The Royal Family

Chrysler is best known in the history of the Aussie muscle car for its hot 'six-pack' 245 and 265 cubic-inch Hemi sixes - the Valiant Pacers and Chargers of the early 1970s. But the first performance Mopar muscle cars in Australia were V8s, with the Chrysler Royal back in the 1950s.

Story: James Cockington

Chrysler responded to the sales success of the Ford Customline by launching the Royal on May 30, 1957. Despite its American styling, the Royal was promoted as having 90 percent Australian content. According to the press release this model was “now the main car output of the Chrysler Australia Ltd plants near Adelaide, combining the dependability of Dodge, the flashing performance of Plymouth and the distinction of De Soto” … these being Chrysler’s imported cars.

Extras included Powerflite automatic transmission with four push-button controls, like a radio. The V8 option was the one to have, but unfortunately the Royal was simply too large, too heavy and too expensive. It looked like an American car and drove like one, including five turns lock to lock.

Chrysler promoted the new beast by giving one to radio star Jack Davey to drive around Australia in the 1957 Ampol Trial. Davey was Australia’s most popular radio personality in the 1950s. He also competed in several of the Redex and Ampol Trials, always in big V8s, but the Royal was too heavy and too slow. Davey finished 40th in 1957. The Royal is seen here parked at the famous Jack Davey Ampol service station on the Pacific Highway in Surfers Paradise, the first servo in Australia to open 24 hours a day.