The "Lancer" name was used on Canadian-built Custom Royal 2-door and 4-door
hardtops from 1955 to 1959. In the U,S. it was in the same years for the
same body styles in the Coronet, Royal and Custom Royal series, plus the
convertibles. The name is nothing special, just means it is either a
hardtop or convertible.
Total production of the Custom Royal in Canada came to 4,345, compared to
26,640 in the U.S. Only the 4-door sedan, 2-door hardtop and 4-door hardtop
were built in Canada. The wagon and convertible were imported.
The "Lancer" name was not used on the Plymouth-based Dodges, by the way.
The problem in this situation is the "318". It was never used in the
Coronet-Royal-Custom Royal series in the U.S., or in the Canadian Custom
Royal. The Canadian 1958 Custom Royal used the 354 while the U.S. version
used the 325 or 361 V8 engines.
As for interchanging, Mike is right - basically only the glass. The front
doors of the Dodge will fit the Plymouth door opening, but the door handles
will be wrong.
As Mike says, if you want stuff that fits a Dodge, look for a Plymouth-based
Dodge - Crusader, Regent or Mayfair. If a 1958 Dodge Crusader, Regent or
Mayfair is original, it will have a 313-cid V8, not a 318 (unless it is an
imported Mayfair convertible), same as the Canadian-built Plymouth.
And I agree with Mike. If the car is in decent shape, leave it for someone
looking a car to restore. There are other 313 (Canadian) and 318 (American)
vehicles with transmissions out there. The same powertrain was used in
1958 through 1961, with the transmission choices being the same - 3-speed
manual, 2-speed Powerflite or 3-speed Torqueflite.
Bill
Vancouver, BC
> --- Terry Condy <a1tercon@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > Hello all:
> > Found an ad for a 58 Dodge Lancer up here in Canada.
> > Guy wants 1200.00 bucks for the car. It is a 2dr
> > hard top wide block v8 318. It has lots of good
> > parts but I am intrested in just the engine and
> > trans.
>
> I'd sure like to see that one go to someone who wants
> the whole car. I'm guessing from the "Lancer"
> designation that it's a Custom Royal, the only big
> (non-Plymouth-based) Dodge built in Canada in '58. The
> "wide block 318" is most likely a Canada-exclusive
> 313, they look very similar externally. I seem to
> recall Canadian-spec Custom Royals also sharing the
> poly-head 354 with the '58 Chrysler Saratoga, and
> that's a whole other animal. (Bill? Am I right so
> far?) A US-spec Custom Royal would have a B-block,
> either a 350 or a 361.
>
> I guess a Regal Lancer is also possible although I
> didn't think they were offered in Canada. If a
> Canadian-spec Regal Lancer exists at all I would think
> it'd be something of a big deal.
>
> > Now my question is would anything on this car be
> > worth anything based on condition?
>
> Let's put it this way... ...a '57 Custom Royal 2drHt
> in either Alberta or Saskatchewan went for over $3000
> US on eBay last week, despite not being anywhere near
> perfect. Unless this one has terminal cancer I'd be
> thinking in terms of saving it, or turning it as a
> whole car. Canadian-spec Custom Royals are relatively
> rare, most Canadian Dodges being the Plymouth-based
> models (Crusader, Regent, Mayfair).
>
> > The glass and doors are all good.
> > Would this car interchange with a 58 Plymouth?
>
> Some parts will, I believe all the glass will. For a
> Dodge that interchanges a lot more with a '58
> Plymouth, look for one of the model names above.
>
> =====
> Mike Sealey, San Francisco CA
> '57 Plymouth Sport Suburban
> '64 Chrysler 300-K 2dr Hardtop
>
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