Seldom do model names get so confused as Dodge’s use of “Custom,” “Royal,” and “Lancer.” This car labors under the burden of all three. “Custom” was an upscale level of trim, “Lancer,” was initially Dodge’s name for a pillarless “hardtop” coupe or sedan. “Royal” was a V-8-only series, the top line until “Custom Royal” upstaged it in 1955. That year, also, the Lancer name was applied to three of the four Custom Royal body styles, a sedan and a convertible as well as the hardtop coupe.

This 1955 Custom Royal Lancer Convertible is an accurately presented example of Dodge’s top-of-the-line offering in the first year of Virgil Exner’s widely acclaimed “Forward Look” styling campaign. Interestingly, the 1955 Dodge lineup remained the purview of designer Maury Baldwin, although Exner’s overarching styling philosophy undoubtedly impacted the final product (and its approval). Baldwin’s implementation of a wraparound windshield and complex grille shapes further suggests Exner’s influence.

Dodge’s “Custom” line featured unique chrome tailfins, special taillight surrounds, and an upscale interior fitted with a four-way power-actuated driver’s seat.

Though its early history is unknown, by 1974 this Custom Royal Lancer Convertible had been acquired by a resident in Oregon with whom it reportedly remained until 2001. It then passed to an owner in Maine, and by 2006 had benefited from a complete and accurate restoration completed by a specialist in Florida. The consignor purchased the car following that restoration, the quality of which remains evident to this day, despite signs of graceful aging.

The factory-correct color combination of Sapphire White and Parisian Blue paint over matching Cordgrain vinyl upholstery beneath a black convertible soft-top remains exceedingly attractive. Power comes from an optional, correct-type Super Red Ram 270-cubic-inch V-8 engine with two-barrel Stromberg carburetor and a PowerFlite automatic transmission. Being Dodge’s flagship offering, this car is richly appointed with amenities, such as power-steering, a push-button radio, a heater, a power-operated convertible top, dashboard clock, dual side mirrors, integrated fog lamps, and chrome-finished wheel covers.

Well outfitted and benefitting from its previous high-quality restoration, this Custom Royal Lancer Convertible has much to recommend it as a potential show-stopping mid-century American drop-top.