Summary

A Detroit marque inspired by American World War I fighter ace and Medal of Honor recipient Eddie Rickenbacker. Emblem was taken from Rickenbacker's flying squadron insignia, the 'Hat in the Ring.'

Details

1925 Rickenbacker finished in two-tone green over black. Rarely seen Rickenbacker, a Detroit marque inspired by American fighter ace in World War I and Medal of Honor recipient Eddie Rickenbacker. Emblem was taken from Rickenbacker's flying squadron insignia, the 'Hat in the Ring.' The Rickenbacker Motor Company was incorporated in July 1921 when Barney Everitt decided to start up another car company. He asked Eddie Rickenbacker for the use of his name on the automobiles and named Rickenbacker vice president and director of sales for the company. Everitt also asked longtime friend and businessman Walter Flanders to help get this car company off the ground. Everitt and Flanders worked together before with William Metzger at the EMF car company from 1909-12. A plant on Michigan Avenue in Detroit was purchased where 200 cars a day could be manufactured (later, a newer plant was built at 4815 Cabot Avenue). The general public had yet to see the Rickenbacker prototype, but anything associated with Captain Eddie Rickenbacker was bound to be something extraordinary. In January 1922, the first Rickenbacker cars made their debut at the New York Auto Show. The engine was a three-main-bearing 6-cylinder, 218ci, 58hp with a speed of 60 mph.