The global magazine and marketplace for classic car enthusiasts, by enthusiasts.
The global magazine and marketplace for classic car enthusiasts, by enthusiasts.








Captain Eddie Rickenbacker was already famous, as a racing driver and a World War 1 aviator, when he began to offer a remarkable car bearing his name the Rickenbacker car. This Rickenbacker car bore his personal symbol of a hat in a ring, and was powered by a small sv 6-cylinder engine, which was very smooth thanks to its two flywheels. This unit of the Rickenbacker car developed 58bhp at 2.800rpm. The chassis frame was boxed and rigid, and there were internal expanding brakes on all four wheels. The 1923 Rickenbacker car was the first cheap car to have front-wheel brakes. The last Rickenbacker cars were 4.4-litre straight-8s of the same design. The engine of the Rickenbacker car gave 107bhp at 3.000rpm in sports form, and was said to propel the Rickenbacker car at 90mph.
The whole Rickenbacker car was exceedingly well made, as well as original, but high quality, low price and unconventionality killed it. The design of the Rickenbacker car was bought by J.S. Rasmussen in Germany and used in two models of the Audi.
Update by Rickenbacker club president Roland Klix: None of the rickenbacker cars up to at least 1926 had 'Boxed' frames. They were, however, very strong and doubled in the engine mounting area. I can not speak for the 1927 models, as no club member has one of these, being extremely rare.
Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; TRN
The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com

