They could be those hanging -
From a young boy’s ceiling -
But, I propose those with a different feeling -
Real, Old Classic Ones - pinging and panging.
REO stood for a man’s initials -
Ransom Eli Olds - Born Geneva, Ohio -1864 -
His Father, Founder of The OLDS Company.
Ransom designed Steam Engines - 1886-1892 -
His First Steam Powered Vehicle - 1887 -
First Exported Automobile to India in 1891 -
His First Gasoline Powered Car in 1895 -
A Month After Frank Durya!
A later partnership with Samuel Smith in 1897 -
Started the Olds Motor Vehicle Company -
Smith’s Capital insisted on a plant in Detroit -
Fire destroyed plant 1901 -
Only One Car Survived!
Henry Leland designed the engines -
He later helped found Cadillac and Lincoln -
John and Horace Dodge made the transmissions!
The Dodge brothers later produced -
The First Half-Million Model T’s for Henry Ford -
Before starting their Own company!
Only 425 cars that First year - 1901 -
Roy Chapin, later Head of Hudson Motor Company
Drove an OLDS 800 miles to New york City in 1901
This car later was First to travel 1 Mile in 1 Minute!
Ransom left Oldsmobile in 1904 -
REO Motor Car Company Incorporated Lansing, Michigan - 1904 -
First REO’s shipped to customers January, 1905!
By 1905 - 5,000 cars produced -
REO Out-Sold both Olds and Ford in 1906!
By 1908 - Out-sold OLDS -Four-to-One!
Started making REO Trucks - 1909 -
REO Speedwagon Produced: Fire trucks, Tow trucks, Dump trucks, Delivery trucks, Busses, Hearses, Ambulances -
All with the indestructible Gold Crown engine!
When most other engines needed major work every 10,000 miles -
REO’s BRAGGED AT 100,000! - This was in 1927 -
The REO Royale - a Luxury car was Beautiful -
But the Great Depression virtually Killed the Company in 1931.
Ransom Eli Olds retired as President in 1923 - And Died in 1950 -
White Truck bought out REO in 1957 -
REO Nameplate Retired in 1974!
As Paul Harvey used to say:
“Now you’ve heard The REST of the Story”
of both “The Merry Oldsmobile” and REO!
For more info and pictures see:
http://jliptrap.us/Reo.htm
This is very interesting and informative. Reminds me reading about autos which did not include planned obsolescence. Have you seen the video/documentary "Whatever Happened to the Electric Car?" Well worth seeing. Hugs, J'nia
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