The vintage automobile world has lost one of its cornerstones and most innovative characters. Mike Rabin, founder of LmaRR Disk, passed away April 19, 2019 at the age of 91 due to complications from a bad fall.
Mike was first and foremost “a people person”. Making friends, living, walking, reading and sharing his love of cars with everyone around him. He is survived by his wife Maria, his sister, 2 children and 4 grandchildren.
Fascinated with cars since he was two years old, Mike had a love affair with the automobile. Some drag racing in his teens led to a 123 mph race at El Mirage during the dry lake period. He served in WWII, worked as a butcher for a few years and then got involved in the plastics business while owning such great cars as a 1940 Ford Coupe, 1948 and 1952 Jaguar XK120s, and a Rolls-Royce 20/25 which was the start of forming his innovative business making designer wheel disks.
He put together the molds, the spinners and the time to recreate the artistic original wheel disks for that first Rolls. Ultimately, Mike made and sold over 95 different types of creative and beautiful wheel disks. Correctly termed: Wheel Covers, Hub Hardware and Backing Plates, and NEVER referred to as lowly hubcaps. LmaRR Disk was the only supplier worldwide for these visually important and artistic “wheel covers” used for restoring to original some of the greatest classic cars from Bugattis to Minervas to Mercedes-Benz and Hispano-Suiza.
Mike worked with many famous people including Jay Leno and Ralph Lauren who commented, “Thank you, the wheel covers worked well, we got first prize.”
These elegantly designed wheel covers changed the whole appearance of many great classic cars. Without our dear friend, Mike Rabin, this would have never happened, much less the numerous awards won on countless stages including Pebble Beach, Amelia Island and more.
So sorry to hear this. I have the last set he built before the company folded. A very nice man….