Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 9, 1923)
I 1 I _■ I WORTHY $5 Effective, This Date— Any Automobile Without 4-Wheel Brakes, is Obsolete! i Read every line of this ad! — it contains good advice and a timely warning for all buyers! On July first, Rickenbacker announced 4-Wheel Brakes on new models. We stated then that this would prove "the Seatest improvement since the advent of the lf-Starter—13 years ago.’* That announcement created a sensation that shook the industry to its very foundations. Reason for 4-Wheel Brakes is, necessity for greater safety in traffic—not only on city streets, but on the country roads. Invention, always following closely in the wake of necessity, has produced a perfect system of brakes on all four wheels. Even rival engineers proclaim this Ricken backer 4-Wheel Brake "the most beautiful example of fine engineering that has ever graced a motor car—American or European.’* Look at them. They tell their own story. Already, two prominent makers have followed Rickenbacker leadership by announcing 4 Wheei Brakes 1 Others will follow. Engineers in all other plants—(we repeat, “all other plants”) are feverishly working to produce a workable 4-Wheel Brake sys tem without infringing Rickenbacker de sign and certain European patents. Rickenbacker showrooms are crowded all the time—so intense is the interest. Factory swamped with orders. Seems as If everyone wants a car with 4-Wheel Brakes and won’t be happy till he gets it. Meantime,'those unfortunate salesmen of cars that do not have them are trying to explain why they “do not believe in 4-Wheel Brakes.” Here is a bit of information for all such. We guarantee you that, within tlx months, every car, priced tit $1,000 and up, will announce 4- Wheel Brakes—or go out of businest. Won’t be “out” by that time perhaps, but will be “on the toboggan” and headed downward. 4-Wheel Brakes have been accepted as the greatest safety insurance ever built into a motdV car. Get that—“Built in.” This is a mighty important point. It’s something you should Insist upon when con- • sidering a car—that the brakes are built in—* not tagged onto an old model. Axles, front and rear, must be specially designed, to insure that brakes function properly. How will you know? Tell you ■ when you see a set of “external con tracting'’brakes—that should be your warning. 4 For in most cases this is evidence that the maker suddenly realized that buyers now insist on 4-Wheel Brakes—and hastily tried to put them on the cheapest way-*-without re-designing hia axles. Can’t be done. We tried it. Tried every type of braket and all fell short of the degree of perfection which’ Rickenbacker policy demands. Listen!—of 81 makes of foreign cars, that are equipped with 4-Wheel Brakes, not one has external contracting brakes—not one. And, so far as we know, only one is hydraulically operated. Only oneI Aik any salesman of cart Having “external coDe tracting” brakes theae questions* “Doee a mechanism that is exposed to dust, rain, sand and gumbo, and In winter to ice make a good brake?” While you may equalize the pressure—can you equalize the effect? Can you compensate for the fact that one 1* wet, the other dry; that one has a “sand” contact, the other of greasy mud, or gumbo? li RIckenbacker was designing 4-Wheel Brakes years before others even heard the term. The first RIckenbacker chassis ever “laid on the drawing board” had brakes on all four wheels. Had before us, the results of a decade of Euro pean engineering. Began where they left off. And as a result of our research, our resources and engineering skill, we succeeded in producing a better system of brakes than any of them. We challenge the world on that assertion, j Stand a RIckenbacker beside any European ear—• the one with the best brakes—and compare. You win be as proud of this American achieve* ment as we are. RIckenbacker engineers tried every type bf brake, and concluded that the internal, expanding typeuvaa the only dependable hind, RIckenbacker 4-Wheel Brakes are fully en closed and protected from rain, ice, and sand. RIckenbacker 4-Wheel Brakes are the only brakes that function perfectly at all times, in all seasons, on all kinds of roads and under every conceivable condition of driving. —the only 4-Wheel Brakes that act precisely the same-when turning as on a straight-away. , J —the only 4-Wheel Brakes that hold Just ee well when climbing up—or down—a mountain. —the only 4-Wheel Brakes that cannot lock front wheels, —the only 4-Wheel Brakes that always exert a greater pressure on rear than on front—and cannot be changed to do otherwise. —the only 4-Wheel Brakes that are fool proof —both at to driving and adjustment. —the only 4-Wheel Brakes that have no universals or toggle joints or exposed parts. —the only 4-Wheel Brakes that cannot freeze or become ice-coated in winter. —the only 4-Wheel Brakes that automatically lubricate themselves. —the only 4-Wheel Brakes that do not gTab. grip, or screech when suddenly applied. —the only 4-Wheel Brakes that add to, rather than detract from, the appearance of the car. —1tjie only 4-Wheel Brakes that will not be come loose ahd rattle after long wear. —the only 4-Wheci Brakes that can be ad justed perfectly 5y one man. —the only 4-Wheel Brakes that a ten-year-old boy can adjust as well as a skilled mechanic. —the only 4-Wheel Brakes that have exactly the same braking power going backward «ui forward. % —the only system whereby front-wheel brakes can be used independently of the rear. —-the only system where the rear wheel brakes can be used 100 per cent Independently of the 4-Wheel system. In a word, this Rickenbacker Six is the only car on the world-market that has three indepen dent braking systems, all of which operate just as successfully backward as forward—and individually as well as collectively. Other makers will soon follow Rickenbacker by featuring 4-Wheel Brakes. But—that alone will not put their product on a par with Rickenbacker. There are several other outstanding features that you can still find only in this product. For, Rickenbacker has contributed more en gineering refinements to the industry in three years than have been developed by ail other makers combined in the past ten. The Vibrationless Motoi—due to the two fly wheels, was a Rickenbacker invention. The Carbonless Motor—accomplished by tHfc Automatic "Air Cleaner." The Easiest Steering Car—due to Rickenbackrt* application of ball bearings in steeringspindles. The Vibrationless Body-—due to the "Double Depth” frame invented by Rickenbacker. The Most Luxurious Riding Car—due tt> Rickenbacker "Cradle” spring suspension. So, when others do trail along with 4-Wheel ‘Brakes, they will still be far behind RickfO~ backer, the leader. Salesmen of these obsolete cars will try to dis count or discredit 4-Wheel Brakes. (They may be honest at that—for few" of them know what the maker’s plans are or when he in tends to bring out 4-W'heel Brakes.) So to protect yourself, use this planl Tell the salesman you want a signed statement from the head of the concern, asserting posi tively that his car will not have 4-Wheel Brakes within the next six months! Insist on a written statement—don’t accept the word of a man who does not know. We will guarantee you now that not one leading maker will sign such a statement. Not one! And if one did—it would prove he is hopelessly behind the times. 4-W'heel Brakes are he^e. At least two makers have admitted that their engineers “have not yet succeeded in develop ing a perfect working set of 4-Wheel Brakes.” Tdo bad—better get another engineer 1 The world won’t Wait for a laggard. The world goes forward—never backward. Makers may protest and argue and cuss—but they can’t turn back the hands of the clock. Rlckenbacker showed the way—others must follow whether they want to or not. \Ve repeat-—“Effective this date—any automo bile without 4-Wheel Brakes is obsolete.” Just as obsolete as a car without a self-starter. •e Remember—you stop in half the distance that you do with ordinary 2-Wheel Brakes. Ideal time for a demonstration of this is a rainy day and n “slippery-wet” asphalt pavement. Ten minutes at the wheel will be a revelation to you. But don't delay. Demand Is tremendous. Today—won’t be a minute too soon. Rickenbacker Motor Car Company DETROIT, MICHIGAN . I 4-Wheel W