints |
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| "Water
leaked in around top of the windshield."
--- Washington foreman. |
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| "Body
leaks. Floor mats are always wet on underside."
--- Pennsylvania engineer. |
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| "Tubeless
tires are not satisfactory. Ride very hard,
out of round, give the car vibrations. I
removed all four tires and substituted tires
and wheels from a 1949 Chrysler which I
own and the difference was amazing. Vibration
was cut down at least 40 percent."
--- New York machine operator. |
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| "Had
trouble with tires being out of round. Three
were replaced in 1300 miles and I still
get vibration." --- Illinois machinist.
|
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| "Steering
post is very noisy over rough roads."
--- New Jersey mason. |
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| "Had
several bad chrome sections when delivered,
but were taken care of to my satisfaction
by my Dodge dealer." --- Pennsylvania
businessman. |
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| "Defroster
clears windshield unevenly." --- Washington
farmer. |
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| "Defroster
very poor on driver's side." --- Connecticut
rubber worker. |
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| "Horn
ring positively dangerous. Answers to pressure
on bottom third of wheel only. In a curve,
driver has to hunt for pressure spot to
sound horn." --- Missouri lawyer. "Chrome
inside and out is not put on the right way.
It works loose and causes squeaks and noises."
--- New Jersey baker. "Driver cannot
see right front fender clearly." ---
Pennsylvania salesman. |
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| Dash-Mounted
Shift Lever |
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| One
of the most talked-about features of the
entire Chrysler Corporation line is the
location of the PowerFlite selector lever
on the dashboard. Only 6 percent of the
owners polled dislike the new location.
Another 10 percent say it makes no difference
to them and 84 percent like the idea. Here
are some options: |
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| "Selector
lever on dashboard is the hardest thing
to get used to. It is handier under the
steering wheel, but must admit it is out
of the way of coat sleeves on the dash and
you don't use it much anymore." Washington
prison officer. "Dash-mounted lever
is just as convenient (but no more so) as
when on steering column. --- New Jersey
salesman. "Dashboard location is wonderful.
Seems the natural place for it." ---
West Virginia salesman. "New position
is very good. I cut the lever off flush
with the dash." --- California electronics
engineer. |
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| Well,
there you have it --- the good and the bad
about the 1955 Dodge V8. A brief summary
of the owner's opinions would state that
the Dodge is excellent in handling, power
and performance. Its two V8 engines are
reliable and very miserly with oil. The
major complaint is that the car uses too
much gasoline, especially with PowerFlite. |
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| For
more information contact the owner directly
at 888.600.4945 |
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