1954 Dodge Royal 500

The Dodge division was 40 years old in 1954, but felt more youthful than ever. The reason was an emphasis on performance, a push that won it pace car honors for the first time.

Dodge had not only introduced its first-ever V-8 just one year earlier it had jumped into the horsepower war with a genuine performance engine. Called the Red Ram V8, the 241.3-cid mill was in essence a scaled-down version of the brilliant 331-cid Chrysler hemi. For ‘54, the Red Ram was the heart of Dodge’s new Royal series, which offered two- and four-door sedans on a 119-inch wheelbase and a sportier hardtop coupe and convertible on a trim 114-inch wheelbase. *All three of the original Hemi's were built on different bore centers. Dodge being the smallest. Until Chrysler came out with the 4.7 V8, the original Dodge Hemi was the smallest C/C bore of any OHV V8 ever made. The overall block length was a fraction of an inch longer than the Ford V8-60 because of the spread of the center cylinders for the exhaust*.

To mark its Indy honor, Dodge built 701 pace car replicas and designated them the Royal 500. These bright yellow ragtops were based on the Royal convertible and cost $2808—$201 more than the regular model. For that, the buyer got the same equipment as the actual pace car, including a Continental-style rear spare-tire mount, Kelsey Hayes wire wheels, and special trim and lettering.

Specifications

Body style: 2-door convertible

• Engine: 241-cid ohv V-8

• Boro x stroke (in.): 3.4375x 3.25

Horsepower: 170 (gross)

Transmission: 2-speed automatic

Driver: W.C. Newberg

Royal 500s came with the Red Ram V-8, which used a Stromberg two-barrel carburetor, had 7.5:1 compression and solid valve lifters, and was rated at 150 hp at 4400 rpm. The actual pace car was fitted with a custom Offenhauser intake manifold and Rochester four-barrel for a reported 170 bhp at 4400 rpm. *The Offy manifold that went on the actual pace car may have had a Rochester because Offenhauser preferred Rochester carbs in those days. I believe Dodge made their own cast iron manifold for the replicas and put a 450 cfm Carter WCFB on those*. Ibis manifold and carb setup was available on pace car replicas via special order.

Despite rare reviews for their performance and styling, Dodge sales were suffering; customers evidently thought the "short-wheelbase" 1953-54 models too stubby compared to ever-bigger rivals. Even Bill Vukovich, awarded a Royal 500 for winning the 1954 Indy 500, traded it in for a DeSoto. Still, Dodge had established a performance identity that it would never shake.

The Driver: Dodge Division chief WC. Newberg did the honors with three-time winner Wilbur Shaw, president and general manager of the Speedway directing traffic from the back seat. This was Shaw’s last appearance at the famed track.

The Race: Vukovich won his second consecutive 500—this win corning easier than the heat-scarred ‘53 ordeal. It didn’t start out so easily Mechanical troubles kept "Vukie" from qualifying until the third day of trials and he started l9th. However, he got it together on race day to finish a lap ahead of Jimmy Bryan.

Singing cowboy star Roy Rogers (above) and comedian Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin took time to promote the pace car and the 500. Dodge also provided the official truck on the Speedway.

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