Lots of old cars become famous, for one reason or another. And some seem to become famous for no good reason at all, much to the chagrin of some of us. But a whole lot of other vehicles just fade away and are forgotten, only to be rediscovered when one pops up for sale, like some ancient and thought-to-be-extinct sea creature caught in a fisherman’s net.
We had one vehicle yesterday that sort of fit that description; how many of you remembered that Pontiac sold its own version of the Chevette called the T1000? The little Pontiac was in no way ready for prime-time, with its half-finished engine transplant and its wiring woes, but it still appealed to enough of you to give it a win over that greasy-kid’s-stuff Civic.
I have to agree. I never really warmed to the modded Civic idea, maybe because so many members of that crowd were absolutely insufferable. I can’t say IÂ want the Pontiac either, but it could be fun with the right attitude. I am a simple creature; given the choice, I’d rather have the one that can do righteous donuts in an empty field.
Today, we’re going to look at two very rare vehicles. You won’t find owner’s clubs for these; it was hard enough tracking down information about them on the internet. (And when I looked them up, it looks like Barnfinds.com beat me to the punch on both of them, but I’m going to use them anyway.) It will take a Herculean effort to whip either one of them into shape, but if you are the person to put in that effort, you’ll be rewarded with a truly unique vehicle. Let’s take a look at what you’ve got to work with.
1948 REO Speed Wagon – $3,800
Engine/drivetrain: 245 cubic inch flathead inline 6, four-speed manual, RWD
Location: Elizabeth, CO
Odometer reading: 39,000 miles
Operational status: Engine turns over but won’t start
Naming a band is a tricky thing. You have to come up with something unique, without being too weird. Some bands take the easy way out, and name themselves after the place they’re from: Chicago, Boston, Kansas, et cetera. Others go a little too far down the weird path: Toad The Wet Sprocket, for example, or King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. Back in the 1960s, a bunch of kids from Champaign, Illinois formed a band, and decided to name it after a truck. This truck, in fact. Did you know the band was named after a truck? You do now.
REO stands for Ransom Eli Olds, an early automotive entrepreneur whose first car company became one of the first divisions of General Motors. In 1905, he started a new company, and in 1915, that company introduced a new truck line, the Speed Wagon. The truck is powered by REO’s “Gold Crown” flathead inline six, displacing 245 cubic inches. This one hasn’t run in a long time, but the seller says it turns over freely. These old flatheads are so simple that it shouldn’t be too hard to get it running again. It has a four-speed manual with a granny low gear, and a dually rear axle; this is a one-and-a-half-ton truck, built for serious work. If you’re the type who doesn’t like the tough guys, look elsewhere.
Trucks weren’t fashion statements in 1948, so don’t expect any creature comforts here. You’re lucky the seat has padding. It’s actually in pretty good shape for its age. The floors aren’t rusty, and the dashboard is all there, so I think if you wanted to restore it, it’s entirely possible. And I hope somebody does; one source I found claims there are only about twenty 1948 Speed Wagons left. It would be great if someone would keep on loving this one.
I mean, just look at the nose on this thing! It’s amazing that they put so much style into a farm truck. It looks a little older than 1948, but truck and heavy equipment design often lags behind car design, because their sales aren’t as dependent on styling. (I guess you could say the makers of heavy machinery didn’t roll with the changes.) The result is that this truck has a great art deco-ish feel to it. It would look great all fixed up, but it looks dignified with its current patina, too.
1957 Studebaker Provincial – $3,000
Engine/drivetrain: 259 cubic inch OHV V8, three-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Yucca Valley, CA
Odometer reading: 131,000 miles
Operational status: Hasn’t run in a very long time
And speaking of rare cars from defunct brands, here’s a Studebaker that is so rare that when you Google “1957 Studebaker Provincial,” most of the links you find are about this exact car, or one other. The Provincial, as far as I can tell, seems to have been the wagon form of Studebaker’s Commander line, in the middle of the range, which in 1957 also included the Scotsman, Champion, and President. The other wagon trims available, according to the brochure that the seller thoughtfully posted, were called Parkview and Broadmoor, corresponding to the Champion and President sedans, respectively. Maybe that’s why Studebaker got into trouble; they had too many names for basically the same car.
The Provincial is powered by Studebaker’s own V8, displacing 259 cubic inches according to the brochure. It has a four-barrel carb and would have made 180 horsepower. It’s backed by Studebaker’s three-speed “Flight-O-Matic” transmission, which seems to be related to the Ford Cruise-O-Matic from the same era. This one hasn’t run in a very long time, and it seems to have bounced around between owners in this state for a while – without transferring the title. Check the “chain of custody” of those bills of sale carefully before you buy; it’s a real pain in the ass to track it down after the fact. Trust me.
Obviously it needs everything, not just mechanical restoration, and despite its rarity it won’t really be worth a lot when it’s done. But because of that, the pressure is off; you don’t need to keep it original. Fix it up to your liking. Swap out the seats, or learn upholstery and redo it yourself, or whatever. But you’ll need to do something; I don’t think a Mexican blanket thrown over the seat is going to cut it this time.
The good news is that it’s pretty much rust-free; thanks, California weather! There is one patch in the floor in the front, which looks like it was riveted in rather than welded in. You should probably redo that repair properly. The trim and glass all seem to be intact, too, but the rear bumper is inside. I have to point out this car’s tailfins: they’re not very tall, but they’re extremely long. Look how far the tailgate is inset between them. I’ve never seen anything quite like it.
If you want to tackle either of these projects, you’ll be doing it out of love, not for profit. As rare as they are, they’d be hard sells post-restoration. You’d have to find someone else who loves them as much as you do. But I could see a case for keeping either of them looking the same and just fixing them up mechanically. They both look kinda cool as-is. Which one grabs you?
The only thing the truck needs is to run… no paint.
When we got married we had this wine called Red Truck that we really liked. It wasn’t expensive, but it was relaxed and easy drinking. The label had a picture of a red truck on it, and as far as I can tell, it was an REO. While I don’t have the skills or the space to take on this project, if I have to choose, it’s the truck.
I am willing… to sand the points on that Speed Wagon, throw something flammable down its yap, and tool it around the farm.
Neither of these are my jam, necessarily, but the Stude seems like a fun beach-day wagon. So we’ll go with that.
Old truck vote for me. I have entirely too many REO Speedwagon jokes because of my age. Well, you can tune the truck but you can’t tune a fish.
“I guess you could say the makers of heavy machinery didn’t roll with the changes.”
I got a good laugh out of this. Thanks for brightening my day!
Going with the REO on this one. It looks complete enough to make a good go of getting it back on the road and I love these old trucks. When I was a kid my dad took me to a classic car show at the local museum and there was an old Ford AA rack body all restored there, green and black, gold pinstripe with a polished oak bed. Its been living rent free in my brain for the last 40 years now. Every couple months I go scanning the listings for old Ford AA trucks for sale, I haven’t pulled the trigger yet but the itch keeps coming back. This would be close enough to scratch that itch.
Also, the title issues on the Stued sound like a DMV paperwork nightmare.
I’ll take the Speed Wagon. No radio so no chance of hearing its namesake… which is fine with me. And I already know how to row that 4 speed with the granny gear. Sounds like the same thing in my F-250.
I have a soft spot for wagons, and the tail of this one is really something else. Reminds me of the pre-war sportscars with the radiator set far back between the wings, only in reverse.
Look up the Studebaker Scotsman mentioned above for some interesting reading.
Also, Stude wagon all day, every day.
The only reason why I voted for the Studebaker was because I might be able to work on it with a lift and a hoist, not a crane and a forklift.
It’s a both day, but I went with the Stude
I’m going to go with the stude only because I might be able to make room for it. A 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada is almost too big for my garage: what basically amounts to a medium duty truck doesn’t have a chance. And while the Speedwagon is a great band and also a JoJo’s reference, Fozzy Bear seemed to like his uncle’s bullet-nose, so I think I’d be happy Moving Right Along in the long roof Stude.
Either could make a good case of transplanting a different drivetrain, adding a quick splash of fresh paint and/or chrome, and some basic interior upgrades.
But taking the truck, painting it something bright (thinking a nice shade of fire-engine red), some re-chromed badges, and seeing if you can get it to tick over (else, find something that looks like it might fit into the engine bay with a bit more juice) – it would probably make a great delivery truck for a local company.
I’m down for the REO. In this case however, not because of what it is – though that is awesome and I would daily a beast like that with a big dumb smile on my face – but because of its name.
A few years ago I compiled a list of my “permanent 100,” the hundred best songs that I will always listen to. Obviously there are going to be a bunch that really don’t ring for a lot of people – there are a few joiks in my “ethnic corner” that are, when you get right down to it, wordless Nordic chants that are meant to invoke an emotional response more than a specific idea. But then there’s “The Final Five,” the ones that I have footnoted to be played at my memorial. The last one, to be played as people are getting up to leave, is to remind them that nothing is forever, even though it was originally intended as a statement of passion and devotion: “Roll With the Changes.”
So I would absolutely sign up for that Speedwagon. As soon as I am able. And then I would keep on rolling.
I cannot listen to that song without having the volume all the way up.
REO Speed Wagon. I’ve seen enough VGG to know that’s it’s a few squirts of True Fuel from firing up and driving across the country.
Plus, I can paint a Christmas tree on it and rent it out for holiday parades.
I did not! But I do now and I thank you for it.
If I’m to take on the trouble of fixing one of these up, I think I’m going with the farm truck. Then I’d donate it to the farm museum nearby.
“It’s amazing that they put so much style into a farm truck” – thank you for stating this, as it was my first thought when looking at the pic. Obviously, this is the direction I’m going today, as driving it around my rural eastern PA town would elevate me into some kind of seriously high street/field cred (but not nearly as high as the blackout horse and buggy OGs)
Your Amish neighbors will definitely flex on you with their buggies. Your truck is a 1948? Jebediah’s buggy is an 1848.
Granted, every part except this inch-thick hand-hammered hitch pin has been replaced at least twice, but it’s still the same old wagon.
Studebaker, I’m gonna keep on lovin’ you, because you will ride the storm out.
Don’t let (the Studebaker) go!
came here for the joke, this is as close as I can see.
I voted REO because I saw both REO Speedwagon (in Chicago) and Studebaker (at the Grundy County Fair) and REO was a far better show
Saw REO back in 1972.
They destroyed the show for the band that followed them on stage.
Think it was the Doobie Brothers.
I will ride out the storm in the REO thank you.
I saw REO and Survivor at the Rosemont Horizon on the coldest day in Chicago history. The steam was pouring out of the doors so thick you couldn’t see through it.
Neither one does anything for me, both look like total crap, and neither is close to running.
I guess the truck would make the most interesting yard art.
Why aren’t you at your post?
Oh, we have a bad transmitter.
I’m goofing off reading about rusted non-running cars. Duh.
You could get the truck running in a couple hours and be the king at your local cruise-in.
That Studebaker appears to have the world’s smallest pickup bed, with the tailgate on the wrong end and flipping down the wrong way.
What an odd design choice.
I can’t vote both today, so I decided I needed the Speed Wagon to take it on the run, baby!
I can’t believe I’m voting against a wagon.
That REO Speedwagon could be resurrected easily. Commercial trucks, to this day, continue to be incredibly easy to work on, as they were built to make money.
I’m sure I could get it to pay for itself hauling scrap or doing some local hay deliveries.
You’re not voting against the wagon, you’re voting FOR the Speed Wagon! It’s practically the same thing, right?
I’ll vibe with that logic.
Get the REO and … keep on rolling.
(Also, don’t we all love and miss Oldsmobile? I kinda love that REO was Ransom Olds’s middle finger to GM and Billy Durant)
Old tucks seem like extra work and I do not own a farm. I would rather have a station wagon where you could swap out a modern drive train. new seats, gauges etc. and have a cool in town wagon.
Old trucks are incredibly mechanically simple, and you’d be surprised what can be interchanged easily.
If you don’t care about originality, things like springs and axles can easily be sourced from more common donor platforms. For cheap.
That being said, if you don’t have a use for it, it’s still a moot point.
I was thinking of the original parts harder to find as they sold in fewer numbers and were often used harder and less likely to be preserved. I know they are easier to work on.