A street-legal, Hemi-powered 1950s era road racer based upon an already-rare car that has legitimate patina, a full interior with cage, power windows and seats that can be started up and driven off the second you pay the current owner? Yes, please.

This 1956 Dodge D-500 is that vehicle. An early take on a factory homologation race package for the street, the D-500 took either a Coronet or Lancer Royal and installed the 260hp 315ci Hemi, the heavier-duty suspension and frame from the New Yorker and turned the otherwise ho-hum cars into outright barn burners, which was the corporate goal after witnessing the success of the 1955 Chrysler C-300.

Inside you have a couple of aftermarket gauges, a roll bar, and Ma Mopar’s famous pushbutton transmission for the two-speed automatic. The front bench seat is a bit lacking in lateral support…or lumbar support…or virtually any support, and must be like a Slip and Slide when it’s time to crank this tank around a corner. At least there’s plenty of steering wheel to hang on to!

Not only has this particular Dodge ran the Panamerica, it’s also done the Silver State Classic in Nevada, so you know you’re getting your money’s worth, Wal-Mart battery be damned. And at a press-time bid of $9,000, it’s a relative bargain for a car that has two great reasons to own it. For whoever picks up this Forward Look racer: don’t change a damn thing, and go drive the hell out of it!

eBay Link: 1955 Dodge D-500 Ex-Racer

(Courtesy: Bring A Trailer)