Two owners from new. High-quality frame-off restoration. Heavily documented. Great-running 245 cubic inch inline-6 with 4-speed manual transmission. One of only 200 built and a handful remaining. Awesome big hauler that will always stand out in a crowd.
This handsome REO Speed Wagon D19X Express Pickup was discovered on a farm in Kansas in 2004 and purchased from the original owner. Restoration photos show it as a good, solid, complete truck when the work started, and the result is quite likely the finest of its kind available anywhere. Wearing bright red paint, it seems to command as much attention in our showroom as some of the more expensive Full Classics, and everyone loves the big red REO. Workmanship is excellent throughout and wed wager that this truck is probably nicer now than it was when it was new. Theres a deep shine to the paint, great panel alignment, and no signs of rust repair in the original sheetmetal. Obviously, reproduction parts are not available for something like this, so everything was painstakingly restored to as-new condition. Cab corners and rockers are completely solid and the bed (built by the Perfection Steel Body Co.) was outfitted with new tiger maple slats and matching rails with the REO emblem engraved and finished in gold leaf. The chrome and stainless trim was restored to add a dressed-up look to the massive pickup, and its finished with white pinstripes that match the original patterns shown in factory literature. Turn signals were added for safety, but that seems to be the lone modification. This truck delivers an authentic 1949 big rig experience.
Exterior notes: No defects to note. Giant hood takes a little muscle to open but works properly. Wood in bed is beautifully done. Step plates show very minor wear that could probably be buffed away. Beautiful truck.
The interior is basic, as youd imagine. The wide bench seat is upholstered in brown vinyl, as original, and thats about it for upholstery. The floors are metal with an anti-slip bedliner-type material (interesting fact: REO would install plywood floors at the customers request) and theres a cardboard headliner overhead, so it does look finished. The big steering wheel offers a REO horn button and makes even the massive pickup easy enough to maneuver. The gauges are in the center of the dash and monitor all the engines vitals, and they all work except the ammeter. Secondary controls handle the lights, choke, and hand throttle, with switches for the windshield wipers and optional heater over on the right. Its actually quite easy to get comfortable behind the wheel and the driving position is more car-like than many of the REOs peers. And the view is just awesome over that long hood! As with the exterior, everything is in excellent condition and shows virtually no use since it was completed.
Interior notes: Ammeter appears inop. Passenger window crank a little stiff. Cardboard "headliner" piece missing from passenger side A-pillar. Bedliner material on the floor for traction.
The engine is a 245 cubic inch inline-6 which REO called the "Gold Crown." It is the trucks original engine (replacements are likely impossible to find anyway) and runs superbly. Thanks to an electric fuel pump, it starts quickly and easily, hot or cold, and even with a massive truck to pull around, it works eagerly to get the job done. Obviously its not going to win any drag races, but it does cruise happily at 40 MPH or so and will move just about anything you can fit in the bed. The engine bay is correctly detailed with gold paint on the cylinder head, an oil bath air cleaner, a new wiring harness, and perhaps the largest radiator weve ever seen up front. It stays cool on the hottest days and shrugs off parade duty, which is often a death sentence for cooling systems. The 4-speed manual transmission is easy to manage and if youre just driving on the street, you can skip 1st gear, which is ultra-low. There are 5.66 gears in the Timken rear end, which gives the six-cylinder engine the pulling power of a much bigger powerplant, and the suspension is standard truck fare with leaf springs front and rear. Hydraulic drum brakes are unassisted but they are effective and the master cylinder was just rebuilt by White Post Restorations. The exhaust system has a pleasing truck-like note and ride quality is better than youd expect for something this big. No, its not a Cadillac, but if you want a big truck to drive, you could certainly do worse than this REO. 20-inch steel wheels carry 7.50-20 blackwall truck tires that look almost new and will probably last forever.
Mechanical notes: Electric fuel pump runs with ignition, no mechanical pump. Engine runs great. Minor seepage in the usual spots but no huge leaks. Steering a little heavy but its a giant truck so not surprising. Brakes effective with slightly long travel on the pedal. Very clean underneath with bedliner material inside the fenders for protection.
Documentation is extensive, including photos of the restoration, receipts, factory documentation, original manuals, correspondence, ownership paperwork, and REO Club information.
We love having this big pickup in the showroom, where its always the center of attention. You are unlikely to ever see another one at a show, and theres nothing that can compare when it comes time to move some seriously big stuff. If you have the room to store it, this truck will quickly become a favorite in your collection, and think of how great your companys logo might look on the door (something Harwood motors can arrange for the new owner). Incredibly rare and wearing an outrageously expensive restoration, this REO is surely the best of its kind anywhere. Call today!
Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.
