Frequently Asked Questions about Classic REO

Who founded REO and when?

REO was founded by Ransom E. Olds, the man behind Olds Motor Works and the Oldsmobile, who organized his new company in Lansing, Michigan, in August 1904. Michigan State University's archives give the incorporation date as August 16, 1904, although some histories date the company to 1905. By 1907 REO ranked among the top four automobile manufacturers in the United States.

What does the name REO stand for?

REO stands for the initials of founder Ransom Eli Olds. He first organized the business under the Olds name in 1904, but Olds Motor Works, the company he had started earlier and since left, threatened legal action. The new firm was renamed using his initials, becoming the REO Car Company and later the REO Motor Car Company.

Where were REO cars built?

REO cars were built in Lansing, Michigan, at a plant near downtown that Ransom E. Olds established in 1904. The company added a truck division in 1910. The Lansing factory was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1978, but its buildings were demolished by early 1980 and the landmark designation was later withdrawn.

What was the REO Speed Wagon?

The REO Speed Wagon was a light truck introduced in 1915 and is often described as an ancestor of the modern pickup. It came from REO's truck business, which had been set up in October 1910 as the separate REO Motor Truck Company. Old Cars Weekly notes that it was also called the Hurry Up Wagon, a name that did not last.

Is the band REO Speedwagon named after the REO truck?

Yes, the rock band REO Speedwagon took its name from the REO Speed Wagon truck. Keyboardist Neal Doughty is credited with the choice after seeing the name written on a blackboard, in a college class on the history of transportation according to American Songwriter. The truck itself dated to 1915 and came from the company started by Ransom Eli Olds.

What was the REO Flying Cloud?

The REO Flying Cloud was a passenger car introduced in 1927 with a six-cylinder engine, and it stayed on sale until REO's last year of car production in 1936. Old Cars Weekly describes it as the first car in its class with Lockheed internal-expanding hydraulic brakes, while other accounts call it the first car to use them. REO's Self-Shifter semi-automatic transmission, introduced in 1933, was offered on the Flying Cloud.

What was the REO Royale?

The REO Royale was the marque's upscale eight-cylinder car, introduced for 1931 with a straight-eight engine and a body designed by Amos Northup of the Murray Corporation. RM Sotheby's describes that body as one of the first styled with a wind tunnel. From 1933 the Royale offered the Self-Shifter, a semi-automatic transmission that still needed the clutch pedal for starting and stopping. The Classic Car Club of America recognizes the Royale as a Full Classic.

When did REO stop making cars?

REO stopped making passenger cars in 1936, after losses from falling sales during the Great Depression, and continued as a truck builder. The vehicle business was sold to Bohn Aluminum and Brass in 1954, passed to White Motor in 1957, and was merged with Diamond T in 1967 to form Diamond Reo Trucks. Diamond Reo went bankrupt in 1975 according to most sources, though some date it to December 1974.