Rickenbacker (car)
Encyclopedia
Rickenbacker Motor Company was a US automobile
manufacturer based in Detroit
, Michigan
from 1922 until 1928.
The company was established by Eddie Rickenbacker
(1890 - 1973), America's leading fighter ace during World War I. He used his World War I
94th Fighter Squadron
emblem depicting a top hat
inside a ring. The emblems were located both on the front and the back of the cars.
Rickenbacker made sporting coupé
s. Four wheel inside brakes were introduced in 1923. Rickenbacker made an unsuccessful attempt to merge with the British Peerless around 1924.
Early six cylinder engines were replaced in 1925 by an eight cylinder engine. The model was named
Vertical Eight Super Fine which referred to the advanced proprietary engine and the high quality of the cars.
Although 1926 saw new models signed 6-70, 8-80 and 8-90, Rickenbacker cars were too expensive for the time and sales were poor. Before the company closed down in 1928, more than 11,000 cars had been built.
The manufacturing equipment were sold to Audi
and transported to Germany
, somewhat ironic since Rickenbacker renounced his German heritage in light of World War II
. This transaction was reflected in Audi Zwickau and Dresden models, using six or eight cylinder Rickenbacker engines.
Some Rickenbacker cars still survive.
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
manufacturer based in Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
from 1922 until 1928.
The company was established by Eddie Rickenbacker
Eddie Rickenbacker
Edward Vernon Rickenbacker was an American fighter ace in World War I and Medal of Honor recipient. He was also a race car driver and automotive designer, a government consultant in military matters and a pioneer in air transportation, particularly as the longtime head of Eastern Air Lines.-Early...
(1890 - 1973), America's leading fighter ace during World War I. He used his World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
94th Fighter Squadron
94th Fighter Squadron
The 94th Fighter Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 1st Operations Group and stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia....
emblem depicting a top hat
Top hat
A top hat, beaver hat, high hat silk hat, cylinder hat, chimney pot hat or stove pipe hat is a tall, flat-crowned, broad-brimmed hat, predominantly worn from the latter part of the 18th to the middle of the 20th century...
inside a ring. The emblems were located both on the front and the back of the cars.
Rickenbacker made sporting coupé
Coupé
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
s. Four wheel inside brakes were introduced in 1923. Rickenbacker made an unsuccessful attempt to merge with the British Peerless around 1924.
Early six cylinder engines were replaced in 1925 by an eight cylinder engine. The model was named
Vertical Eight Super Fine which referred to the advanced proprietary engine and the high quality of the cars.
Although 1926 saw new models signed 6-70, 8-80 and 8-90, Rickenbacker cars were too expensive for the time and sales were poor. Before the company closed down in 1928, more than 11,000 cars had been built.
The manufacturing equipment were sold to Audi
Audi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
and transported to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, somewhat ironic since Rickenbacker renounced his German heritage in light of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. This transaction was reflected in Audi Zwickau and Dresden models, using six or eight cylinder Rickenbacker engines.
Some Rickenbacker cars still survive.