Rickenbacker

[dl456]

Just curious if anybody saw the two Rickenbacker cars at the GAA auction in North Carolina Saturday.

We were unable to attend but had an interest in these cars. We watched the sale online.

It's  difficult evaluating a sale when not in attendance, but these two cars exceeded my expectations.

The wood wheeled roadster brought slightly north of 100k with premium.

The wire wheel roadster (listed as restored) brought just under 250k with premium.

I understand these are rare opportunities, but I was disappointed and pleasantly surprised at the same time.

Any thoughts?

Dennis

[zepher]

Do you have a link to the auction house that sold them?

It would be nice to get the information on the new owners for the Rickenbacker club.

And the sales price is much, much higher than I expected for such an obscure marque that has never really had any attention in the past.

 

I found one, it is an 8 cylinder car so it makes sense that it brought some decent money.

There are probably less than 3 that still survive for '26.

https://www.gaaclassiccars.com/vehicles/32014/1926-rickenbacher-roadster

 

Found the other one as well.

 

Another 8 cylinder roadster but not as nice as the one above.  A great looking driver but not a fresh resto like the other one.

https://www.gaaclassiccars.com/vehicles/32015/1926-rickenbacker

Edited April 26, 2021 by zepher (see edit history)

[dl456]

Hello Zepher,

Yes, that is the auction house.

If you look at the lots , you will find the wood wheeled roadster. An 8 cylinder as well.

Very attractive cars.

I was disappointed that we didn't bid but happy and surprised at the interest.

Dennis  

[Flivverking]

In the early 90's I had a place in mid Maine and there was a nostaliga type country tourist trap kinda spot that had nice old coot owner and wife who had a small collection of cars that were not part of the tourist trap for some reason?

Anyway, I saw these cars and one was a original Rickenbacker ,large touring car in blue body as I recall.

The trap owner told me It had some engine problem for a few years and he only got it out for the local parades..It had no power but starts o.k. and would roll long on flat ground to about 30.mph. 

Only Rickenbacker I saw in person (and sat in.)weeeee! Look at meeee.

It may have been a 6 or $7,000 car then ?

 

I'll try to research the place,but i don't think it made it into 2000.

The folks were pretty crusty and near petrified in the '90s.

 

 

[zepher]

@Flivverking You are one of the few that have seen a Rickenbacker in person and actually sat in one.  Too bad you weren't able to go for a ride.  They are decent riding cars for era.

 

 

[John348]

I remember reading an article on Rickenbacker cars in Special Interest Autos, maybe in the late 70's? I was fascinated by the article, ever since I always looked to see one in person and never came across one.  

[1912Staver]

Those auction results seem remarkably high. Very nice cars without a doubt, but near 250 K for the restored one ?  

 

Greg

[Flivverking]

The only one I ever saw move was in the Twilight Eposide,Mr. Bevis.

 

It was a major part of the plot at one point.

"Have you ever driven a 1924 Rickenbacker?" he says to his guardian angle,who referred to the Rickenbacker as "Old Ironsides"

[John_S_in_Penna]

There is a Rickenbacker in the collection of

the LeMay Museum in Tacoma, Washington.

It is a Model C from 1924, the card stated,

and it had been shown in Pennsylvania at one

point in its life.

 

 

[C Carl]

I tried and failed to find a picture of the wood wheeled roadster. Can anyone please post a pic of it or give me a direct link ? I have to admit that I am one of those weirdos who like wood spoke wheels every bit as much, or more so than wires or discs. Shhhhh..........  more of us who feel that way lurk among us !!!    -    Carl 

[kingrudy]

The headlights on the wire wheeled car are just beautiful. 

[zepher]

This is the unrestored, or very old restoration, roadster.

 

 

And here is the freshly restored roadster.

 

[alsancle]

Woodlights look pretty are but are mostly ornamental.

[zepher]

I never really cared for Woodlights.

But I do really like the brass headlamps with the logoed headlight lenses that I have.

[Flivverking]

The Klairmont Kollection has Eddie's custom  personal car..

Dig the copper ..solid and plated.

I believe there are 2 cars in the Collection.

There is a youtube vid on it.

[8E45E]

I posted photo of two different Rickenbackers here:  Rickenbacker needed for an article - General Discussion - Antique Automobile Club of America - Discussion Forums (aaca.org)

 

Craig

[wayne sheldon]

I like the wood wheeled one way better than the wire wheeled one! Almost everything about it. But that is just me.

 

I noticed the auction house referred to both of the cars as a "coupe" in their descriptions?

 

(I thought I had posted this about four hours ago? But guess I got interrupted again?)

(Make that five hours ago. Got interrupted again again!)

[C Carl]

56 minutes ago, wayne sheldon said:

I like the wood wheeled one way better than the wire wheeled one! Almost everything about it. But that is just me.

 

Not just you, Wayne ! And I know that you know that we are not alone. Wood wheels are crowd pleasers. Folks have been seeing wires on vehicles since they rode tricycles. Disc ? That is all you see on ,most anything. The three huge crowd pleasers on my ‘20s Cadillacs are indeed the wood wheels, the turn signals, and a hand cranked start. I have not been strong enough to do that for some time. But I still have two out of three. 
 

Thank you zepher for posting the pictures.   -     Carl 

[Graham Man]

Black wire wheels would look much better

 

 

Here is a better picture of the Rickenbacker Roadster

 

[nzcarnerd]

Possibly the only right hand drive Rickenbacker is in New Zealand.

 

The first photo is from 1961 and the other a more recent shot. I think it remained with the same owner for many years until he passed away.

 

Its registration appears to have been cancelled in 2016 so it may have been sold overseas?  Report - AR8333 - 1924 CUSTOMBUILT RICKENBACKER in Red with Black (carjam.co.nz)

 

 

[zepher]

I don' think the tri-beam bumpers on the wire wheeled car are factory.

Even the other auction car does not seem to have the correct piece in the center of the bumper.

 

I have the same radiator cap but my plane has the propeller, it looks like that one was filled and then plated.

 

[Jim Skelly]

Woodlites (correct spelling) just don't look right on that car.

 

I've seen several Rickenbackers over the years, and the plant still survives on the far west side of Detroit.  I think it was a laundry supply the last time I stopped there several years ago.  Across the street from it is old residential housing.

 

[58L-Y8]

Going on memory here but if I recall correctly, when the company liquidated, the tooling and engineering drawings were sold to Auto Union in Germany, became the basis for the first Audis.   Someone correct me if that is incorrect while I'll try to find the references.

[zepher]

That is what I have heard.

Everything went overseas and the engine design was used for about another 10 years.

I'll have to look in the autobiography I have and see if Capt Eddie mentions anything about the disposition of the company.

I doubt there is anything in there, though.  If I remember correctly, he kind of glosses over the car company in his book.

[Rusty_OToole]

There was a short history of the Rickenbacker car company in the Volume XIII Number 4 Automobile Quarterly. It says the engine tooling and fixtures were sold to Jorgen Skafte Rasmussen in October 1927 after the company ceased producing cars. He was the head of DKW at the time. In 1928 he acquired the Audi works and used the six and eight cylinder engines in the Audi Zwickau and Dresden models until 1932. There was talk of selling engines to a revived Rickenbacker company in the US but this never took place.