1926 Rickenbacker Eight Super Sport
As always, my automotive interest tend toward seldom mentioned marques and Rickenbacker Motors is no exception. I actually stumbled upon this car during a visit to Klairmont Kollections car museum in Chicago (now closed and collection sold).
At that time the the Eight Super Sport was part of their collection. Interesting, even though I shot nearly fifty photographs that day, not one was of the Eight Super Sport. Only in subsequent research about the museum did I run across a video of this car, which then prompted more research.
The graphics I have created for this project are from material I phished from the internet. Thus it’s imparative that neither myself, nor anyone who downloads the graphics derive any financial gain. They are intended only for your personel enjoyment. The car featured here is a 1926 Rickenbacker Eight Super Sport. It is one of 14 to 17 built and is the only known survivor.
This car, chassis No. 7 is the same car that debuted at the 1926 New York Auto Show and reflects the innovation and daring of its namesake, World War I ace and automotive pioneer Eddie Rickenbacker. The coupe is powered by a 315-cubic-inch inline eight-cylinder engine producing 105 horsepower, paired with a three-speed manual transmission. Its aviation-inspired design includes cycle fenders that turn with the front wheels, laminated mahogany airfoil bumpers, copper-plated trim, with distinctive Edmund & Jones headlamps. A CCCA Full Classic.
This car is also the only one of the maybe 14 units built that was trimmed in Copper, the rest were trimmed in silver. Ref. (Volume
24, Number 2 of Automobile Quarterly)
Provenance:
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1927 Delivered to Mellin & Moran Dealership, Ecorse, Michigan. The original owner, Richard Mellin, purportedly acquired the car after making a bold offer of $10,000.
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1942 The car was passed on to Mellin’s grandson, John “Bud” Mellin, as a graduation gift.
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1973 Became part of Harrah’s Automobile Collection (1973-1983).
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1983 Thomas J. Lester, of Lester Tire fame. Purchased the car from the Harrah collection. Two years later, in 1985, the Super Sport was carefully restored back to its original condition by Eric and Vivian LaVine’s well-known shop in Nappanee, Indiana.
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2001 Became part of the Bob Pond collection (Palm Springs Air Museum).
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2014 Sold at an RM Sotheby’s auction in Monterey for $946,000 to Larry Klairmont. Displayed at (Klairmont Kollections Car Museum, Chicago).
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2025 Sold at Mecum “Larry’s Legacy” auction September 20, 2025. TheRickenbacker Eight Super Sport sold for $440,000.
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The successful bidder was not publicly named.