1921 Kissel Sport Tourster

[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.

[alsancle]

That is a neat car.   Ron, it seems you own half the known Kissels in the world.

[DavidAU]

Good looking car.   I love the bumpers.  Image walking into them.

Edited April 3, 2016 by DavidAU (see edit history)

[George Smolinski]

Nice car! I'm curious as to how you know it's the only one that exists. See "Three known to exist" topic in the for sale forum.

[Joe in Canada]

A very nice car indeed. There is a Kissel roadster with the out board seats I believe coming up for sale in Oshawa in the near future. They are going to sell off six cars in a large collection that do not fit in their new plan I hear.

[ron hausmann]

12 hours ago, George Smolinski said:

12 hours ago, George Smolinski said:

Nice car! I'm curious as to how you know it's the only one that exists. See "Three known to exist" topic in the for sale forum.

Nice car! I'm curious as to how you know it's the only one that exists. See "Three known to exist" topic in the for sale forum.

 

George,

The Kissel Owners / Kissel Kar Klub maintains a Kissel registry of cars and part-cars that remain. There aren't a lot! According to the most recent Kissel registry, there are two 1920 Kissel Toursters (pictured) that remain, and one 1921 Kissel Sport Tourster (this car). see pictures. The 1920 cars, which are at Fourney museum and a private collector in Ohio, have flat fenders, rear spare, and no luggage carrier. See first two pictures. After Kissel changed their body styles in mid-1921, the Sport Tourster was initiated. See third picture bottom. From records, Kissel may have marketed the "Tourster" body style thereafter, but none survive.

Thanks!

Ron Hausmann P.E.

[ron hausmann]

13 hours ago, alsancle said:

That is a neat car.   Ron, it seems you own half the known Kissels in the world.

 

alsancle,

There are about 180 Kissel cars listed in the Kissel registry. That number includes incomplete rolling chassis, plain engines, or loose bodies, which are not complete cars. If you just count "complete" cars in the registry, there are about 100 Kissels from 1908 thru 1930 that are known to survive. I own 7 Kissels so its not half. The Wisconsin Automotive Museum which houses the Kissel Klub, has 14.

Thanks, RON HAUSMANN P.E.

[1937hd45]

Congratulations, very nice looking body style, Scripps-Booth had something along those lines about the same time. Bob

[edinmass]

Interesting numbers, having been in the hobby all my life, and very active going to shows and tours, I would have guessed a survival number of 30 to 40 cars total. There sure are more interesting cars around than one would think. It would be great to see a Kissel class at one of the major shows........maybe they could get more than just a few to show if they worked it. Thanks for the interesting post. Ed.

Edited April 3, 2016 by edinmass
Spelling (see edit history)

[George Smolinski]

Thanks for the reply Ron.

[jeff_a]

What a nice car and in such splendid shape!

[cahartley]

Here's a 1921 four door touring Kissel once owned  by my friend Chet Krause.

 

(Photo courtesy of Aumann Auctions)

 

It sold at auction in 2004 for $29,700 (including buyers fee).

I wonder where it went.......

[what is it?]

i was at the wisconsin kissel museum last month and its super neat! there was a total of 25 kissel cars and trucks there. so over 1/8th the total population in there

[Guest Roj]

20 hours ago, ron hausmann said:

 

alsancle,

There are about 180 Kissel cars listed in the Kissel registry. That number includes incomplete rolling chassis, plain engines, or loose bodies, which are not complete cars. If you just count "complete" cars in the registry, there are about 100 Kissels from 1908 thru 1930 that are known to survive. I own 7 Kissels so its not half. The Wisconsin Automotive Museum which houses the Kissel Klub, has 14.

Thanks, RON HAUSMANN P.E.

 

 

You have a very nice collection and serve the history world well.  Neat cars, neat caretaker

[Dandy Dave]

Nice Car. Do you mean by unrestored the car has never been repainted either? Dandy Dave! 

Edited April 4, 2016 by Dandy Dave (see edit history)

[mercer09]

Nicely done Ron! A beautiful car................

 

with the number you site, I agree with Ed in Mass- never knew as many existed. Sounds similar to the number of Mercers extent.

[ron hausmann]

On April 4, 2016 at 5:38 PM, Dandy Dave said:

Nice Car. Do you mean by unrestored the car has never been repainted either? Dandy Dave! 

Dave,

the engine, interior, top, spares, luggage, running boars, bumpers, body, look original and have a slight patina. There is some belief that the black fenders were repainted in 1964 but nobody can confirm. I can tell from the engine balance and sound that it probably is original in every way - and broken in. It really sounds better and vibrates less than my brand new overhauled 6-45 engines. Probably because I didn't use original cast iron piston rods.

thanks, Ron 

[ron hausmann]

Note,

As of May 27, 2016, I just took the buffalo wheels and rims apart to replace the tires with brand new 33x5 Non-Skid ones. The original tires were worn and not really safe with a few blisters.

I found that the hubs and rear of the trim rings were shiny and appeared, to me, to never have been demounted! And the insides of the Buffalo/Houk wheels were still like fresh painted. These wire wheels were not at all rusted and I've done dozens of Houks and Buffalo's - these are the best I've ever come across.

And now that I could access them, and after taking a degreaser to the springs and axles, we found that they were shiny, like new, with original paint drips. So I'm pretty confident that this car is a very well-kept, low mileage, original!

Thanks, RON HAUSMANN P.E.  

[ron hausmann]

This car will be at the Concours de' Elegance at the Inn of St. John's, Plymouth, Michigan, this summer.

RON

 

[1940TORPEDO]

Very nice!

[D Bosco]

Congratulations Ron, a great acquisition!!! It is certainly in good hands with you.

Don

[Restorer32]

I would have thought the grill would have been plated as in the adverts.

[Restorer32]

I would have thought the grill would have been plated as in the adverts.

[ron hausmann]

Restorer,

Many 1920's Kissel Kars had painted radiators, as opposed to nickeled radiators.

Most Phaetons of this era seem to have had original painted radiator shells, as all three in the Kissel Museum have painted ones.

Since there is only one 1921 Kissel Sport Tourster, this car, and it is an "original" with its radiator is painted, I think that this was not uncommon practice. I am pretty sure of this because this particular car's painted original radiator shell has two blemishes/blisters in the paint and only bare metal can be seen. No nickel.

And they do look great with jet-black gleaming radiator shells, contrasting with the vibrant Kissel colors!

Thanks, RON

[ron hausmann]

Restorer - here are a few with and without the paint