ron hausmann

All - Ok getting back to finishing the 1917 Kissel military truck. Waiting for body from painter to be able to continue restoring my 1923 Kissel Gold Bug, so have time. Here is the “brand new” nearly finished Kissel engine, number 38-4631. It’s casting date was 2-1-17 and it’s head was cast 2-27-17. The conncecting rods and crankshaft are numbers-matching. Had a hard time getting the water pump to work. For now, we are mounting a model 45 pump on this model 38 engine because I have a spare and these interchange. Probably 5 people in the world will ever be able to tell the difference! Beautiful workmanship on this old girl. Ron Hausmann P.E.

The most chic-magnet Apperson ever proposed was The Jackrabbit Speedster. ‘A persons designer dealer was Conover Silver, who also designed the Kissel Gold Big Series of cars around 1919-ish. Notice the similarity between the Apperson and my Gold Bug.

Paul, My car was then owned by Wm. Ruger Sr., the firearms founder in the North. It wasn’t shown and he had bought it from the Harrisburg Zimmerman Autorama collection in Pennsylvania, which also didn’t show it . So I doubt that you saw this precise car. There are however three other 1923 Kissel Gold Bug Model 45’s with those seats, and another half dozen or so 1920-1922’s configured similarly. Mine is the only one with tan canvas. The others have black. So if you have a picture, you can tell. Thx .Ron

All - as of today, December 21, 2022, I has finished fully locating and fitting all of the dash instruments and dash for the Kissel. See pictures. For those who have not done car dashboards, there is a wild variation in sizes of oil gauges, amp gauges, speedos, clocks, and choke handles. And Kissel used unique dash lights and choke face plates. As to rim wind clocks, the three main manufacturers in the 20’s were Phinney-Walker, Keyless, and Waltham. Kissel manual says that Waltham was used but 8ve never seen 9ne on any Kissel. So I believe they actually used more phinney- Walker and keyless. All of these come in multiple sizes, multiple mounting methods, and colors so getting the right one was hard for me. Because I had several old spare parted ones, I was able to cobble together a great, black, working Keyless Clock, with a correct rim- wind rim, and made a wood mounting bracket for her. It now looks wonderful. Also re polished the aluminum dash to a mirror finish. Thanks, Ron Hausmann P.E.

Some of my wife, daughter, daughter-in-law, and a couple granddaughters. And one from a show where some unknown lady in a yellow dress was invited to sit. I’ve got many others (daughters, daughter in laws, and granddaughters). ron

Here is a chic magnet which has attracted a couple chicks.

All - Looking for six gray tires 33 x 5 or 32 x 4.5/inch. To fit 23” wire wheels. For a Kissel Gold Bug fantastic authentic restoration ! Can be new, old NOS, or mildly used. Trying to match the Kissel in the picture? Contact Ron Hausmann at 313-510-8463, or email ronaldhausmann@yahoo.com

Nope. Wish I did. But engine hasn’t been started yet either, although it’s complete, together as original, and should be a easy overhaul. thanks, ron hausmann

All, Here is a status repot on our 1923 Kissel Gold Bug restoration as of December 2, 2022, and also a few editorial comments about automotive engineers of a hundred years ago. As a licensed and degreed engineer myself, I continue to be amazed at how ingenious and crafty those automotive engineers were a hundred years ago. This past week I attempted to take a Warner T64 model J-1 transmission completely apart. I did it. But only after assuming that they would use assemblies that would be easily assembled in the first place. The transmission shift tower is very simple and yet very complex in its functioning. How can this have been visualized and conceived back then? Springs that work as assembly screws themselves. Left and right fingers that are made to work in either hand. Ball slides tha5 ease the gears together. I hope our engineers today never loose this type of creativity.!!! Status as of 12-2-2022: 1. Headlights have been renickled and fully assembled ready to go. 2. brake lever and wrachet have been renickled and assembled. 3. transmission has been disassembled and parts readied for being nickel plated. Tower, gear shift, and gearshift lock need to be nickled. 4. miscellaneous parts (license holder, steering column tube, steering column bracket, etc) have been renickled. 5. Floor plate cover for shifter and brake handle has been found in another car. Mine was rusted thru. This will be renickled. I now am ready to assemble everything - - once I get the body back. Ron Hausmann P.E.

Yaughtflame, I have several white and black faced ones. Different sizes. What opening size are you trying to fill? Ron Hausmann P.E.

Don’t know if you ever fulfilled your need for Warner T64 parts. I have several such loose Trans parts. Ron

Pfeil, Nope. Kissel Gold Bugs have one rear mount spare on 1919-1921 and on 1924-1927 “standard” models. Or two side mounts mid-1921 to 1927 “deluxe” models. Not three side mounts. And wire wheels or wood wheels optioned variously. Ron Hausmann P.E.

You decide on side mounts for an early 20’s car. And while you are at it, top up or top down? Ron Hausmann P.E.

Great picture of a Kissel Gold Bug mechanic. Ron Hausmann P.E.

My grandchildren are growing up with the hobby. They love the antique Kissels and associated parties where the cars reside at the M1 Concourse. Ron Hausmann P. E.

Leno also has a Doble Steam car. Ron

Thanks Walt, In my decades long quest to buy and hoard anything Kissel, I acquired many letters that Gene Husting wrote to many Kissel owners and folks. He appeared to be a wealth of knowledge about Kissel details, in an era when we didn’t have the internet to help us. He helped dozens of folks with Kissel ID and parts. Wish I could have met him. Thx. Ron

My nickel plate guy suggested to get the aluminum dash “annealed”. Clear finish. but my originals were never originally coated and shine up just fine. as a purist, I’ll probably leave it shiney but uncoated. thanks, Ron Hausmann P.E.

Kissel “Gold Bug” and Marmon “Wasp”. - Competing insects

All - Work on small but important items continues. Soon we will have the body and chassis back from the painter and all these months parts will be mounted. Below are; 1. Have buffed and rebuffed dash plate to mirror finish. Looks really nice. 2. Restored the hood latches and clasps. Bought brand new nickel slotted screws and rubber bumpers to make them look fantastic. 3. Finished bumper bracket mount painting. 4. Restored Ahooga-horn. Used more of the nickel screws to dress it up. Running out of work now until the body comes back. Only thing left is to coral all of the engine, clutch, and transmission parts and assure they are all there and work together. Kissel Model 6-45 engines can fit any of the three Warner transmissions T60, T64B, and T64J. The first one is technically correct but I have four excellent T74’s which are smoother in operation. There are probably one or two other Kissel folks in the world who know this difference so I’ll probably opt to use the best Kissel T64B. Ron Hausmann P.E.

All - Here’s possibly the ugliest Kissel body style ever made in their short life - a 1924 Kissel Victoria Coupe. It’s an original, model 6-55 and runs, and seats four comfortably. It came from Montana. so ugly it’s cute. Ron Hausmann P. E.

As it’s an original car with three foot wide single side doors that create a huge torque on the hinges, I try NOT to open them up much.. ron

All, Was contacted by Boca Raton Concours folks about showing one of my Kissels at the 2023 Show. Insofar as we have a daughter and her family who live a few miles away at Boynton Beach, we agreed to submit our 1921 Kissel Model 6-45 Sport Tourster. It’s an ORIGINAL Kissel car with 14,700 miles and was a true gangster car from Chicago. And it drives like a big old beast. See you all there ! Ron Hausmann P.E.

Penza, I had my bezels nickel-chromed first before going to repair shop. Restoration was done by Scott Speedometer Service, located in Pontiac, Michigan. Phone 248-338-4148 Suggest you talk price. definitely knows how to do it. Ron