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Reo

The man who formed Reo was Ransome Eli Olds. Due to a disagreement with the board, he left Olds in 1904 and formed the Reo Motor Car Company. Olds was absorbed by General Motors in 1908.
The Reo company entered the truck market in 1913 with a 2 ton truck. The volume seller was the Speedwagon range, introduced in 1915. It remained in production for about 10 years and was then modernized, continuing to be offered through to the late 1930´s.
A healthy export business was build up, and an UK assembly plant was set up in 1929.
After WW II Reo started producing the M35, known as the "Eager Beaver", as successor for the GMC CCKW-353 2½ ton truck. Also 5 ton trucks as the M54 were produced.
The first diesel powered Reos were introduced in 1956,using a turbocharged Cummins engine.
The company was acquired by the White Motor Company in 1957. The following year White also acquired Diamond T and production of both Reo and Diamond T was concentrated in Reo´s Lancing plant from 1960.
In 1967 Reo ceased to exist as an independent marque, the products becoming Diamond Reos.