ron hausmann

1923 Kissel Model 6-55 Brougham Sedan

All - Update as of January 22, 2022: 1. Decided to use rivets instead of bolts after much consultation. Went to several local frame shops and learned that nobody commercially uses frame rivets. So hiring somebody is out. 2. Shopped around and bought 60 rivets 5/16”, rivet tools, and a 7x rivet hammer. Not that expensive! 3. Finished bolting in all four front spring brackets and four engine mounts. Will remove bolts progressively once riveting commences. 4. Cleaned more parts including drive shaft and universals. 5. Selected paint shop for help painting large body panels. I will do chassis and small parts and assembly. 6. narrowed down yellow colors to use to a deep yellow by PPG. Or successor to DuPont. 7. Dropped off springs, wheel hubs, drums, steering arms, and front axle to sandblaster for blasting and powder coating base coat. 8. Picked up newly serviced rear axle/differential. This coming week we plan to; a. Sand and paint rear axle/differential. b. Pick up springs and chassis parts from blaster for me to finish paint. c. Decide what finish paint color to use D. Drop off four fenders, two side aprons, and hood to finish paint shop for long term concours level painting. e. Do some test riveting and rivet heating. f. Start cleaning and finishing steering column, water outlets, water pipes, and engine looms. Ron Hausmann P.E.

Thank you! Twenties and teens Kissels use these on their spring shackle bolts. Ron Hausmann P.E.

All - Here are a few pictures of the internals of a Kissel Double Six Wiedley engine. The subject engine is not a Kissel Double six insofar as the Kissel had overhead valve springs, whereas this one has side valves. And some of the configurations don’t match. The subject engine has side rocker arms, which are very similar to those I’ve seen on some Duesenberg walking beam engines. I sure feels like it’s a duesy to me. Ron Hausmann

All - in 1917 and 1918 Kissel offered a “Kissel Double Six” model, which used a Wiedley 12 engine block. Only one survives today in Denver. Somewhere I have those technical pictures, but not now. It’s possible that this is one of these engines. Weidley 12 engines were also used in some period trucks. Ron Hausmann

Tom - thank you and I understand. I’ll watch to se3 when one pops up on the net. Ron

Nccarnerd and edinmass, Yes it could be a side seat - I’m just thinking that if it is, it’s not a production model but a custom or prototype. Ron

All, I’m still not convinced that that fold-down door is a side seat. If it is a seat in there, the mechanics of the exposed bottom hinges, besides being unsightly, would not operate easily to make it a seat. It could of course be an add on. The mechanism on the running board could be a footrest, or something else. And again, except for custom jobs or prototypes, American production cars which had “suicide” or “outrigger seats” were Pilot Roadster (one seat 1920-1922 ish), Paige Daytona (one seat 1922-1924 ish), and Kissel (two seats 1919-mid 1923). Like many of you, I’m stumped by the picture too. Ron Hausmann

It’s not a seat drawer as a Kissel or Paige would have. That door is likely for golf club stowage. I’m not aware that Stutz ever used a side-seat configuration as Kissel, Paige, or Pilot did. Quite rare. And dumb. Ron Hausmann P.E.

Definitely NOT a Kissel. Cowl, running board, side door, windshield definitely not. Ron Hausmann

All - Thank you for your honest comments urging the use of rivets in lieu of bolts to replace the originally riveted-in brackets. I went to several websites which deal with installing frame rivets. It looks like if I buy a few specialized tools, I should be able to use original rivets after all. I’ve never riveted, but if I can do some of the other more skilled restoration things I can do, I should be able to learn riveting. I’ve just purchased a rivet air tool, a lot of rivets, rivet back bar clamps, and a bucking bar. Now i just need to figure out how to use an air hammer and heat the rivets. Any advice? Wish me luck. Ron

Hey Tom, If you want to sell or part with your tourist pamphlet for Autorama, I would be much appreciative. Yes that car is my Kissel Gold Bug! Here’s some back story. Zimmerman bough many of his cars, including my Kissel, from ybe Massachusetts Automobile Miseum. Much later, When Zimmerman took the Autorama out of business, he held an auction for many of the cars. William Ruger, founder of Sturm Ruger firearms, bought many of Zimmermans cars for his exotic car collection at that auction. Most of those cars, including my Kissel, were overhauled and restored over the decade or more that Ruger possessed them. I’ve never been able to get a listing of Rugers cars though, but only identified his car mechanic and restorer. Ruger restored my 1923 Kissel, Which Zimmerman misidentified as a 1922, to correct yellow and did a complete resto in 1984. Ruger was ailing and only drove my Kissel once, using a cherry picker to be hoisted on and out. When Ruger passed, his son auctioned off half of the Ruger car collection. Ok enough history. Ron

Thanks Terry, Probably won’t go to that extent because those bolt heads won’t be much exposed or visible, and the nut ends will be inside the buried frame. Actually if you look, those bolt heads look rather nice. Ron

Mike, I’ve no way to re-rivet so I’ll leave those bolts in and weld the sides of those brackets to the frame. Belt and suspenders. Ron

All - here is progress update and plan as of January 15, 2022; 1. Spent a week drilling and knocking out 38 hundred year old frame rivets which held motor mounts and front spring brackets to 1921 Kissel frame. Recall that these were removed from my 1923 Kissel frame. This was a very very hard job but it’s now accomplished. Tried several methods from internet videos, but best was to grind down the rivet head down to frame, center drill it at least one layer down progressively, soak it overnight with penetrant, @nd then whack it out the next day. 2. Mounted the cleaned off motor mount and spring bracket# on to the 1923 Kissel frame. The brackets are the same 1921-1823 but the frames are different configurations. 3. Confirmed with local rear end shop that my kissel rear end is in great shape. He is going to finish new seals next week. 4. rebuilt weird front axle ball bearings. Got new chrome rollers to replace old used ones. 27/64” weird size 5. Have readied frame to be rewelded where front crossmember was cut. Using front engine mount# to confirm alignment and spread. I’ll also put welds on my new motor mounts and spring knuckles. Other than that, soon body work and frame reassembly will commence. This coming week: a. Weld up frame. b. Deliver frame parts to be sandblasted and powder coated. c. Pick up rear axle and clean and paint. d. Continue painting small brake and chassis parts. e. Possibly pick up gas tank from rebuilder. f. Possibly pick up radiator from rebuilder. g. Decide which yellow to paint everything. Ron Hausmann P.E.

All - status as of January 9, 2022; 1. Rear axle parts have been completely disassembled and axle is being serviced at local rear end shop. I’ll pain5 it when he’s finished. 2. front axle has been completely disassembled and king pins driven out. Found out that the later series three model 6-45 front axles added the use of top bearings in place of bushings to carry the loads. Luckily mine aren’t damaged. 3. Have disassembled all the brake mechanisms and springs. These show very little wear. Considering that the car was stored 66 years in a shed (1956-2022) it looks like it was not driven much from 1923-1956. 4. Have accumulated all the medium sized chassis parts (axles, drums, spindles, springs, etc.) to take to be sandblasted and powder coated. Next week. Now I need to decide color?.. The correct Chrome Yellow color for a Kissel Gold Bug Speedster is iffy, as no original survive. My current 1923 Kissel Bug pictured below is a pale yellow, which codes to a certainLy non original Lamborghini yellow. That pale yellow looks great with a tan top but not with a black one as this car will have. The 1921 Pebble Beach winning Gold Bug pictured below is painted with a thought-to-be- correct PPG yellow DCC84877. Looks more bold. Also, do I paint the chassis components grey or all yellow as some original were known to be. That would be nice but what a chore to keep clean. At this time, I am leaning to painting everything yellow to replicate the book cover picture exactly. Next week we will do the following; A. Pick up serviced rear axle and paint it. B. Take Chassis loose parts to be sandblasted and powder coated. C. Paint loose chassis parts. D. Start painting small brake parts, cross shaft mechanisms, shackles, etc. E. Drill and knock out rivets from donor frame front spring and engine mount brackets which I need to transfer to the Speedster frame. F. Prepare the speedster frame front spring shackle and cut cross member to be rewelded back to original configuration. G. Visit “Detroit Deluxe” hot rod shop where I had my last car body and fenders painted to see if they can handle this Speedster to a concours level paint finish. H. Continue looking for source for gray Speedster tires. Comments and guidance welcomed. Ron Hausmann

Restorer, Luckily I have two very good sets and one fair set of brake drums for these 6-38 and 6-45 axles. It’s come in handy to have spent twenty or so years traveling across America to buy wrecked Kissel “parts cars”, since sooooo many parts have been able to be used on my good cars. In the past I have had one set of drums machined out of blocks of steel - pricey but perfect. Take care. Ron

In past estorations, these always have come out without an inordinate amount of force. Kissels work/tolerances were neve4 this tight. I’m thinking that these were never taken out in 99 years and they are probably encrusted with fossilized crud above and below the knuckles, which still turn. A press is a good idea. Ron

All - Update as of New Years Day, 1-1-2022; 1. Cross shaft brake fittings have been taken apart, sanded, and painted to like new. 2. Rear brake drums and clamping mechanisms have be3n taken apart and are being cleaned. 3. Front and rear springs have be3n dismounted and put aside to go to sandblaster. 4. Rear axle has been completely stripped and is put aside to go to rear axle service guy. 5.;Front axle is being disassembled. The kingpins aren’t coming out and are bound in. So will have to do some tender sledge hammering. 6. Cleaning of wheel bearings and axles is underway. This coming week, a. Take rear axle to be serviced and painted. b. Take front axle, front axle knuckles, brake drums, wheel hubs, and misc. pieces to be sandblasted. c. Strip off front spring and engine mounts from red donor frame by knocking out rivets. Thanks, Ron

I have several Houk/Buffalo #5 hub caps for sale. Unrestored WITH locking mechanisms. I will PM you. Also just sold two Houk/Buffalo #6 wheels. These had Cadillac medallions on them. 21” wheels I believe. Ron Hausmann P.E.

Easiest parts are taking it apart and assembling finished pieces together. Hardest part is getting all the pieces finished. Probably two years full time. Ron

Weekly update as of December 24, 2021, Christmas Eve; a. Axles front and rear have been taken off of frames. This coming week I’ll disassemble them further to be sandblasted and powder coated. b. Springs front and rear have been taken off. They will likely be reused and appear in good shape. Kissel used different rear springs on Speedster models. c. Engine has been taken off frame and placed on engine stand for transport to engine rebuilder and later testing. d. Brake crossmember parts have been laboriously taken off and restoration has started. These are unique to Kissel. Each mount has a brass collar and lubrication hole so that operation, when kept oiled, is smooth. All parts show very little wear so far. e. After looking at second and third series Kissel Model 6-45 frames next to each other, I’ve decided how I will mate them. THis is probably the only time in many many decades that two such frames are next to one another, as model 6-45’s themselves are so rare, and each series even more so. The front ends of these two second and third series frames are the same, but the middle side rails are different (5 1/2” and 7”) and the rear configurations are different. The heavier third series Speedster frame (rusty one) will be chopped off just ahead of the steering gear mounting holes. I will then cut off the front end of the lighter second series touring frame (red one) at that same point and weld them together and reinforce that joint. That joint will be hidden. over the next couple weeks I’ll continue disassembly on chassis parts for sandblasting and ready the frames to be mated as above. Ron Hausmann P.E.

All - - Status as of December 19, 2021. 1. Parts stripping in tumbler continues. Hood latches and door handles stripped down to as new condition 2. Have taken Speedster body off of the pulleys and mounted it onto a wheeled industrial cart. This will make it much easier to maneuver as I restore the wood, and when it must be transported to the paint shop. 3. Built and engine stand. Will dismount engine this coming week. Car dollies fit under it. 4. rearranged the two frames and discovered many more differences between the red 1921 donor frame and the 1923 Speedster frame. Consulted the parts manuals and there are two different frames listed, but the changes which I assumed t9 be small are large. The frames themselves are 7” and 6” -they won’t weld easily. This coming week and next, I will dismount axles and springs and decide how to mate the frames to get one good one. I’ll also start true parts restoration and possibly have many of the medium parts taken to my sandblaster. Ron Hausmann P.E.

All - In answer to the original question of this post, there are really two separate and equal answers I think. 1. For quite rare cars like Kissels, Chalmers, Daniels, Paige, and ones that have perhaps 5-300 survivors, the cars NEED to be concentrated in one or two places in order to assure that they are correct and original restorations. If not, you’ll get hotch-podge restorations which are not true or correct. I’ve seen this with my Kissels. 2. for “rare” cars where there are hundreds or thousands still around, like pierce, studebaker, Franklin, and such, a broader more diverse spread of collections should be encouraged. I feel this way because there is absolutely no way that restorations can be guaranteed to be correct without reference to other cars. I collect original Kissels and Kissel parts cars, and without those references, my restored cars would not be exact. My humble opinion. Ron Hausmann P.E.

If I didn’t have spare Kissel parts cars and other complete Kissels for reference, I would never be able to do a restoration of this rare car. This will be like the one on the book cover above. Except for tail light. The car on the book cover I believe is a 1922. Kissel changed from round tail lights to a triangular stop - tail light combo in 1923. As all detail, but I want this to be perfect. Ron