Vehicle Description
1923 Rickenbacker. Super rare find! Long term ownership, fully
restored by past President of the National Rickenbacker club, only
42 miles on it since done! Rare find, 1 of 2 in the registry!
Rickenbacker Motor Company was a US automobile manufacturer based
in Detroit, Michigan from 1922 until 1927. 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 Motor Company made sporting coupes, touring cars,
sedans, and roadsters. Four wheel inside brakes were introduced in
1923. Rickenbacker made an unsuccessful attempt to merge with
Peerless around 1924. Early six-cylinder engines were joined 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.2 Although 1927 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
1927, more than 35,000 cars had been built. The manufacturing
equipment were sold to Audi and transported to Germany, somewhat
ironic since Rickenbacker renounced his supposed German heritage
(he was actually of Swiss ancestry) in light of World War I. This
transaction was reflected in Audi Zwickau and Dresden models, using
six- or eight-cylinder Rickenbacker engines.
