1924 Rickenbacker - Detroit Area

[CarFreak]

Quote

"The seller is Paul and his home phone is 734-753-2289. They are moving to Florida so he would like to sell it. Thanks"

 

 

Saw an ad for Estate Sale / Auction on Facebook for a 1924 Rickenbacker.   Response from the sale coordinator above.  

 

 

 

Edited June 14, 2021 by CarFreak (see edit history)

[suchan]

No idea of the value, but it looks like a nice, restored car in need of some dusting.

Not sure about the green undercarriage, though.

[wayne sheldon]

Now, THAT is a car I could really fall in love with!

[zepher]

I bet that car would scoot along just fine with modern cars in city traffic.

Only drawback would be if you wanted to do more than 50mph but a coupe would be fun.

 

Rickenbacker cars almost never come up for sale, it really hurts that this one is so far away and I do not have the room at the moment.  

[ericmac]

I think I have seen this one at Old Car Festival.  It is quite an interesting car. It's somewhat local for me. I too wonder about the value/price. I best not ask as I share Wayne's sentiments about this one.

[alsancle]

That is a neat car.   But what is it with obscure cars that the owners feel the need to tell you what it is on the spare tire cover?   I see it a lot.

[trimacar]

I remember that was all the rage in the 60s and 70s, lots of cars had personalized tire covers.  My 27 Dodge Brothers cabriolet had the same thing when I bought it, and it was freshened up in the 1960s.

 

In the case of the Dodge, probably a good thing, as it looks all the world like a 28 Model A.

 

I like that they added the “hat in the ring”, for those who may not know, numerous people were pressing Rickenbacker to throw his hat in the ring and run for President.

Edited June 16, 2021 by trimacar (see edit history)

[wayne sheldon]

9 hours ago, alsancle said:

That is a neat car.   But what is it with obscure cars that the owners feel the need to tell you what it is on the spare tire cover?   I see it a lot.

 

 

I spend a considerable time looking closely at era photographs. Just part of my fascination for the era our cars were built in and so much a part of. In general, spare tire covers were not common back when our cars were the latest thing. However, they do show up a fair amount in street scene photos, I have never counted, however I would guess that less than one car in twenty non-Fords may have had one. The most common car I have noticed to have the manufacturer's name or logo on their spare tire covers is Chrysler. I sort of just notice them and say to myself "another Chrysler" when I see them. 

The Rickenbacker is a fairly rare car, and not spotted often in street scene photos. And, often when they are spotted, the view will be from the front, so any spare tire cover would not be seen even if it had one. That said, I have noticed several Rickenbackers in era photos with the name, and even "4-Wheel Brakes" on the tire covers. Rickenbacker automobiles were a bit ahead of their time, and were one of the early adopters of four wheel braking. They, and a couple other companies liked to brag about their superior braking early on, and it was said felt the need to warn drivers behind them to not follow closely as they could stop quicker than other cars (Don't HIT me!).

Paige is another company that offered spare tire covers with their company name-badge on the cover. I have seen a couple original ones, and a couple nicely made newer ones on Paige automobiles. I have also seen a few of them in era photographs.

The tire cover on the OP car is very similar to others I have seen on Rickenbacker cars.

 

Why do I notice the Rickenbacker and Paige automobiles in era photographs enough to remember seeing them? I have a 1927 Paige that my dad bought when I was fifteen (sadly, not been restored much still). And the Rickenbacker? A good friend of one of my longtime best friends' family had a Rickenbacker fifty years ago. I saw it a few times on club outings. It was the BIG Rickenbacker! An extremely impressive automobile, beautifully restored. I have been fascinated by the marque ever since. Just don't see them enough.

[bryankazmer]

10 hours ago, trimacar said:

 

 

I like that they added the “hat in the ring”, for those who may not know, numerous people were pressing Rickenbacker to throw his hat in the ring and run for President.

while that is true, the hat in the ring emblem goes back earlier to Rickenbacker's WWI air squadron

[zepher]

On 6/16/2021 at 4:51 AM, trimacar said:

I like that they added the “hat in the ring”, for those who may not know, numerous people were pressing Rickenbacker to throw his hat in the ring and run for President.

 

The Hat in the Ring was the emblem for the 94th Aero Squadron.

I have read that it was crafted to show that Uncle Sam had thrown his hat in the ring and joined the fight in WWI.

Capt Eddie was quite fond of the emblem and Capt Eddie was a HUGE celebrity after the Great War.

 

I know the cars don't garner much respect in today's pre-war circles but the car was said to be a very nice car at the time.

The Rickenbacker Motor's company slogan was, 'A Car Worthy of its Name'.

 

As for the spare tire covers, I have seen them as far back as I can remember into the early 70's.

My Rickenbacker has been in the family longer than I have so my earliest memories involve pre-war automotive gatherings and I do remember quite a few cars with rear tire covers though ours never did have one.

 

[trimacar]

Thanks for clarification, yes the slogan went back to WWI…thanks dc

 

[mikewest]

About 15 years ago I owned a Rick touring with a Calf. top that came out of Harrahs. It still had its brass number ID tag bolted to the firewall. My dad told me that "Back in the day" before Ford and General Motors  had front brakes , they started propaganda that id a driver of a Rick hit the brakes hard the car would tip over FORWARD. Maybe it worked! 

[JV Puleo]

On 6/16/2021 at 7:51 AM, trimacar said:

I like that they added the “hat in the ring”, for those who may not know, numerous people were pressing Rickenbacker to throw his hat in the ring and run for President.

'

It's actually the insignia of the 94th Aero Squadron - the unit Rickenbacker belonged to and eventually commanded.

[TG57Roadmaster]

From the 1930 Clifton catalog...a bit more subtle and aimed at the dealers.

 

 

 

 

 

[wayne sheldon]

Thank you Roadmaster for sharing that advertising! A wonderful reference piece.

[dibarlaw]

Roadmaster:

 I thank you also. I had been wanting to have tire covers made for my 1925 Buicks. Most of the upholstery people around here would not even consider making them any longer. Many of the ones made over the last 20 years were tie or elastic cinch style. Which I dislike. I have one made in the 1950s for a 1927-24 Buick roadster with 5.25X21 tires. My car was changed over to 21" wheels so I was able to use it.

Most of the 1920s Buick advertising show all the examples with tire covers.

Most car dealers provided them as a "throw in with the deal item". Also provided with their dealerships advertising! 

 When I worked at the dealers in the 1970s it was the floor mats, mud flaps, door edge guards etc.

At the tire dealer when you bought a new set of tires the dealer may throw in a new spare cover with their advertising!

 

[mike6024]

 

1923 Rickenbacker demonstrating its 4-wheel braking power, top of Stanyan, San Francisco

[m-mman]

When you introduce a new technology you have an obligation to warn other drivers  😉

[BobinVirginia]

Cool car. I really like the old Orphan American car brands.

 

[TG57Roadmaster]

A friend bought the '24 Rickenbacker Coupe, and I went up Detroit to do the paperwork and close the deal.

It's a cute car with an original interior that needs some attention. 

 

 

 

I was really pleased to see that it has an original winged Rickenbacker "Hat in the Ring" Motometer,

but I think the wings may be on backwards.

 

 

The mohair interior is original and needs some preservation.

 

 

The great staff at the AACA Library & Research Center provided numerous 1924 Rickenbacker brochures and promotional info...

 

 

And additional info came from the AACA Library & Research Center's Facebook page,

in the photo album with the 1924 Handbook of Automobiles.

 

 

This sort of material and much more is available at the AACA Library & Research Center in Hershey

and online, so mine it when you need to. You're only a phone call, an email or a click away!

http://www.aacalibrary.org/collections/aaca-collection/

 

TG

 

 

 

 

[George Albright]

I spoke to the owner two weeks ago. It sold for his asking price of $20,000

[Flivverking]

Nice car and 20gs seems fair enough for the seller and more then fair for th buyer.

[wayne sheldon]

I really like that car! And the interior is wonderful, even if it does need a bit of attention. I hope to see pictures of this car shared on the forum in the years to come! It should be enjoyed, and seen often.

My congratulations to the new caretaker!