ron hausmann

All, I have just acquired this1921 Kissel Model 6-45 Sport Tourster. It is the only one which survives. The car is original, unrestored, and has 14,650 miles on the odometer. It is a late 1921. In 1921, Kissel changed from using flat fenders to fully crowned fenders as pictured. our collection now has 7 complete Kissels ! Ron Hausmann P.E.

All, Am restoring a 1918 Kissel Model 6-38 Sedanlette, the only one that exists. It has a removable carved oak top, which then becomes a 4-person sport convertible when canvas top is mounted. It originally came with large wood wheels standard or a Houk No 5 wire wheel option. I need two rear Houk / Buffalo inner hubs and two fronts. As near as I can tell, Houk and Buffalo are the same for 1918 thru 1923. I need brake drums and axles as well as these are different for the wire wheel configuration. Please contact me. Desperate to avoid making these See pictures

All - Here's my monthly update on this restoration. Since last time - - - Built rear seat deck and created oak compartments under the seat, a common Kissel trait. Rewired and completely rebuilt the dashboard and ignition parts. Kissel used a unique square CLUM switch. Carved, set, and trimmed out the door latches, door bumpers, and suicide door dead bolts. very intricate carving. Readied all engine parts for shipment to my engine rebuilder. Introduced some of my grandchildren to the car. they loved playing in it! Thanks, RON HAUSMANN P.E.

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All, Been awhile since we updated on our progress on this 1918 Kissel Sedanette restoration. Since last posting, we have finished the car's dashboard, restored all the instruments (not shown), wired the chassis, and fine tun ed the woodwork. We have finished the carving to the extent that I could remove the carved oak hard top for final finish and paint. This is the ONLY Kissel All-Year car that has survived with both hard top and convertible top, and as well, the ONLY Kissel Sedanette model to survive. It is pictured next to my 1923 Kissel Gold Bug and as you can see, this is one big, tall car.!! Ron Hausmann P.E>

I couldn't repair my honeycomb 1918 Kissel Sedanette radiator, and didn't want to spend thousands by having a new Kissel configured radiator custom made. Instead, we blanked off the original honeycomb front side which was aesthetically correct and put in a standard radiator behind it to create the right thickness. This new one works better than a honeycomb anyway. Unless your judge is a real stickler, this is a very good solution and you will likely be the only person who is aware of the difference. Ron Hausmann P.E.

studeboy30 - Please let me know when you put this generator/pump up for sale. Or contact me by AACA messaging. I have a 1927 Kissel Model 8-65 which uses a Lycoming engine block, which is coincidentally missing its generator and water pump. maybe the planets are lining up here. Thanks, Ron Hausmann P.E.

All - This month's restoration update and pictures. August was car show and Woodward Dream Cruise month so less progress. We used the one rusty remaining original Kissel body fitting to fabricate a dozen new ones. These L-shaped male and female members mate the dutch doors together so that they act as one when the hard top is on, but you can remove the top halves easily for convertible use. We followed Kissel's 1917 patent document to make these. (Thanks Joe Leaf) We fitted and refitted the hinges and body metal and the L-anchors to make an exact fit in three dimensions. Very tedious. We restored the Kissel patented suicide door release handles, again just like the patent. We added final reinforcing oak plank at certain points and finished the removeable wood floor plates. We recarved all the trunk lid oak parts which were rotted and attached the metal and refinished the hinges and latches. Next up is the cowl and body sheet metal. Ron Hausmann P.E. (Last Picture is my 1923 Kissel Brougham Opera Sedan which won at the August Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours.)

All, A couple more pictures of the perfectly fitting "dutch" doors that the All-Year Kissel requires, so that the top can be removed. I'll never do another wood restoration, but time aside, am very proud of how my carved oak members and features fit! Thanks, RON HAUSMANN P.E.

All, Here is an update of restoration status as of July 27, 2015. We were happily interrupted since last update by the birth of another grandson and two family vacations, so less advanced than normally would be. Door bottoms are carved and fitted to the skins. They fit tightly. Door tops are reglued after disassembly and some new pieces. they mate fine. Found two SOSS disappearing hinges (special from Duesenberg) that match my Kissel ones. Thanks to Pete and AACA. Bought two remaining regular brass hinges. Unclear why Kissel used three SOSS and one regular per door ?? Soon, body will be removed from frame for sheet metal fitting. RON

All, Another Kissel owner had several "spares made a few years ago, because there was no suitable interchange commonly available. Problem solved.

All - my other Kissel seems to have the same generator but with a model 72-0 on it. Appatrently this interchanges and would work too. RON

All, Desperate to ind a Remy 912-B generator, or rear end plate for same. This generator model mounts the distributor on to its rear end plate. Remy made those ends out of pot metal, and they deteriorate. My 1924 Kissel Victoria 6-55 engine uses this Remy 912-B configuration and is now dead. Missing the St. John's Concours this weekend in fact due to this generator problem. See pics. my number is 313-510-8463 if you can help. Thanks, RON HAUSMANN P.E.

All, Restoring a 1918 Kissel Model 6-38 Sedanette All-Year car. Only one that exists. In need of two disappearing SOSS door hinges. They are no longer available from SOSS. I can send pictures but they look like a small dog-leg that folds into a pocket. Call me at 313-510-8463 if you can help please. Thanks, Ron Hausmann P.E.

All, I'm attaching pictures of two of my 1923 Kissel cars which attended the formal groundbreaking ceremony last week for the M1 Concourse Project in Pontiac Michigan. This is a "car condominium" ultimately of 325 garages varying from 600 to 6000 sf for car collectors, enthusiasts, and auto related folks to use as car man-caves. It will have a 1.5 mile high speed race track, currently being built as well. I bought one and will house my Kissels there. Over 50 Lamborginni's, Porshes, Ferrarris, Corvettes, and assorted other beauties were there with my two Kissels. Google M1 Concourse if you are interested. Great idea. Safe, Convenient, Accessable, Communal. Ron Hausmann P.E.

All, Here is the status as of June 30,2015 at 8 PM. Nearly all of the basic wood carving is done, FINALLY. Just the doors and trunk left to make. the three dimensional pins for the removeable top all mate. All the sheet metal remnants fit perfectly, which comes as a surprise to me. I thought that there would be some giant mistakes. I fitted the lower doors, seats, hood, and body panels today one last time. Now I need to get a sheet metal expert to help patch the rotten areas. The engine part sorting from two different parts cars can proceed. Thank God that I have a patient wife. Thanks, RON

Chuck A year from now I'll have the 1918 Kissel done. We have the largest collection of Kissels in the world, after the Wisconsin Automotive Museum, where Kissels were made. As to location, Michigan and Wisconsin have four months of beautiful, wonderful weather and then we have winter. RON HAUSMANN P.E.

All, Two of my other Kissels are currently "inert" and unable to come out - but soon they will be. The pictured blue one is a 1924 Kissel Model 6-55 Victoria Coupe - the only one that survives. It will be driving at this year's St. John's Concours de Elegance as an unrestored original. The other one being restored is va 1918 Kissel Model 6-38 All-Year Sedanette. - the only one that survives and possibly the only Kissel All-Year bodied car that has both tops of all years. It will take another year to rehabilitate her. A very big car! Ron Hausmann P.E.

All, Here is the restoration status as of May 25, 2015 in text and pictures. the oak body frame, complete with routed window channels has been assembled and glued together. Metal body panels are almost done being fitted. creating the wood floor structure is underway as is the space for the trunk, which is really small but detailed. I've just located a sales brochure and original parts manual supplement which helped me to figure out the top mounts and door hinges. Also got US Patent office Kissel documents which show the patented Kissel "All Year Top" mounting details. With all this oak carving, I now have developed Carpel Tunnel Syndrome - a real bummer.

Got several Kissels out this weekend to play together, so posting pictures. The blonde, the red-head, and the dark beauty. The blonde is a 1923 Kissel Model 6-45 Gold Bug Speedster. She purred. The red-head is a 1923 Kissel Model 6-55 Brougham Opera sedan. She was very tempermental and stopped and started like a bad child does. And the dark beauty is really a 1927 Chevrolet Coach. She was an invalid. She was my first restoration/car. Ron Hausmann P.E.

All, Updated pictures of restoration as of April 3, 2015. Removable wood carved top has been restored, strengthened, and made new with carved oak and epoxy. Then I have "slung" the top from the shop joists, above completed chassis, so wood body parts can be "mated" properly in three dimensions. Oak Body pillars and framework are being fabricated by hand and thus fitted. It's starting to look like a car, a really BIG car in fact !! Mating the removable top and bottom halves of doors will be a chore, since no original hardware survived. Stay Tuned. RON HAUSMANN P.E.

All - Kissel has no interchangeability with this engine type. Kissel used modified LYCOMING engines for their eight-cylinder models and actually cast their own Model 38, 45, and 55 six-cylinder engines. They never used CONTINENTAL. RON HAUSMANN P.E.