Posted 2008-10-20 5:30 PM (#148899 - in reply to #148857) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
Location: The Mile High City
Hi, Ian:
You did a thread on models a while back, correct? I remember that was a really neat thread. I posted pictures of my '58 Plymouth model that I made to look like the Plymouth I used to own.
Posted 2008-10-20 8:19 PM (#148918 - in reply to #148899) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
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Lancer Mike - 2008-10-20 2:30 PM Hi, Ian: You did a thread on models a while back, correct? I remember that was a really neat thread. I posted pictures of my '58 Plymouth model that I made to look like the Plymouth I used to own.
I found my old thread on the models, and it has a couple of the JoHan models with interiors, the 60 DeSoto and the 62 300.
Posted 2008-10-21 2:25 PM (#149009 - in reply to #148918) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
Location: The Mile High City
Neil, I don't think whoever built this particular model was trying to build a Regal. It does appear that they were trying to build a car exactly like the "tribute" car shown below the model pictures. Yes, the red or coral shields are peculiar - otherwise it seems to be a match.
Posted 2008-11-09 8:27 AM (#151240 - in reply to #149009) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
Location: The Mile High City
In yesterday's Hemming's -
"Dodge 1958 Custom Royal Regal Lancer, super rare, 1 year only, production 1,163, less than 12 known to exist, bronze over white body, original b/b 350 w/push-button Torqueflite transmission, beautiful interior reproduced to original, older amateur restoration that shows well, runs/drives very well, asking $65,000 508-317-7092, MA."
That could be one of the two bronze and white Regals in the show photo - because I think that was around the Massachusetts area. Very interesting that this Regal owner says that there are less than 12 known to exist - I would estimate a bit higher based on this thread, but that's probably right in the ball park. I remember that Barrett Jackson Regal auctioned for $70,000 a year ago - it was an excellent restoration.
I thought this was an interesting advertisement for it's discussion about value and survival rates.
Posted 2008-11-09 9:13 PM (#151313 - in reply to #151271) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
Location: The Mile High City
I was trying to count the number we have talked about just in this thread:
the Frostbite - customized
MoPar Aivar's - eggshell and copper - Super D500
Pat Grant's - eggshell and copper
Nick Nichol's - copper and eggshell - D500 badge
East Coast Car 1 - eggshell and copper
East Coast Car 2 - eggshell and copper
Richard's - black and copper - D500
Jess Ruffalo's - copper and black (was eggshell and copper)
Balsam Lake Car - eggshell and copper
That is nine - Neil I bet you are right - there must be at least twice that number. 25 is a good Scientific Wild @ss Guess! Like the advertisement says, these are rare birds. I think that the advertised car is one of the East Coast cars. I have heard that a famous Canadian restorer owns one, but I am not sure if he still has it or has sold it to someone mentioned above...so I can't get us into double digits.
The think that is most surprising to me is that most of these Regals are eggshell and copper. Before this thread, the most photographed one I ever saw was Jess Ruffalo's and I thought most were copper and black!!! Of course, after seeing it in person - I now know that it too started out as eggshell and copper. It makes me really appreciate seeing all the others out there. I bet Pat Grant knows of more.
Posted 2008-11-10 6:10 PM (#151415 - in reply to #144239) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146 Location: bishop, ca
Yeah, Greg Leggatt owns at least one Regal; that puts us at 10 cars.
Funny thing : I know of at least 6 D501's (including two convertibles) that still exist; that number represents about 6% of
the total production (there apparently were at least two prototypes, which may or may not be part of the official 102 501's
produced).
Six percent of 1163 Regals built happens to be about 70 cars still remaining. You have to believe that a higher
percentage of high-end Regals would have survived, than did the real throw-away (all were:) manual-steering-and-transmissioned
Coronet 501 sedans and ( about 25, too) convertibles .
Posted 2008-11-10 6:27 PM (#151423 - in reply to #151415) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
Location: The Mile High City
I wondered if the Balsam Lake car might be Leggatt's. I don't know. That is interesting, Neil - you would think that more of these cars survived. Maybe the high-end trim option on a Dodge worked against it. Unlike a very low production Chrysler 300, these were less well-known, a bit gaudier, and did not necessarily have the hot rod engine.
I remember one of Leggatt's cars was recently for sale and they had a similar claim in the advertisement. It was a Canadian Custom Royal spring special and was advertised as one of 12 made, blah, blah, blah... Suspiciously alike, now that I think about it. Could this be Leggatt's?
Posted 2008-11-10 7:52 PM (#151456 - in reply to #151313) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
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there is a fellow in connecticut by the name of joe macaluso that has a eggshell and copper car that may be one of your east coast cars. i didnt want to have to go back thru all 100 posts to see if i had mentioned him . the last time i had contact with him he was working on it after 23 years. it was pretty badly rusted. greg leggatt does reproduction wiring harnesses and he brought his regal to a 300 meet in maine a few years back. by the pictures it is a truly beautiful car. wayne graefen who lives in texas and is a walking encylcopedia on old mopars probably knows where everyone still in existence is. i will have to ask him . pat
Posted 2008-11-10 10:17 PM (#151476 - in reply to #151456) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
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grant4405 - 2008-11-10 7:52 PM
there is a fellow in connecticut by the name of joe macaluso that has a eggshell and copper car that may be one of your east coast cars. i didnt want to have to go back thru all 100 posts to see if i had mentioned him . the last time i had contact with him he was working on it after 23 years. it was pretty badly rusted. greg leggatt does reproduction wiring harnesses and he brought his regal to a 300 meet in maine a few years back. by the pictures it is a truly beautiful car. wayne graefen who lives in texas and is a walking encylcopedia on old mopars probably knows where everyone still in existence is. i will have to ask him . pat
I think he posts here from time to time with the user name joemac.
Posted 2008-11-11 12:01 AM (#151480 - in reply to #151476) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
Location: The Mile High City
I think Joe might be the one whose friend purchased the black and copper car. Out of all the foward look cars there are lots of very interesting little subsets: D501's, Pace Setters, Blue Herons, Dash Ones, Green Falcons, Spring Specials, Letter Cars, Silver Specials, Ghia Limousines, etc. The Regal subset is particulary interesting to me. Every time I see one, I think it is such a treat.
There is not much to them: a different color, a little different paint scheme, slightly different trim and badges, and a different interior - a very casual observer might say they are about the same as any other '58 Dodge. But they are so very appealing when you look at them! My impression is that awareness of them was or perhaps still is pretty low on the radar. I don't think the owner of the Frostbite even advertised his as a Regal!
I think Joe might be the one whose friend purchased the black and copper car. Out of all the foward look cars there are lots of very interesting little subsets: D501's, Pace Setters, Blue Herons, Dash Ones, Green Falcons, Spring Specials, Letter Cars, Silver Specials, Ghia Limousines, etc. The Regal subset is particulary interesting to me. Every time I see one, I think it is such a treat.
There is not much to them: a different color, a little different paint scheme, slightly different trim and badges, and a different interior - a very casual observer might say they are about the same as any other '58 Dodge. But they are so very appealing when you look at them! My impression is that awareness of them was or perhaps still is pretty low on the radar. I don't think the owner of the Frostbite even advertised his as a Regal!
Same thing with my namesake here: The 1955 DeSoto Fireflite Coronado.
Strictly a 4 door sedan affair that year whose trim is identical to any "run-of-the-mill" Fireflite, but was the only DeSoto available with a factory tri-tone paint job of turquoise/black/white in whatever desired combination (most common I've seen is the one John's been saving for me, more or less - turquoise body/white sweep/black roof - but I've seen 'em with white body/turquoise sweep/black roof and one person over at Duricy's "DeSotoland" has one with black body/white sweep/turquoise roof).
Other Coronado-specific accoutrements include standard power steering, standard power brakes, standard 4-way power seat and turquoise cloth/white leather upholstery. Here's a few exterior/interior pics of the Coronado at John's yard - oh, and it's 1 of 487 built :
Posted 2008-11-11 2:54 PM (#151527 - in reply to #144239) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146 Location: bishop, ca
Mark, your car, when restored (by you) will be stunning.
Mike, I gotta disagree with you, about the Regals "having not much to them".
Except for the sheetmetal, almost all of the interior and exterior finishings were unique to that car model.
From the steering wheel, to the interior and headliner, to the exterior stainless and trim, to the paint work: they're all
unique to that car.
It's amazing that any parts-cars ever survived---Greg found at least one of them; I've got a photo of it, in my archives.
Maybe I'll go find it, today.
Posted 2008-11-11 5:10 PM (#151545 - in reply to #144239) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146 Location: bishop, ca
Ok; found my Regal collection, and sent Clive some pics to post of unrestored Regals (do these count against the "12"???)
There will be two shots of the black-over-bronze, that Greg Leggatt either restored, or used as his parts car---I THINK that this is the
car that he restored; he wrote once to say that he'd found a 'stripper' Regal---that may have been his parts-donor.
There will be 2 shots of a white-over-bronze, a bronze-over white (this one is accounted-for, here, I believe, an all-bronze
#4 car, and a white-over-bronze which has had its fins be painted black.
Finally, I sent a pic of a phot that Greg had sent years ago, showing how his car's Lance emblems were silver, not gold.
Posted 2008-11-11 5:12 PM (#151546 - in reply to #151545) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
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d500neil - 2008-11-11 10:10 PM
Ok; found my Regal collection, and sent Clive some pics to post of unrestored Regals (do these count against the "12"???)
There will be two shots of the car that Greg Leggatt either restored, or used as his parts car---I THINK that this is the
car that he restored; he wrote once to say that he'd found a 'stripper' Regal---that may have been his parts-donor.
There will be 2 shots of a white-over-bronze, a bronze-over white (this one is accounted-for, here, I believe, an all-bronze
#4 car, and a white-over-bronze which has had its fins be painted black.
Finally, I sent a pic of a phot that Greg had sent years ago, showing how his car's Lance emblems were silver, not gold.
Posted 2008-11-11 5:45 PM (#151552 - in reply to #144239) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146 Location: bishop, ca
Hmmm...I now think that that second black-over-bronze may have been Greg's stripper-parts-car, as it has no rear antennae,
like the 'first' car has, and it might have a white wall tire still on it; the 'first' car has a blackwall, on the rt/rr side.
Posted 2008-11-11 7:34 PM (#151570 - in reply to #151552) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
Location: The Mile High City
Wow! Another treasure trove Neil! Yes, I would certainly count these among existing cars (at least at the time the photos were taken)! Something you said about the steering wheel: yes, it was a unique bronze color with the ivory two-tone treatment, but otherwise exactly like every other '58 Dodge two-tone steering wheel, right?
Posted 2008-11-11 8:27 PM (#151581 - in reply to #151546) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
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Posts: 148
your picture #32 is my car sitting in a driveway in kansas city . i picked it up near there in 2003, i believe. it looks a little better now-same color scheme and same tires. do you mind if i ask where you got your pictures? some of these cars have lead fascinating lives-more so than a lot of people.
Posted 2008-11-11 8:54 PM (#151588 - in reply to #151581) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146 Location: bishop, ca
Pat, my photos go back to the 1980's, from various sources.
At least, I did not take this photo. You don't recognize the background in that photo, huh?
BTW, the car which I believe to be Greg Leggatt's car (#28, above) appears to have a coral-colored grille emblem.
Pat, I have at least four more photos of your car (other side/rear-view; two interior, and a right/front) ; please PM me your
address & I'll send you their images. You can decide if you want to post them on this site, or not; nothing wrong with the photos;
the photo paper looks to be identical, so I'm pretty sure that these views are of your car.
Mark, your car, when restored (by you) will be stunning.
Thanks, Neil. I'm as devout a hardtop guy as there is, but when John first posted pictures of this baby back last November (1 of the 5 DeSotos he rescued at that time), I was absolutely spellbound (and still am) - and not by something so definable as its rareness. She just oozes class, IMO.
The question now is when?
Unfortunately, the way things are here at present, it's utterly out of the question - my job hours have been scaled back such since July that I doubt I'll make my own d@mn car insurance payment this February without a lend.....
Posted 2008-11-12 2:42 PM (#151659 - in reply to #144239) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146 Location: bishop, ca
Olde Car restoration is not exactly a mandatory-priority, at any time, unless you do that work to try to turn a profit
on it.
The temperature, this week, in the Eastern Sierra region is in the historically-high record range (like, 80 degrees, today)
and that's NOT good for the local tourist industry (skiing, right now).
Fortunately, for those of us in the insurance-claims profession, when economic times get tough, people tend to MAKE claims,
where they might not, otherwise, so we are somewhat insulated (unless insurance companies go bankrupt, and we don't
get paid---I got NOTHING to do with AIG, btw) ...from serious downturns in the economy.
The definition of having monetary wealth is to have it during economic recessions/depressions, NOT (just) when the economy is rising and 'everybody' is spending it as fast as they can earn it.
What 'good' does cheap gas 'do', if no one can afford to go out and drive their cars?
Posted 2008-11-12 3:46 PM (#151670 - in reply to #151659) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
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Posts: 907 Location: Magra, Sweden
There is at leat one Regal Lancer in Sweden, a beautiful unrestored bronze over eggshell. Enjoy the pics I took at the Nasco Yankees meeting in Falköping Sweden last summer. I run across the car this spring and still in the same condition even though the owner spoke about restoring last summer.
Posted 2008-11-12 6:12 PM (#151687 - in reply to #144239) Subject: RE: 1958 Regal Lancer
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Posts: 2932 Location: Lemoore CA
I really have enjoyed this thread, and especially all of the pictures. I have a question, is a "base" regal lancer overall a nicer car than a base custom royal? They almost look nicer picture after picture.
Posted 2008-11-12 6:47 PM (#151694 - in reply to #144239) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146 Location: bishop, ca
James, the Regal Lancers were a mid-year top-of-the-line submodel which was created to compete with the upscale
Poncho Bonnevilles, and maybe, the Buick Limiteds (altho they were available in convertibles.)
There really was no reason not to make a Regal convertible, beyond the quarter panel and rear seat upholstery-size
differences--everything else would have been the same (except for the LACK of the Accousti-Foam headliners--lolol).
A Regal Lancer would be considerably more desirable, and valuable, than a similar-model Custom Royal.
I know, from having sat in a front seat, that the RL's form-fitted suedo-bucket-style seats are more comfortable than the other models' standard-shaped bench seats.
The mostly-white one would be the easiest to maintain, but, IMHO, the most impressive color style might be the mostly black one, with the bronze accents.
Posted 2008-11-12 11:14 PM (#151724 - in reply to #151694) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
Location: The Mile High City
That is an interesting Regal, Thord! One thing I noticed is that it does not have the shield and lance on the glove-box door, which was a standard feature of the Custom Royal line and I would assume so on the Regal as well. Also interesting are the gold-painted valve covers. I had heard that some valve covers were painted either bronze or gold, but I had not seen very many. It seems most were painted argent silver as was the block.
I personally think that the Regals are perhaps the most desireable '58 Dodges. It is difficult to compare them that way though. You might see a very appealing Texan club sedan with rare options like a Super D-500 and power windows and seats. Convertibles have great appeal too. It probably comes down to a comparison of each individual car. By and large, though, the Regals have a leg up on the competition.
Posted 2008-12-09 2:29 PM (#154864 - in reply to #152039) Subject: RE: 1958 Regal Lancer
Location: The Mile High City
This was an interesting video on youtube. If you have a spare 6+ minutes, it is a fun ride. Do not attempt to view with a dial up connection unless you have time to spare!
Posted 2008-12-09 11:03 PM (#154945 - in reply to #154887) Subject: RE: 1958 Regal Lancer
Location: The Mile High City
I haven't seen Gary post in awhile. I hope everything is alright. Those look like the Spring Special fin caps on Aivar's Regal - I think that is a very good look on the Regals!
Posted 2008-12-10 9:22 PM (#155043 - in reply to #144239) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146 Location: bishop, ca
That's Aivar's car, all right. It has virtually every OEM option on it except for the Super D500, and "Bumper Group"
option package (that would include the rear bumper guards).
Funny, but I never noticed its Spring Special fin trim, before. It's probably OEM to the car, but only the IBM card-copy
would confirm its being original to the car.
Posted 2008-12-10 9:40 PM (#155046 - in reply to #144239) Subject: RE: 1958 Regal Lancer
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Posts: 2932 Location: Lemoore CA
I think my tastes are shifting. At one time, I hated 57 Dodges because of their big funny parking lights and plain grill/bumper, and my feelings toward 58's were lukewarm at best. Now I think 58's in general are becoming my favorite year Dodge. Kind of like the 57's now too, as long as they have custom royal teeth in the bumper to offset the plainness.
Posted 2008-12-11 9:37 AM (#155079 - in reply to #154945) Subject: RE: 1958 Regal Lancer
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Posts: 2244 Location: Yorba Linda, Ca
I'm Great, thanks everybody. Nice job of posting the video up on this post. I did post a video, a shorter one, where you will be riding "Shotgun" and Aivar puts the pedal to the metal and kicks in all * barrels---just the thing to warm you guys up on a long winter's day. Maybe you can post that one here, Mike?
You can also go cruising in Aivar's 58 New Yorker Convertible "The Emerald Queen"
Glad you guys are enjoying the Videos. And Yep that is my 59 with the "Popout" DVD player that you hear, playing in the background!!
Posted 2008-12-11 2:43 PM (#155103 - in reply to #155101) Subject: RE: 1958 Regal Lancer
Location: The Mile High City
I like that Dave has enabled us to post links to YouTube here. You can watch the video and then have some discussion about what is shown. It is pretty amazing, really. So, Aivar's car is a Super D-500 and you show a great shot of the rear defogger option later in the video. The sound of the turn signal blinker is oh so familiar! What a fun ride!
Posted 2008-12-19 6:27 PM (#156127 - in reply to #144239) Subject: Frostbite is BACK......
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Location: .Norfolk..Mafia.. ,England UK
Lancer Mike - 2008-09-09 11:57 PM
You read right, a REGAL LANCER. This is not my car. If you are interested, contact Jim at miz7@comcast.net . I think he is asking $29,500 and I believe it is in the Detroit area on Craigslist. I don't think Jim is a member.
If you are a purist, don't look. I like the naked babe pinstriping motif.
OK,, Lets take this thread back 6 pages to the Original Posting........
Posted 2008-12-23 6:29 PM (#156533 - in reply to #156142) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
Location: The Mile High City
This is a pretty difficult sale. I imagine a lot of time and effort went in to the customization of the car. I am sure the seller looks at all this time and effort as value added to the car. Any potential buyer will have to overcome that and then face significant expenses to get the car back to normal again. It should be a big gap to bridge.
Posted 2008-12-26 4:52 PM (#156813 - in reply to #156533) Subject: Re: 1958 Regal Lancer
Location: The Mile High City
Bidding ended at just over $12,000 with the reserve not met. That is probably within the range I would offer if I wanted to own the car. $10,000 - $15,000? I would be very heisitant to go north of $15,000 on the Frostbite - just because I feel I would have to replace the interior and wheels/tires to enjoy driving it.
1958 Regal Lancer
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1955 DeSoto Fireflite Coronado after wash.jpg (60KB - 482 downloads)
