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This 1932 REO Royal Convertible Coupe with Murray coachwork, is one of only three known to exist today. The Royale featured one-step lever-action chassis lubrication, thermostatically controlled radiator shutters, large 15-inch Lockheed four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes and four-wheel leaf springs.
The Model B-350 was equipped with a 125 hp, 358 cubic inch straight-eight cylinder engine coupled to a four-speed manual transmission with a vacuum controlled clutch.
The $3,000 price tag guaranteed a top speed of 90 mph.
 |  | View more photos Convertible Coupe Coachwork: Murray |
REO decided to enter the luxury car market in 1931 and retained the services of Amos Northup, the chief designer of Murray Body to style the new cars. The resulting 835 Royale series REOs, powered by a 125-hp straight eight engine, were some of the most exciting cars on the road in their time, and they are today recognized as true Classics.
This 1932 REO Royale convertible coupe was purchased in September, 1931 by Miss Elizabeth Jeffreys, of Pueblo Colorado. Miss Jeffreys was the first woman to obtain a pilot license in Colorado. A story passed down with the car relates that she took her new REO to Bonneville, Utah salt flats to test the designer's claim of 120 mph top speed. The REO is said to have clocked 116 mph. Miss Jeffreys kept the car until she died, whereupon it passed to her sons, who sold the car in 1978. The present owner is the fourth owner.
 |  | View more photos Convertible Coupe Coachwork: Murray |
Ransom Eli Olds was successful in selling his Curved Dash Oldsmobile, but when he resisted dropping it in favor of a more modern, expensive automobile he was forced out of his own company. Unable to use the Oldsmobile name, he started a new company using his initials (REO).
In August of 1904, Ransom E. Olds founded the Reo Company. The REO Company manufactured automobiles and trucks from 1905 through 1936. In 1907, it was one of the top four automobile manufacturers in the United States, based on sales. After 1908, the demise of the REO Company began due to competition from Ford and General Motors.
The Depression and a courageous effort to offer vehicles in multiple price ranges ultimately led do the downfall of the company. The company was under the direction of Richard H. Scott from 1915 through 1933. The company was profitable from 1915 through 1925, but after 1933, Ransom Olds came out of retirement to get the company back on track. He resigned a year later and in 1936 the REO Company ceased production of automobiles.
1931
For the 1931 model year, the REO company offered models powered by either six- or eight-cylinder engines. The six-cylinder units displaced 268 cubic-inches and provided 85 horsepower. The 358 cubic-inch straight-eights had 125 horsepower. The naming scheme for this year signified the cylinders and the wheelbase. The large eight-cylinder engines were used in the elegant 8-35 Royales that rested on a wheelbase measuring 135-inches. The engine could also be found in the 8-30 Flying Cloud models. The six-cylinder engine in the 6-25 had a price starting around $1800 and helped diversify the selection catering to a wider audience of buyers. This was particularly important as The Great Depression decreased the number of buyer's able to afford the high-priced models.
The Royale's were very elegant, stately, and modern vehicles. They were given Murray-built bodies and carried a sticker-price of just under $2500. If customers were looking for more elegance, they were sure to find it on the 152-inch Royale with custom coachwork courtesy of Dietrich. The bodystyles offered in this range were a seven-passenger limousine and three convertibles. As would be expected with elegance of this level, only a few Dietrich bodied examples were ever produced.
Sales were slow in 1931, as was becoming a market-wide trend. The economic difficulties of the era had all marque's looking to diversify their accessories and model-lines in order to attract buyers. Reo's attempts included dropping their prices and increasing their horsepower. This did little to stimulate sales and they closed the year with a $3 million loss. A total of 6762 cars had been built.
The following year the company diversified their line even further with a smaller model named the Flying Cloud. It had a 117-inch wheelbase and a 230 cubic-inch six-cylinder engine developing 80 horsepower. It was extremely versatile, offered in nine open and closed models in both DeLuxe and standard trim. Pricing was fairly competitive, selling for around $980 - $1200. The other models remained mostly unchanged. The company hoped the new Flying Cloud would do well in the marketplace, but it did not. Total sales for the year reached around 3900 cars.
The company would stay in business for a few more years, officially closing their doors in 1936.
In August of 1904, Ransom E. Olds founded the Reo Company. The REO Company manufactured automobiles and trucks from 1905 through 1936. In 1907, it was one of the top four automobile manufacturers in the United States, based on sales. After 1908, the demise of the REO Company began due to competition from Ford and General Motors.
The Depression and a courageous effort to offer vehicles in multiple price ranges ultimately led do the downfall of the company. The company was under the direction of Richard H. Scott from 1915 through 1933. The company was profitable from 1915 through 1925, but after 1933, Ransom Olds came out of retirement to get the company back on track. He resigned a year later and in 1936 the REO Company ceased production of automobiles.
1931
For the 1931 model year, the REO company offered models powered by either six- or eight-cylinder engines. The six-cylinder units displaced 268 cubic-inches and provided 85 horsepower. The 358 cubic-inch straight-eights had 125 horsepower. The naming scheme for this year signified the cylinders and the wheelbase. The large eight-cylinder engines were used in the elegant 8-35 Royales that rested on a wheelbase measuring 135-inches. The engine could also be found in the 8-30 Flying Cloud models. The six-cylinder engine in the 6-25 had a price starting around $1800 and helped diversify the selection catering to a wider audience of buyers. This was particularly important as The Great Depression decreased the number of buyer's able to afford the high-priced models.
The Royale's were very elegant, stately, and modern vehicles. They were given Murray-built bodies and carried a sticker-price of just under $2500. If customers were looking for more elegance, they were sure to find it on the 152-inch Royale with custom coachwork courtesy of Dietrich. The bodystyles offered in this range were a seven-passenger limousine and three convertibles. As would be expected with elegance of this level, only a few Dietrich bodied examples were ever produced.
Sales were slow in 1931, as was becoming a market-wide trend. The economic difficulties of the era had all marque's looking to diversify their accessories and model-lines in order to attract buyers. Reo's attempts included dropping their prices and increasing their horsepower. This did little to stimulate sales and they closed the year with a $3 million loss. A total of 6762 cars had been built.
The following year the company diversified their line even further with a smaller model named the Flying Cloud. It had a 117-inch wheelbase and a 230 cubic-inch six-cylinder engine developing 80 horsepower. It was extremely versatile, offered in nine open and closed models in both DeLuxe and standard trim. Pricing was fairly competitive, selling for around $980 - $1200. The other models remained mostly unchanged. The company hoped the new Flying Cloud would do well in the marketplace, but it did not. Total sales for the year reached around 3900 cars.
The company would stay in business for a few more years, officially closing their doors in 1936.
| Photos grouped by event | |||
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19th Annual Concours d'Elegance of the Eastern United States |
Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance |
Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance |
2005 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance |
| Reo: 1931-1940 |
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| 19th Annual Concours d'Elegance of the Eastern United States |
| Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance |
| Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance |
| 2005 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance |
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Automobile information, history, and statistics from concept to production. | © 1998-2009 Conceptcarz.com
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Automobile information, history, and statistics from concept to production. | © 1998-2009 Conceptcarz.com