I have no idea and no detailed information. I got this from my books... book front cover first and then year by year, 1931 and 1932 in this case:
And 1933 and 1934.
And from another book...
I have no idea how accurate the numbers and information are.
Victor, thanks for posting
The one that says 164 cars plus 12 long wheel base cars seems like a plausible production number for a single year given the number of survivors. I do not believe any production numbers measured in thousands.
I thought the build records for each chassis still exist? Who has them, the museum?
Yeah.... the numbers in the thousands don't sound correct. By the way, I had never heard of some of the models listed. I know offcially 8-31, 8-35, 8-52, N1 and N2, but I am not familiar with the rest. I probably need to educate myself more.
I have no idea on records. I hope they do exist.
Perhaps John can add something? I have a letter from the REO factory circa 1990s that talks about microfiche and chassis numbers and production dates. It certainly lends the idea that they have production records for every chassis.
Hi
Attached is a serial numbers list that give some perspective, though the later numbers seem to have been arbitrarily assigned
REO Eight Cylinder Serial Numbers 1931-1934
Source: Chilton Flat Rate Manual, Tenth Edition, 1936.
Models 8-30 Flying Cloud and 8-35 Royale - 1931
Serial Numbers: 30-30N-1 to 30N-926
Serial Numbers: 35-35N-1 to 35N-2711
Models 8-31 Royale - 1931-32
1931 Serial Numbers: 30N-927 to 30N-1219
1932 Serial Numbers: 30N-1220 to 30N-1345
Models 8-35 and 8-52 Royale - 1932
1932 Serial Numbers: 8-35: 35N-2712 to 35N-7999
1932 Serial Numbers: 8-52: 52N-26 to 52N-41
Model N1 Royale 1933-34
1933 Serial Numbers: 1N-1250 to 1N-2399
1934 Serial Numbers: 1N-2400 and up.
Model N2 Royale 1933-34
1933 Serial Numbers: 2N-1 to 2N-4599
1934 Serial Numbers: 2N-4600 and up.
Steve, not sure about these either. Does a production total of 2700 seem plausible for the 35 model in 1931? Seems high to me? The 8-31 numbers for 1931-32 seem more like it. I can't believe they made 5000 in 1932.
Hi A.J.
Yes, 2700 seems high for 1931 but then the Cadillac Sixteen sold relatively well (3,251) for '30-'31, Packard still sold 28,262 for 1930 and 12,105 for 1931 in the price segment with the Royale. If REO had enough dealer representation throughout the country and aggressively promoted them, numbers over 2000 would be plausible. Of course, these serial numbers give some idea of how many may have been built, but no idea of how many sat in factory and district sales depots unsold. R.L. Polk recorded new car registrations, a source which might reveal more realistic figures.
Those 1932-34 serial numbers ending in 99 appear to have been arbitrarily assigned blocks, giving enough latitude to build out to whatever demand existed, but give no clue to how few were actually being produced. This may have been done to conceal facts that could have made obtaining further financing harder to get than it already was.
Interesting the 8-31 Royale kept the 30N serial series as the 8-30 Flying Cloud. Those 8-52 numbers I'd be willing to bet are spot-on. Even at those minimal numbers, some chassis may have been sent to hearse/ambulance coachbuilders to move them out.
Steve
From John:
There is a discrepancy of 4 vehicles between the chart provided by Ken McDowell which showed a total of 3,136 for all model years of 8-35 and 8-52 vehicles as compared to the production numbers compiled by George Svede. Mr. Svede also mentioned that there may have been a 8-62 limo sedan produced. It is possible that there were 4 of them built which would reconcile the McDowell and Svede production numbers.
Using the McDowell production numbers because I do not have a breakdown of the Svede production numbers , here is an unofficial count of Reo Royales built for model years 1931-1934:
1930-1933 production of 8-35 and 8-52 sedans, victorias, coupes and convertible coupes 3,136
Royale chassis (other than 8-30s and 8-31s) sold to
National Casket Company 181
8-30s and 8-31s 1,587
8-30s and 8-31s sold to National Casket Co 106
1Ns for 1932, 1933, 1934 296
2Ns for 1932, 1933, 1934 501
______
TOTAL ROYALES BUILT 5,807
Attachment from John.
Can anyone help me with chassis number 30N1375 year etc?
Pictures say a thousand words.
Looks like an 831 Royale Victoria. Cool. You should start a thread on the car. It is the shorter wheelbase than the 835 and the 4" is taken out of the hoods. Same 359 engine as the 835.
Post a picture of the chassis stamping as well as the engine number. The engine number is found on the left front engine mount arm.
