1932 REO Royale 8-35 Convertible Coupe
Wind tunnel testing influenced the Amos Northup-designed bodywork, making the REO Royale one of the earliest American automobiles to incorporate aerodynamic development into its styling.
The flowing Murray-built coachwork introduced elements that would influence later industry design, wrapped around a 135-inch wheelbase chassis capable of nearly 90 mph performance that rivaled contemporary Packard and Cadillac offerings.
The “8-35” designation denoted the straight-eight powerplant and its 135-inch wheelbase chassis, aligning REO’s naming convention with the car’s mechanical specification.
R. E. Olds’ second automotive venture produced the Royale for only three model years (1931-1933) before the Great Depression ended REO’s passenger car production. The 358-cubic-inch straight-eight engine produced 125 horsepower at 3,500 rpm and featured a nine-main-bearing crankshaft, an advanced layout comparable to Packard’s engineering approach.
Notable features included 15-inch hydraulic drum brakes, thermostatically controlled radiator shutters, one-shot chassis lubrication, and REO’s vacuum-assisted clutch system paired with a four-speed manual transmission.
Production of the 8-35 convertible coupe in 1932 is believed to have totaled fewer than 50 examples, with about five known to survive today.
Beverly Rae Kimes famously described the Royale as “the most fabulous REO of all” in her Standard Catalog of American Cars, acknowledging the engineering and design achievements that continue to make surviving examples highly respected among Classic car enthusiasts.
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