1906 Reo And Baby 1906 Reo!!!!!!!!!!

[mribbich@wi.rr.com]

Here is a picture of a 1906 Reo and sales 1/4" scale promotional model I thought you guys might like to see. It is on a calendar I just received, both are a work of art. Have any of you seen them up close????

Marv.

[West Peterson]

Nice thing about those two cars is that they are now owned by a descendant of the Olds family. I believe the quarter scale (1/2 possibly?) car was Tom Thumb's car.

[Larry Schramm]

I believe both cars are in the Ransom E. Olds museum in Lansing.

Vehicle Showcase | R.E. Olds Transportation Museum

[motoringicons]

These were owned by the late car collector and car designer Dick Teague (of Michigan and later California) for many years. They were sold at auction awhile back. I was able to see them a couple of times in person, and they are really great. Somehow, I seem to remember the small one was used for REO publicity at the time, maybe with Tom Thumb as the driver?? I also seem to remember a 1905/06 Autoshow photo with the two cars in the REO exhibit.

[Earl B.]

Tom Thumb died in 1883, so possibly used by some other small person?? ...B

[West Peterson]

Bad information about Tom Thumb being passed on I guess. Sorry.

The car is on permanent loan to the RE Olds museum, owned by Debbie Stephens (nee Anderson), great granddaugher of RE Olds.

At 102, Baby Car Goes Home Again - NYTimes.com

[Joe Block]

Great Story and Link.

thanks

[Richard Lichtfel]

I have seen a circus poster showing the Little Reo with the small people in it and I thought it said it was Tom Thumb.

[Guest my3buicks]

<object width="640" height="360"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFN3v1opKiI&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFN3v1opKiI&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="360"></embed></object>

The Reo and Baby Reo graced the Arthritis Car Show in Columbus Oh in 2009

[Guest Mochet]

The "circus" image with midgets is in the NYT article mentioned above. That article also credits General Thumb as a driver, but of course he never drove a car. He did have a little carriage, however. I'd thought the tiny REO was propelled by compressed air, but I guess it has a little crank to start it. Are there any photos of the engine available?

Phil

[Dandy Dave]

Look here.... http://forums.aaca.org/f170/r-e-olds-kids-toy-car-264995.html