83 Year Old Survivor: 1935 REO Flying Cloud
REO (Motor Cars not the band) might have gone the way of the dodo bird, but there are still a few of them out there roaming the wide open roads. Reader Jordan K recently discovered this 1935 REO Flying Cloud in a barn in Illinois and was surprised to discover just how original it is. He cleaned it up and installed new tires, but has decided it needs to go to someone who will preserve it. Jordan listed it in the BF Classifieds and given how well this 83-year-old has survived, we just had to do a more detailed review!
Most of the REO survivors that we see are trucks, but the company started out building cars and they built some beautiful ones at that. The Flying Cloud was introduced in 1927 and was the first production car to use internal expanding shoe hydraulic (drum) brakes. By 1935, the model had been transformed from a large touring car to a much more sweeping and art deco beauty. Jordan’s car retains all of its original brightwork, it even still has its original Flying Cloud grille emblem.
The flathead six is said to be the original numbers matching unit and is attached to what’s believed to be its original manual transmission. Jordan hasn’t attempted to start it, but he thinks with a fluid change and tuneup it should start right up. These engines were well built and if it really has only seen 52k miles since new, getting it running really shouldn’t be an issue.
As you can see, the interior has held up quite well. It isn’t as extravagant as say a Rolls Royce or Bentley but was well appointed and comfortable. With some cleaning and careful detailing, you could have this one looking great again. Hopefully, everything is working though, as finding parts could be a bit of a challenge.
This could be one of the most original REO Flying Clouds we’ve come across, but then again we haven’t found many of these cars. It’s going to need some work to be a driver again, but as long as the engine isn’t seized and there are no major mechanical issues, you could likely have it up and running in a weekend. We would get it running, treat the rust in the running boards, polish up the paint, detail the interior and get to driving this classic right away! If this looks like the kind of project you’d like to undertake, you can find it here on eBay in Charleston, Illinois with an opening bid of $7,500.
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Comments
Wow. Just wow. I wish this was a possibility for me right now. I’ve always had a thing for prewar cars, the fact that values are dropping lately as interest wanes in these older vehicles is a boon to me, as I love them. Hopefully this finds a good home and we see it again. Thanks for the writeup, Josh.
Just imagine pulling into coffee and cars on Sundays in this baby. What a cruiser!
This is a gorgeous design.
I don’t know if I would preserve the originality of it as is, making it a runner and show it at car shows as a survivor, or spend some time to fix the rust, redo the interior and paint it. At less than $10K, putting another $5K into it would really make it impressive and not really harm the value much.
This one is a hard call for me.
Always a fan of the teardrop style fenders.
This car is a beauty!
Now that’s a beauty! Hope it goes to someone that will drive it on occasion.
Hate to bust bubbles and be a poop-butt but this is strong money for a car of this era. Beautiful, yes, no doubt. Valuable? Maybe not. How do I know? I had 2 and 1 still left. If you buy this REO which I believe is a beautiful and wonderfully designed car you will loose money. That is NOT a reason NOT to buy it though. Most of the stuff we collect or admire is more valuable in the eyes of the beholder than the market per se. I only wish the current market or the future would appreciate these works of art. I sold a 1939 La Salle coupe for pennies which needed a complete restoration. I was glad to get rid of it and LOVED the look but did not want to put 2 years of work and $30,000 into a car that was worth $25,000 maybe in a falling market. When I was 12yo in 1963 my father bought a wonderful original 1928 car which I still have today. I remember then the magazines he read and left in the bathroom rack were of Brass Era cars that guys then were ‘Hunting’ and searching for. Later this year you will see that 1928 car listed here. My father who was a diesel truck and heavy equipment mechanic got ‘parkinson’s disease’ allegedly caused by washing his hands in diesel fuel three times a day for 40 years and had to retire, loosing all his manual dexterity. He gave the 1928 car to me and my buddy and we restored it to running and driving condition in 5 months keeping it original and driving my dad around in it as much as possible until his passing…………I truly hope someone buys and loves this Art Deco treasure. How many REOs can be left……… I however am looking for a late 60’s convertible so I can relive my HS years. Thanks for listening to my personal story……………
Great story, thanks for sharing. Your dad sounds like a ‘righteous dude’ as those of us from a certain era would say. I hope you find the late ’60’s convertible. I’ve already picked out your car(s): 1969 Cutlass/442 or Olds 98. You pick the colors.
Thanks buddy, believe it or not an Olds 98 is on the list, also a Starfire. My tastes may seem eclectic to some, it must be a ragtop! but an AMC Rebel SST is on the list also.
desirable in many ways
Those bullet shaped fender driving/parking lights (Whatever you want to call them) make the car worth it!
I have a set of those NOS. Very cool lights
That is COOL!
REO became Oldsmobile
Ransom E. Olds sold the Oldsmobile company to General Motors and then started REO in 1905 which was merged into Diamond REO and then bought by Volvo.
Ahhhh, no, Ransom was forced out of Olds and started REO because he lost his name, too!
My Dad also would have loved this, and, well, Art Deco anything.
Buick, Graham, REO, Chrysler,,,,back when you could still tell the make by the side silhouette and grill!
I love this REO….it is very cool in an art deco
style/fashion..and looks very solid and in great restorable shape!
I can’t believe that its not a $30,000 car restored/refurbished
to a high standard..?Someone with some time could really
perform some much needed “TLC”,and really get it
looking great again…!,and remember “you can tuna car,..=piano..
but you can’t tuna fish”…LOL.
1/2 the posters support the point I’ve cont. to make… that the reason for the price drop on these (a boon 4 some of us !) Is the buyers have aged out of the market (the “Greatest Generation”, the WWII Gen”). My favs are late 30s – very early 50s.
Right now, and even starting to fade R the ‘bulge-mobiles’ (ranch wagon, tri5, nomad) of the 50s and just beginning – some of the muscle cars (’60s). Over the next 5 yrs if U wanna make some $ on a restoration get a fox-bodied bent8 manual transmish ‘stang or other similar. Those who’d buy R comin into the market place…
This is a 1936 model REO- the last production year for their cars. I have a 1934 coupe, the 1935 has the same body style as mine. The 1936 was restyled to the above configuration.