reid next turned his attention to self-propelled vehicles. between 1903 and 1906 he produced three steam-driven cars. the engines and boilers were imported from america, with modifications and bodywork completed in stratford. the cars were two-cylinder, chain-driven and powered by kerosene, and had a rating of about four horsepower. before general vehicle registration was introduced reid's personal car carried the number plate sd1 (stratford district 1). he stopped working on the cars' development as he thought petrol engines were more likely. he sold two of the cars and kept one for himself.