8-48 Dietrich Sport Sedan

Here is a photoshopped depiction of the direction I'm going in.  I'm not thrilled with the fender color but it is close to original so I'm going to leave it alone.  Painted side mount covers, removal of accessory trunk,  black wall tires.

Here is the car in the 1960s while owned by Max Hamilton

A. J., I think your photoshop of what it will look like is stunning! Are you planning on removing the luggage rack and the trunk? Are these for sale? I agree that the trunk detracts from the 'look'. I think I like the black walls and I now see what you were saying about 'painting the side mount covers. I kept thinking your were planning on painting ALL of the side mount, including the chrome part around the tread.

John, I gave the trunk and rack to a friend who has a T speedster.

You gave away the REO trunk and REO rack to go on a FORD Model T???????? What a waste!

A.J.:

Though I said it before, I will never get tired of saying it. Your Reo has to be the nicest club sedan ever. Gorgeous lines! Congratulations!

The blackwalls and sidemount with chrome and paint, as were most of them, looks great!

victor

John,

I will take some pictures and post them. If the trunk and rack are REO specific then somebody with a REO can have them. I'll have to let my friend know.

Victor, I think I mentioned we have never owned a sedan before. My dad was not on board at first but has come around now that he has seen the car in person. I think the greatest club sedan would be the Duesenberg 20 Grand which has a Rollston body, followed by the later Dietrich bodied Packards. After that I agree this is the next one in the list!

A. J., what you do with those parts is your business. I was just giving you a hard time.

I do think the trunk and rack are REO items, but if you promised them I would let it stand.

I think both are beautiful cars. It is like saying you love one of your kids more than another.

John

Here is the car without the trunk rack or trunk.

I also took of the CCCA badge (I'm a big fan of the CCCA too!) and the trippe lights.   I'm really like the lines of the nose and the extra lights were confusing things.

A J, I would be interested in the trippe lights if they come up for sale.

Here is a picture of the 845 Packard with the duplicate body. The wheelbase is 3 inches shorter and I think the difference is in the cowl.   There were three on the Packard chassis and one was famously in the Harrah collection for years.  One was just at Pebble Beach recently where it was a class winner.

Here is an interior shot of the Packard.  The Reo probably had the same interior but covered in doe-skin.  I'm going to leave the current interior alone as it is in good condition and the 40k or so it would take to refinish it to original will need to wait for the full restoration.

It looks remarkably similiar to the REO. Note the luggage rack in the back. Was it a '31 also? John

John, bodies are practically identical. The only differences I can see is the molding on the cowl to match the two different marques. I did notice the trunk rack! However, the picture/drawing of the Reo from 1931 does not show one. That is why I'm stuck on what to do with the rack. I would rather not put it on the car.

Here is one of the three Packards restored.

A.J. beautiful picture of the Packard . Would you be going back to the whitewalls like the Packard has ?

I agree the Packard looks pretty good with the whitewalls. But I think it might look good sitting on blacks too! I'm still planning on the blackwalls but I did have the slightest, slightest, slightest second thoughts about it.

I didn't know the same body was used on more cars, but being so gorgeous, I don't see why not. The Packard is great, but the added appartent Hood lenght of the Royale (because of the painted radiator) makes it even nicer. And just for the record, even though the Twenty Grand may be the most famous Club sedan, I still think this Dietrich body is prettier.