ron hausmann

All - Update as of November 12, 2021; 1. Stripping of Gold Bug body and frame had started. Inasmuch as that car was in a shed since 1956, there is little rust but a lot of dust and gunk. 2. Gold Bug fenders have been removed and are in excellent shape! 3. Donor car cab, vacuume tank, brackets, headlights, hood, everything is nearly completely stripped off of the chassis. 4. Radiators and radiator shells from both cars have been r3moved and given to radiator shop for evaluation. 5. Gas tanks from both cars have been removed and taken to a tank shop to be cleaned and tested to get one good one. Next week ; A. Continue stripping both cars down to the frame. B. Determine which frame will end up being used for the Gold Bug restoration. Both are correct Model 6-45. Today I learned that the existing frame under the Gold Bug now has had all the motor mounts removed as well as more damage done when theCadillac front axle was added in the 1950’s. C. Strip out steering column and steering control rods. D. Clean parts including vacuum tank, carb, fender brackets, etc. E. Figure out how to dismount the Gold Bug body from its current frame without damaging it. There is some wood deterioration and I don’t want to bend it at the weak spot where the doors are. F. Build an engine stand for the engine to be transported. see pictures.. Ron Hausmann P.E.

Nother better picture

Ok let’s get started ! Here is the BEFORE picture and the AFTER picture in scale. Ron

All - Any leads or sources for GRAY vintage tires for a Classic Kissel restoration which I am starting? See picture below. Must be 32 x 41/2” or 33 x 5” to fit the correct Houk 23” rims. Will consider used IF they can be spruced up to appear new. Thank you! Ron Hausmann P. E.

Al, I think I have what you need. These are Cadillac. Two wheels, two trim rings, two caps as shown. Pm me with what next step is. Ron

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Alsancle, There are no chassis numbers on either chassis. I don’t know that this was standard for model 6-45’s. However, both cars have their body number plaques which were used to identify the body&chassis in Kissel nomenclature. Ron

Ed, Yes I have several Houk/Buffalo #5 front hubs in great shape. These are very hard to get. Also have Buffalo side mount brackets and Buffalo rear spare castings from donor cars. Hard to get. And have just two rear Buffalo hubs from one of these chassis. And have rare unrestored #5 hubcaps. My email is ronaldhausmann@yahoo.com and tell me what specifically you need. Ron

Bob, on the unrestored one, The front axle is a Cadillac or huge car with massive Buffalo #6 wires. The rear axle and wheels are original and correct Buffalo #5 wires in great restorable shape. You can see the botched front ring shackles and cut frame on it in the pictures above. Between both chassis, I have more than enough wheels, axles, and parts. Ron Hausmann P.E.

Bob, Options that were available on Gold bugs back then ; Wire wheels I believe were standard for Gold Bugs. Maybe you could get wood (?) Bar bumpers optional Waltham clock optional Boyce meter optional spotlights (s) optional Color was “optional” - if you ordered a built-to-suit. Factory painted yellow when inventoried. Exhaust cutout was standard on Gold Bugs. Luggage rack and trunk were optional. Special brackets required. E & J Model 20 headlights for 6-45’s were apparently dealer options (my research) I will probably equip the second bug with all these options except no E & J headlights and no spots. They just look a lot better when they are pimped-out. I want this one to be different than my other bug, so I’ll paint her all yellow, and put a jet black top and trunk on her. Hope I can find gray tires like the picture. Ron

Bob, The frames are identical except for where the step plates versus running boards attach. And a few holes different for side mount brackets. I haven’t decided which frame will end up being used, but likely the one that need# the least tweaking. The existing speedster frame front was split for a V8, and the front spring shackle mounts were ruined. Gray tires are not available as far as I my research has gone so far. Any leads would be welcomed! 33 x 5 or 32 x 4 1/2 mandatory correct size. Right now yes all yellow. Just a gray frame. Ron Hausmann P.E.

All - I am selling my lifelong collection of Kissel Parts. No I’m not selling any complete cars. My parts are for model 6-38, 6-45, 6-55, and 8-75 Kissels. Complete engines, Buffalo wire wheel parts, frames, chassis parts, axles, trim, too numerous to mention. Some assorted fenders and body parts mostly rusty. No bodies. No wood except rotted pattern pieces. There are enough parts there to build several wood bodied Kissels or you supply the metal bodies. Contact me at ronaldhausmann@yahoo.com with you specific needs. Or I’ll send you my twenty page listing. Serious inquiries only. No dealers nor resellers. Ron Hausmann P.E.

All - Well I’m almost done with my restoration of the 1917 Kissel truck and am awaiting its engine from my COVID-stricken engine mechanic. So out of boredom I am starting my last restoration - a Classic 1923 Kissel Model 6-45 Gold Bug Speedster.!! The Kissel Model 6-45, in my opinion, is the most beautiful Kissel chassis and most powerful of its Kissel-made engines. It has a longer wheelbase than either the 6-38 and the 6-55’s, and it’s engine is rated at higher HP than either as well. The 6-45 is also, in my opinion, the hardest one to find. Several years ago I bought an unrestored 1923 Gold Bug which had been sitting in a shed since 1956. See pictures. It didn’t have an engine in it, but the selle had a very good, complete Kissel Model 6-55 engine next to it. That would work, but not be correct. And the frame was altered in the front to mount a never installed V8. Then Two years ago, I bought a derelict Kissel Model 6-45 Touring car. Body shot and bad wood, but good 6-45 engine and frame. In fact excellent engine and frame! So I have this week started the process of stripping down the touring chassis and engine, to start marrying these two cars. I plan on restoring the Gold Bug EXACTLY the same as the Gold Bug pictured on the the cover of the book “The Classic Kissel Automobile”, which is the Bible to us Kissel owners and experts. Comments and hints are always welcomed !! Ron Hausmann P.E.

From what research we have found, these light trucks were known as”flyers”. This truck would be for light duty deliveries and/or troop transport. It could also tow a light field gun, a Hotchkiss Mountain Canon, a two or four wheeled utility trailer, or a Maxim or Colt machine gun trailer. I’m still hoping to find a Light field gun, but if I can’t, I’ll build a utility trailer or machine gun trailer. But if you are a purist this truck shouldn’t have artillery markings when towing a machine gun.

All - getting back to the restoration of this 1917 Kissel Light Army Truck after a summer of car shows and travel. My engine expert got COVID19 and is still a “long haul covid@ guy who now can’t work long without resting. So I’m still missing an engine but ready to install it. Here’s what is going on now: 1. Received the new recited radiator from shop. Core came from England. Have painted and trimmed it. Beautiful! 2 . Found a Army marked WW1 crank horn on eBay. Restored it and mounted it on passenger side of car. 3. lights and light trim are restored and ready. Both radiator and lights get mounted AFTER engine is installed due to access concerns. 4. Was missing a couple bearing caps and oil pump pieces for the engine. Do I canabalized an old rusty 1916 Kissel 6-38 engine block I had with a steel saw and a sledge hammer. Ruined everything except the pieces that I needed. Here are pics:

Hey Fossil - I drove a stock 1927 Chevy Coach when I was a high school senior. Not a chick car! But it could easily beat VW Beetles off the line! But after they shifted into second gear, I ate their dust.

I own a 1923 Kissel Gold Bug Speedster, Model 6-45. These cars were rated at 65hp where later Ford sixes were rated at 40hp and Chevy’s at 50hp. I drive this car often. She is quite responsive and certainly a strong performer. I have seen contemporary pictures of these cars being raced by their owners. Only con is that Kissels were heavier cars, even with aluminum bodies. All that Oak! Ron Hausmann P.E.

Ed, In November of 2019 I gave AER three starters and four generators to fully rebuild. Also distributors. He is about three quarters done. His completed work is excellent and the best I’ve seen, but it takes a very very long time! My 1917 truck is complete except for his generator work. Ron

It’s a damaged 1927 Chevrolet tail light. It has a plastic lens which is correct as thes3 had both glass and cheap plastic. it’s not worth a whole lot. ron hausmann

The Kissel silver special cap is indeed rare. There are no Kissel silver special cars which survive ! I have a few tokens and radiator badges for these cars but there are , unfortunately, no Kissel Specials!

LCK81403 There is only one late 1921 Kissel Sport Tourster that survives and this is it. The windshield is as designed by Kissel for this model, which is much heavier and intricate than the one on a Gold Bug. The three foot long doors which service both front and back seats were a bad idea, because they stressed the frame so much . They were abandoned in 1922. Ron

1921 Kissel model 6-45 Tourster. late 1921 with fully crowned fenders. 1921 Tourster had THREE FOOT LONG single doors and partial running boards. 1922 and 23 cars had double doors.

Hey LCK81403, Sorry, but both of these pictures are of Kissel model 6-45 cars, from either 1922 or 1923. They are definitely not 1924 regardless of earlier misidentification. The top car is a deluxe touring, likely 1922 or 1923. The lower car is a Tourster, likely 1922 or 1923. Kissel Model 6-45 cars had hood vents as both of these pictures show. These cars had a 123” wheelbase and a Kissel 6-45 engine. Cars made 1924 and a few years after had a Kissel 6-55 engine, and a 121” wheelbase. 1924 and later cars eliminated the hood vent. Kissel model 6-45 cars, in my opinion, are the prettiest Kissels ever made. These model were made only 1919 to mid 1923. Thanks, Ron Hausmann P.E.

I’ll take the Kissel hubcap and pay shipping. Please ,et me know. ron hausmann

Right hand drive car. Likely British make