This article needs additional citations for verification .(December 2018) |
1955 Dodge | |
---|---|
Overview | |
Manufacturer | Dodge (Chrysler) |
Also called | Dodge Coronet Dodge Suburban Dodge Royal Dodge Sierra Dodge Custom Royal |
Production | 1955–1956 |
Assembly | Dodge Main Factory, Hamtramck, MI |
Body and chassis | |
Class | Full-size |
Body style | 2-door coupe 4-door sedan 2-door hardtop coupe 2-door wagon 4-door wagon 2-door convertible |
Layout | FR layout |
Related | DeSoto Custom Plymouth Plaza |
Powertrain | |
Engine | 230 in3 (3.8 L) Getaway I6 270 in3 (4.4 L) Red Ram V8 325 cu in (5.3 L) V8 350 cu in (5.7 L) V8 361 cu in (5.9 L) V8 |
Transmission | 2-speed automatic 3-speed manual 3-speed automatic |
Dimensions | |
Wheelbase | 120 in (3048 mm) |
Length | 212.1 in (5387 mm) |
Chronology | |
Successor | 1957 Dodge |
The 1955 Dodge car lineup, consisting of the entry-level Coronet, Royal, and ornate Custom Royal, was a major departure for the company. Driven almost out of business in 1953 and 1954, the Chrysler Corporation was revived with a $250 million loan from Prudential and new models designed by Virgil Exner. The Dodge lineup was positioned as the mainstream line in Chrysler's hierarchy, between DeSoto and Plymouth.
The 1955 Dodge was all-new with a 120 in (3048 mm) wheelbase and 212.1 in (5387 mm) overall length, longer than the 1954 cars. They shared their basic mechanicals with the DeSoto Custom, but had distinct styling. These cars lasted through the 1956 model year before being replaced by an all-new 1957.
There were six body styles and four trim levels for 1955:
Model | 2-door sedan | 4-door sedan | 2-door hardtop coupe | 2-door wagon | 4-door wagon | 2-door convertible |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coronet | I6/V8 Coronet | I6/V8 Coronet | V8 Lancer | I6/V8 Suburban | I6/V8 Suburban | |
Royal | V8 Royal | V8 Royal Lancer | V8 Sierra | |||
Custom Royal | V8 Custom Royal | V8 Custom Royal Lancer | V8 Custom Royal Lancer |
The Coronet (and Suburban station wagon) was the base model. This was the only line to feature the 230 in3 (3.8 L) Getaway I6 as well as the 270 in3 (4.4 L) Red Ram V8. Coronets were available in all body styles except the convertible. Sedans feature "Coronet" badges on the fenders, while the station wagons are called "Suburban". Although the hardtop coupe was officially named "Lancer", it wore only "Coronet" badges. Turn signals were standard on the Royal and Custom Royal models but optional on the base Coronet.
The Royal (and Sierra wagon) were the next step up. Featuring only the V8 engine, the Royal also lacked the 2-door sedan and wagon models available in the Coronet line. Early hardtop coupes lack the "Lancer" script, although they were officially Lancers, but later models wore "Royal Lancer" badges.
The flagship model was the Custom Royal. All hardtop coupe and Custom Royal-only convertible models were called "Custom Royal Lancer". The Custom line featured unique chrome tailfins (although early model year cars went without this trim), special tail light surrounds, and an upscale interior. Backup lights were standard on the Custom line but optional on all others. The Custom Royal also featured the hemi 270 CID Super Red Ram engine. [1]
The La Femme was a special package oriented towards women, who made up an increasing share of Dodge buyers. It came in Heather Rose and Sapphire White colors and included a cape, boots, umbrella, and shoulder bag that matched the floral tapestry-like fabrics. Changes to the car include built-in compartments in the seatbacks to hold these accessories.
The 1956 D-500 was a high-performance model derived from the standard 1956 Dodge but differing in many ways. It included a heavy duty suspension and other chassis upgrades from the New Yorker and Imperial lines, upgraded brakes, and a high-performance 315 in3 (5.2 L) Hemi-head V8. A four-barrel Carter carburetor pushed output to 260 hp (194 kW) and 330 lb·ft (447 N·m). The 3-speed manual transmission was standard, with the PowerFlite 2-speed automatic as an option. A rare NASCAR-specific option was the D-500-1(Dash-1), which upped power to 285 hp (213 kW). The D-500 originally used only the Coronet 2-door sedan and Royal Lancer hardtop and convertible bodies.
For the 1957 model year, Chrysler embarked on a second total linewide redesign. Virgil Exner's "Forward Design" brought about cars that were bigger and more sleek than anything before, and instantly put a company that had traditionally regarded styling as unimportant on the forefront of automotive design. Unfortunately, two total redesigns in as many years resulted in severe build quality and rust problems, so that many 1957 Chryslers, Dodges, and Plymouths were off the road within three years of their purchase.
While many of the quality issues were resolved for the 1958 model year, which brought about some minor styling tweaks, a recession struck that was particularly damaging to sales of mid-range cars. Dodge production had exceeded 337,000 cars for 1957 but the 1958 total fell by over half to less than 140,000, although some of this loss was due to negative publicity from the cars' poor quality control.
1959 Dodges were facelifted to gain a heavy, drooping look with hooded headlamps. Swivel-out seats became an option. [2] Production for the model year totaled 156,395 cars, a modest increase over 1958. The highlight of the lineup was the performance-oriented D-500 package.
Power came from either a 230 cu in (4 L) flathead straight six or one of two 270 cu in (4 L) V8s. The regular Red Ram V8 was standard on the Royal and optional on the Coronet. A hemi V8 (the Super Red Ram) was standard on the Custom Royal. A rare Power Pack was optional, consisting of a four-barrel Carter carburetor and dual exhausts good for 193 hp (144 kW ; 196 PS ) with the Hemi engine.
Two transmissions were offered: a three-speed manual with optional overdrive and Chrysler's two-speed PowerFlite automatic. The PowerFlite was controlled by a dash-mounted lever, though this was changed to a push-button setup for 1956.
The cars used a special coil spring/kingpin suspension in front and regular leaf springs and a live axle at the rear. Power steering was optional. A six-volt electrical system was updated to 12 volts in 1956.
Plymouth was a brand of automobiles produced by Chrysler Corporation and its successor DaimlerChrysler. The brand was launched in 1928 to compete in what was then described as the "low-priced" market segment that was dominated by Chevrolet and Ford. It became a high-volume seller for the automaker until the late 1990s. Plymouth cars were marketed primarily in the United States. The brand was withdrawn from the marketplace in 2001. The Plymouth models that were produced up to then were either discontinued or rebranded as Chrysler or Dodge.
The Chrysler 300 "letter series" are high-performance personal luxury cars that were built by Chrysler in the U.S. from 1955 to 1965 and were a sub-model from the Chrysler New Yorker. After the initial year, which was named C-300 for its standard 300 hp (220 kW) 331 cu in (5.4 L) FirePower V8, the 1956 cars were designated 300B. Successive model years were given the next letter of the alphabet as a suffix, reaching the 300L by 1965, after which the model sequence was discontinued while the "300" remained. At its introduction it was advertised as "America's Most Powerful Car".
The Chrysler New Yorker is an automobile model that was produced by Chrysler from 1940 until 1996, serving for several decades as either the brand's flagship model or as a junior sedan to the Chrysler Imperial, the latter during the years in which the Imperial name was used within the Chrysler lineup rather than as a standalone brand.
The Dodge Dart is a line of large passenger cars produced by Dodge from the 1959 to 1976 model years in North America, with production extended to later years in various other markets.
The Dodge Monaco is an automobile that was marketed by the Dodge division of Chrysler Corporation. Introduced as the flagship of the Dodge product line, the Monaco was introduced for 1965 to replace the Custom 880, then later joining as a sub-model of the Dodge Polara. During its production, the Monaco was offered in multiple body configurations, including two-door and four-door hardtop sedans, four-door sedans, two-door convertibles, and station wagons.
The Dodge Coronet is an automobile that was marketed by Dodge in seven generations, and shared nameplates with the same bodyshell with varying levels of equipment installed. Introduced as a full-size car in 1949, it was the division's highest trim line and moved to the lowest level starting in 1955 through 1959. The name was reintroduced on intermediate-sized models from the 1965 until 1976 model years. Muscle car versions were available starting in 1965 with the 383 and 426 wedge cu in Chrysler RB engine, followed in 1966 by the powerful 426 cu in Chrysler Hemi. Other performance models included the "Superbee", and featured, the 383 cu in Magnum, among other engine options. The nameplate "coronet" is a type of crown worn by royalty.
The Plymouth Fury is a model of automobile that was produced by Plymouth from 1955 until 1989. It was introduced for the 1956 model year as a sub-series of the Plymouth Belvedere, becoming a separate series one level above the contemporary Belvedere for 1959. The Fury was a full-size car from 1959 until 1961, then a mid-size car from 1962 until 1964, again, a full-size car from 1965 through 1974, and again, a mid-size car from 1975 through 1978. From 1975 until 1977, the Fury was sold alongside the full-size Plymouth Gran Fury. In 1978, the B-body Fury was the largest Plymouth, and by 1979, there was no large Plymouth. This product gap was filled in 1980 with the R-body Gran Fury, followed by the M-body Fury in 1982. Production of the last V8, RWD Plymouth Fury ended at the Kenosha Main assembly plant in Kenosha, WI, on December 23, 1988. Unlike its sibling brand, Dodge, Plymouth would not live to see the resurgence of the large, V8/RWD sedan.
The Plymouth Belvedere is a series of American automobile models made by Plymouth from 1954 until 1970.
The Chrysler Windsor is a full-size car which was built by Chrysler from 1939 through to the 1960s. The final Chrysler Windsor sold in the United States was produced in 1961, but production in Canada continued until 1966. The Canadian 1961 to 1966 Windsor model was for all intents and purposes the equivalent of the Chrysler Newport in the United States.
The Dodge Mayfair was an automobile built by Chrysler Corporation of Canada Ltd. This vehicle was produced solely for the Canadian market from 1953 to 1959. Its American equivalent was the Plymouth Belvedere. It was based on the Plymouth.
The Plymouth Satellite is a mid-size automobile introduced in the 1965 model year as the top trim model in Plymouth's "B" platform Belvedere line. Available initially in two-door hardtop and convertible models, the Satellite remained the top-of-the-line model until the 1967 model year. A station wagon version was added and a higher "Sport" trim introduced.
The Chrysler Town & Country is an automobile which was manufactured by Chrysler from 1940 to 1942 and from 1945 to 1988 with production interrupted during World War II. Primarily produced as a luxury station wagon, the Town & Country was also available in "woodie" four-door sedan, two-door hardtop and convertible body styles from 1947 to 1950, 1968 to 1969 and from 1983 to 1986. The 1988 model year was the last for the station wagon until the 1990 model year when Chrysler reintroduced the Town & Country nameplate as the rebadged variant Chrysler Town & Country minivan.
The Dodge Polara is an automobile introduced in the United States for the 1960 model year as Dodge's top-of-the-line full-size car. After the introduction of the Dodge Custom 880 in 1962, the Polara nameplate designated a step below the full-sized best-trimmed Dodge model; the Polara that year had been downsized to what was in effect intermediate, or mid-size status. In its various forms, the Polara name was used by Dodge until 1973, when its position in Dodge's line-up was replaced by the Dodge Monaco.
The Newport was a name used by Chrysler for both a hardtop body designation and also for its lowest priced model between 1961 and 1981. Chrysler first used the Newport name on a 1940 show car, of which five vehicles were produced. From 1950 to 1956, the Newport name was then used to designate any Chrysler model with a hardtop body style. In 1961, Chrysler introduced the Newport as a new, low-priced model, offering large, comfortable two- and four-door Chrysler models that were modestly priced compared with the Chrysler 300, the Chrysler New Yorker and the Imperial. For 1961, the Newport was priced below the Chrysler Windsor in the Windsor's final year.
The DeSoto Firesweep is an automobile that was produced by DeSoto from 1957 through 1959.
The DeSoto Firedome was a full-size automobile produced between 1952 and 1959 by the DeSoto division of the Chrysler Corporation. Introduced as DeSoto's premium line of vehicles for the 1952 model year, it retained that position until demoted to the least expensive model for 1955. It was reclassified to become a mid-range vehicle for 1957 and was discontinued for the 1960 model year.
The Dodge Royal is an automobile produced by Dodge in the United States from the 1954 through 1959 model years.
The Dodge Custom Royal is an automobile which was produced by Dodge in the United States 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 level Dodge Coronet. 2-Door Hardtop, 4-Door Hardtop and Convertible models were marketed under the name "Dodge Custom Royal Lancer".
D-500 was a performance model Dodge automobile first offered in 1956. The name was also used on a medium-duty Dodge truck in the sixties and seventies.
The Dodge lineup was refreshed for the 1958 model year, continuing the three-line scheme of the 1955 Dodges with the entry-level Coronet, Royal, and ornate Custom Royal. The Regal Lancer was added as a new top-of-the-line model in spring.