[Pre-War car celebrity model names]

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

[1923 Kissel Model 6-45 Gold Bug Speedster]

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.

[The "Victoria Coupe" body style of 1914-1934]

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.
 

[2023 Boca Raton Concours]

23 minutes ago, 1937hd45 said:

Have fun! Have the doors ever been opened to aid in braking? 

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 

[2023 Boca Raton Concours]

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.

[1923 Kissel Model 6-45 Gold Bug Speedster]

14 hours ago, Panza said:

Hi Ron:

would you please share who restored your speedometer? it does, indeed, look brand new

thank

 

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 

[1918 GMC Need driveshaft rebuild any recommendations?]

40 minutes ago, edinmass said:

Looks like an early Spicer unit. 

Kissel used Spicer units.

Ron

[1918 GMC Need driveshaft rebuild any recommendations?]

Bobs1916,

     Not familiar with your driveshaft type, but your picture looks identical to my 1916-1924 Kissel driveshafts. 
     See picture.
     Can you please get us dimensions of the universal end covers and lengths?

     Maybe they were made by the same sub suppliers.

     Thank you. 
     Ron Hausmann P.E.

     

[1923 Kissel Model 6-45 Gold Bug Speedster]

All,

   Here’s an update on progress as of October 29, 2022.

1. Speedometer has been professionally rebuilt and I renickled the rims . It’s now brand new.

2. Pheeny Walker rim wind clock has been located, purchased and restored. It runs.

3. Radiator cowl welting and shroud welting has been applied using nickel rivets.

4. Radiator cowl polished aluminum trim casting has been restored, welded, and buffed. Lo9ks new.

5. finish painting of wheels to correct off white has been completed.still searching for gray tires.

6. Neville steering walnut Wheels has been sanded multiple ti es and coated to a mirror finish.

7. Cracked cast aluminum steps plates has been professionally polished. One was cracked so I rewelded it and ground and buffed it back to original finish.

8. Remy generator 912 and starter have been professionally rebuilt AND rewound so they are brand new. I pick them up on tuesda6 from Advanced Electrical Rebuild. 
9. Numerous small carburetor control rods and anchors have been taken apart, sanded, and repainted. These are all ready for install. 
    My shop is becoming loaded with boxes of fully restored Kissel parts as I await painter finishing my body painting. Once I get her back, it’s a simple matter of applying all these finished units to assemble the car.

    Ron Hausmann P.E.

[Gangster cars.]

2 hours ago, lump said:

Ron, 

Well, I assume one of those previous owners was Joe Antrim of Dayton, Ohio. And since he was friends with our family (and others in the Southern Ohio Chapter AACA), I'm sure my parents knew that story about the Kissel. But I never knew it before myself. And I was really familiar with that car. It would have been fun to know it then! LOL

Yes it was/is the Joe Antrim car. 
unfortunately Joe is the one who patched the exterior bullet hole that was in the cowl.

Ron 

[1929 KISSEL cloth "hard" top needs waterproofing]

Doug,

    This may not be the most authentic solution, but it is practical and I would do this if it were my Kissel and I intended to drive it very often.

    I would mask off the cloth top and coat it completely with a polyurethane spray coating. Two or three coats. Let it soak in in between. 
    The top will look the same but will be a hardened plastic surface which will repel most any stain and rain. Park it under a Wisconsin mulberry tree with confidence.

    Take care.

    Ron Hausmann P. E.
   

[Gangster cars.]

All - 

   Ok I have to add to this topic because I actually have an actual “gangster car”. See pictures.

   Our 1921 Kissel Sport Tourster was owned by a small time player in the Chicago mafia. He bought it new. Some time later in 1922, he stole 500 gallons of booze from the mob, and was a marked man. They hunted him. He was reportedly shot in the leg in the car, complete with a bullet hole in the cowl, but survived as did the almost-new Kissel. 
    He then went into hiding in Indiana along with his stolen booze and the Kissel. The Kissel, being so flashy, was stored then for decades which is why it still has only 14,600 miles. 
    I have a series of letters about this from the second and third owners of the car. 
   Thanks, Ron Hausmann P.E.
    

[18” OD wood steering wheel]

Thank you all. I was able to get a used 18” and restored it to fit my Neville spyder.

ron hausmann p.e.

[Let’s see your period correct aftermarket accessories]

Here’s a truly very rare radiator “winter cover” that was on a shed-find 1923 Kissel which I bought several years ago. Aftermarket accessory? Very rough but very thick and tough. Never saw one before nor since.

Ron Hausmann P.E.

[1923 Kissel Model 6-45 Gold Bug Speedster]

All,

    Status as of October 2, 2022. Work on pieces continues as painting of body and fenders at paint shop is underway. 
1. Having Stewart speedometer rebuilt at local Speedo shop.

2. Had new aluminum dash plate made since old one was severely pitted. Am polishing it out myself.

3. Buffed and adjusted Neville steering wheel spyder and have created new rim from existing splined wallet rim. Hid the old spyder gaps pretty well.

4. Have started finish painting Houk wheels “antique white” to match the pictures.

5. Restoring front bumper mount hardware. Painting them yellow since rears are yellow.

  
    This coming week I’ll crate up various engine parts in preparation for taking engine to get rebuilt. I have everything except a water pump. May have to canabalize an existing engine to get one of these.

    Thanks, Ron Hausmann P. E.

[Three bar rear bumperette]

Better pic.

[Three bar rear bumperette]

All ,

    Starting in 1925, Kissel added an option to be able to buy factory equipped three bar or two bar bumpers. Those originals are rare and most, but not all Kissel eights had the three bar types,and the Kissel sixes mostly had the two bars. But they mixed up types a lot.
   Here are a couple pictures of Kissel three Bar and two bar bumpers.
  Ron Hausmann P.E.

[What is the Most Unusual Vehicle That You Have Driven]

On the farm growing up, we had a YS Arny White Half Track. My dad was a WW2 mechanic and had it just to fiddle around and drive. It was fun driving into the woods and crushing trees - darn thing would go anywhere. Only problem was that the turning radius was so wide that he had to ruin the corners of the lawn whenever he left the driveway, since our woods and pasture was across  the street. Also the battery was really a crazy size.

Ron Hausmann 

[18” OD wood steering wheel]

All - looking for unfinished or restorable 18” OD wood steering wheel rim. Don’t need the spyder, just the wood rim to attach to my spyder. 
please email me pictures and price at ronaldhausmann@yahoo.com

Ron Hausmann

[1923 Kissel Model 6-45 Gold Bug Speedster]

4 hours ago, kisselman27 said:

1923 Kissel Model 6-55. Cheers John

John from Australia is one of the most knowledgeable Kissel experts on the planet, so his diagnosis is probably the most correct one. In mid 1923, Kissel discontinued the Model 6-45 engine and chassis (65 hp and 124” wb), and introduced the Model 6-55 engine and chassis (61hp and 121” wb). So there are Model 6-55 Kissels from late 1923. I actually have such a sedan . The tail light in the picture shows what looks like a 1923 tail and tail bracket. So this being a 1923 is likely correct.

thank you John.

Ron Hausmann

[Detroit Concours questions]

Packard Darin won blue ribbon best in class.

trust me it’s bigger than our Kissel Gold Bug.

fantastic car!

Ron

[Detroit Concours questions]

All - there is another thread now going with pictures of the Detroit “Concourse”. Regardless of spelling, yesterdays show was pulled off well in my opinion. Yes they had too few toilets and some disorganization, but you can’t beat a car show on Michigan Highway 1 - Woodward, for getting the motor city involved .

here are pics including my brother and sister in law.

I liked it there.

Ron Hausmann P. E.

[1923 Kissel Model 6-45 Gold Bug Speedster]

Standard models had wood wheels and no side mounts.

Deluxe models had wire wheels with side mounts. 
Ron
 

[1923 Kissel Model 6-45 Gold Bug Speedster]

20 hours ago, George K said:

What year is this double bag setup?

George,

    Because it has no rumble seat, and because the tires are narrow and the step plates are 6-55 style, 

I would think that this one is a late 1924 Kissel Model 6-55. It might be a 1925. It’s definitely not a 6-45 from 1923 as those  had suicide seats and no golf clubs. Here is a picture of a Model 6-55 from 1925.

    Ron Hausmann P.E.

[1923 Kissel Model 6-45 Gold Bug Speedster]

More pictures of freshly redone nickel.

a. Kissel Boyce motometer with renickeled wings and buffed original radiator cap.

b. Engine primer cups.

c. Dash fuse box with new fuses and connections

d. Dash ignition switch with new key mechanism, internal switching, and tumblers. I experimented with “wiped on” white to fill in the letter indentations and it turned out great.
Ron Hausmann P. E.