1925 Rickenbacker 8 Coupe
Eddie Rickenbacker led a remarkable life. He started out as a famous race car driver, then became a flying ace during World War I. Following the war, he partnered with three auto executives to release a car bearing his name. His flying squadron’s “Hat in the Ring” symbol became the company’s emblem.
Rickenbackers were mechanically innovative thanks to Eddie’s expertise as a race car driver. Rickenbacker became the first company to offer four-wheel brakes as standard equipment on moderately priced cars. For this, it was subjected to a smear campaign. Other automakers absurdly claimed that this improvement was unsafe, suggesting that greater braking efficiency would throw passengers through the windshield!
Despite Rickenbacker’s reputation for building high-value, good-performing automobiles, they suffered diminishing sales in the cutthroat atmosphere of the mid-1920s. Rickenbacker himself resigned from the company and production ceased in 1927.
Thank you to our dedicated team of volunteers!
Jon Capistron
Jon Elmendorf
Phil Forte
Elliot Friend
David Greenman
Rick Mignone
Don McKennit
Craig Smith
More from our automobile collection:
In our current exhibit, From Carriage to Classic: How Automobiles Transformed America, we present the origin story of the American automobile through 23 cars from Heritage’s permanent collection of antique and classic automobiles. Come along for a ride from the late 1800s to the 1960s and watch the car evolve from a horseless carriage to a streamlined symbol of freedom and independence.
