REO Speed Wagon

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The vehicle, not the band.
In 1915, creator Ransom Eli Olds presented his latest addition of the REO Motor Car Company to the world, the REO Speed Wagon. This buoyant motor truck was the forbearer of the pickup truck. Ransom’s business was one of the leading producers of commercial automobiles previous to World War II. There was an array of different Speed Wagons to serve an assortment of needs. They manufactured pickups, panel trucks and passenger buses to help with essentials such as deliveries, towing, dumping, fire trucks, hearses and ambulances.
Some Speed Wagons were altered for varies necessities. They offered the “Gold Crown” series of engines for more power and other models to step up sales. By 1936, REO was only producing trucks and in 1953 production stopped all together. The rock and roll band, REO Speedwagon, appropriated their name from this automobile.

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