Eddie Rickenbacker...
Edward "Eddie" Vernon Rickenbacker(1890–1973), had fought in World War I as a fighter pilot and had received the Congressional Medal of Honor, among other medals.
He joined the United States Army in 1917, when U.S. declared war on Germany.
Eddie was a Captain and also a Commander of the 94th Aero Squadron. I found some video footage of them receiving medals for there service in WWI..
He was a race car driver before the war. So after the war, he decided to manufacture an automobile under his name.
So, Rickenbacker and Byron "Barney" Forbes Everitt found each other. Everitt brothers was the 2nd largerst body building plant in the world, based out of Detroit, Michigan.
With Everitt's memories brainstorming of when he was in manufacturing, particularly with E.M.F.(1909- 1912), he made some phone calls to his old partners. William E. Metzger and Walter E. Flanders(who helped Henry Ford on the road to production).
Also in the mix was Harry Cunningham, a former race car driver, now an engineer.
In 1922, the Rickenbacker Motor Company (RMC) goes into full production.
The engine was a three-main- bearing six cylinder, 218 cubic inches, 58 hp at 2800 rpm.
The car was guaranteed without vibration, and it was done by having 2 flywheels at both ends of the crankshaft.
According to reports of tests drives, the Rickenbacker was indeed a smooth running car without vibration.
The 94th Squadron" Hat-in-the-Ring" becomes the cars emblem on the front and back.
In 1923, Rickenbacker adds 4-wheel brakes, the first medium- priced American car to install them.
Now the other automakers that had only 2-wheek brakes, were making claims that 4- wheel brakes were dangerous merely because they would stop quicker. Rickenbacker had stenciled into the spare tire cover 4- Wheel Brakes so that other cars makers with 2-wheel brakes, should(see it) and be able to stop in time from avoiding a rear-end collision..
Sounds like, they should have made the adjustments, instead of coming up with excuses..
Sorry, Ford Motor Company and Studebaker.. With your negative and untrue ads, it did hurt Rickenbacker sales a little. Though, there was nothing unsafe about the 4- wheel design, you were just a little bit behind the competition..
In 1926, the Rickenbacker Company has went from engineering to styling. Now it may not have been the most attractive car in America, but it was definitely, one of the most striking..
With it's Torpedo shaped rear deck, bullet shaped headlamps, brass bound with wood inlay ornaments, the absence of running boards, and fenders of laminated mahogany, the cost was $5000.. Not to bad for a gem like this...
The Rickenbacker Company only lasted from 1922- 1927.
Due to constant bickering back and forth and the company's lack of effort, sales began to decline..
Rickenbacker resigned from his position in 1926.
The company stopped production and filed bankruptcy in 1927.
Rickenbacker suffered a stroke and natural causes in 1973, he lived to be 82 years old..
Well, Thank you all for viewing..
Hope you enjoy!!!
Beautiful cars. I like finding out about old American car brands. The red one is my favorite.
Yeah, I can be riding down the road with my boss, and the cars just come out of nowhere.. LOL.. I love old cars like these, and the red car... It just looks like, it's laid back.. HA.. It is sharp!!
wow. this is the coolest backstory to a car i have ever seem. and some pretty fancy cars might i add! nice post man i love it! keep posting stuff like this its so interesting to read, following for sure!
Hey thanks a lot. I try to do some cool stuff with my posts.. Yeah, those are some nice cars. I would say it would be cool to ride in one these cars on the streets, but might get ran over.. LOL.. It would be cool though(not to get ran over, ha, but ride in one of these)
yeah. honestly any older car is so much more fun to ride in. the thing that cracks me up is the cars back then were actually built way better i believe. my 74 charger im working on right now, its literally all steel. The previous owner said he ran into a pole, and actually dented the pole. if you run into anything in a car now days you probably total the entire car!! crazy... ill catch you around on your posts man! thanks