1929 Kissel White Eagle Tourster Model 95 - $89,000 - Lewisburg, TN - Not Mine

[58L-Y8]

1929 Kissel White Eagle Tourster Model 95 - $89,000 - Lewisburg, TN

https://nh.craigslist.org/cto/d/lewisburg-1929-kissel-white-eagle/7188145916.html

Thank you for looking at our car for sale. You may likely have not seen or heard of the Kissel marque, or even more rare a White Eagle Tourster---------a "phaeton" styled sedan of which only 4 were built. This is the only surviving example.   This vehicle was highly restored about 20 years ago to a very high standard and remains today as the sole surviving (restored) example worldwide of this very elegant model.  Engine is a Lycoming Inline 8-cylinder engine with manual transmission. An electric fuel pump was added to facilitate cold start, but runs and drives easily as it should.

EXTERIOR: The exterior is bright red with modern 2-stage base/clear paint. There is some crazing of the paint under the clear on some areas of the body, but there is nothing that is exposed or peeling etc. making for an otherwise beautiful finish. All chrome/brightwork is intact and beautifully done. The correct radiator cap is missing. Running Boards are in great shape. No peeling/warping etc. Good fitment to body etc.
There is a non-original accessory trunk that ads to its classy look. Full canvas top is in great shape exhibiting some small minor stains perhaps from birds etc. The manual top folds easily and includes side curtains.
The Windshield suffered a small chip at the top left corner from the top hardware at some point in its sheltered life. It doesn't detract greatly from presentation and is not visible with the top up. Wheels are in excellent condition overall with like-new wide whitewall tires.

INTERIOR: Beige hydes in excellent condition. Carpet is in good shape with light soiling evident to its light color.
The Dash and instrument cluster are beautiful showing just over 15000 easy miles for its life. There is a rare Kissel sales brochure and another peripheral that are included.

MECHANICAL: Lycoming inline 8-cylinder starts easily, runs well and does not smoke. Manual transmission shifts thru all detents as it should with no surprises. No unusual sounds, odors or leaks etc.

This example rarely presents outside of a big-block-type auction and is available for private sale. This is the perfect centerpiece for any collection and has a wonderful 20's era "Gatsby-esque" quality to it.
Current owner is a 73yr old senior female who is downsizing to get her affairs in order. There is an auction entity whispering in her ear to sell her car, but she's not inclined to go that route preferring instead to re-home her car privately.
No Trades. Inspector-types welcome as needed. Ad will be removed when sold. My sense is her car will not be available very long so if you're interested or know anyone who is act quickly please.
Vehicle is located in dry Lewisburg, TN and is available for inspection/purchase.
Please inquire if additional photos are needed:

Contact:  Chris in TN: (615)-9-seven-9-3-zero-5-eight

Copy and paste in your email:  a0372d2b6aca3e8f896df20eb52b40b8@sale.craigslist.org

 

I have no personal interest or stake in the eventual sale of this 1929 Kissel White Eagle Tourster Model 95.  Note: Calling a Kissel rare seems redundant, but the Standard Catalog edited by Kimes and Clark notes 1929 production of 681 cars spread over three series.  

[John_S_in_Penna]

It's interesting to see a split front seat.

Does that mean the two sides of the 

front seat are individually adjustable?

 

Such a feature appears quite advanced for that year.

[alsancle]

I think I asked our Kissel expert Ron about this car a while back.   It has been for sake a while.  Red and repro plates don’t help sell it.

[suchan]

"Phaeton"-style sedan? You mean, like, a phaeton? Touring?

The hot rod gas pedal, lipstick-red paint, home-made trunk, etc. should be a signal that potential buyers need to get an expert to go over the car.

Look like a fun ride, but for $89K, it better be an authentic fun ride.

[alsancle]

50 minutes ago, suchan said:

"Phaeton"-style sedan? You mean, like, a phaeton? Touring?

The hot rod gas pedal, lipstick-red paint, home-made trunk, etc. should be a signal that potential buyers need to get an expert to go over the car.

Look like a fun ride, but for $89K, it better be an authentic fun ride.

 

They stole the "tourster" moniker to make you think Duesenberg.  The car is a 5 passenger Phaeton.   Car like this need history to be sold.   The paint is horrible.

[edinmass]

Great car......I agree about the paint choice. If I were buying a Kissel I would want the factory engine, not the later units with the Continental off the shelf assembled power plant. It’s rare as hen’s teeth. Someone will be happy when it changes hands.

[alsancle]

Sold 6 years ago at Amelia for 65k

 

https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/am14/amelia-island/lots/r130-1929-kissel-model-8-95-white-eagle-tourster/181810

[alsancle]

I remember this speedster at Hershey when RM was trying to sell it.  Neither this nor the phaeton are the big engined "126" cars.   They both have the small straight eight.

 

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/21929/lot/338/

 

[alsancle]

Hyman had a big version of the speedster (in horrible red)  that I think they wanted a lot of money for.

 

https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/4571-1929-kissel-white-eagle/

 

[58L-Y8]

For context, this is the middle series 8-95 on the 125" wb, powered by the Lycoming-source 246.5 c.i. L-head straight eight.  Kissel listed an 8-95 "Tourister" four passenger phaeton.  A "Tourster" was listed for the top-line 8-126 Series.  In the late 1920's Kissel turned to Lycoming for eight cylinder engines, same basic engines as used in Auburn 8-90, Elcar 8-95 & 8-96 and Gardner 8-125.   

 

This Kissel has an attractively proportioned body likely built by Kissel, a major focus of their business professional cars with their own bodies.   The color choice was a poor one, fire engine red was considered appropriate only for vehicle of that function be they trucks or fire chief's cars, much as white was only for ambulances and milk delivery trucks.  

[ron hausmann]

All,

    Some context for those who might be interested in this car or in Kissel minutia.

    A. Kissel initiated the “Tourster” model name at the same time as they Introduced the “Speedster”, unofficially known as the “Gold Bug” In 1919. This was the start of their big Kissel-made L-head 6 engines and chassis known as the “Model 6-45”. The Tourster was a 4-passenger, the Speedster was a 2-passenger (plus 2 in the suicide seats).

    B. The Kissel co. Continued making Tourster and speedster models until they folded. As well as a broad assortment of other bodies and chassis into 1929. 
    C. Kissel Tourster models are actually rarer than the Kissel speedsters. I think there are only 4 survivors 1920-1929.

    D. Kissel made their own large 6-cyl. engines from 1916 to about 1927, when they started using Lycoming made 6-cyl blocks. The Kissel made 6 cyl engines are models 6-38, 6-45, and 6-55. Very very powerful and durable engines. .
    E. In 1926, Kissel started buying small Lycoming 6 cyl blocks. Lycoming equipped 6 cyl kissel cars are Models 6-70, and 6-73. 

    F. In 1925, Kissel started buying the largest (??) Lycoming 8-cyl blocks and equipped them with Kissels own heads, pans, connecting rods, and painstaking assembly. Those were models 8-75 (1925+1926), 8-90 (1927+1928) and 8-126 (1928+1929). I might be off a bit on years here as I’m not an 8 cyl Kissel guy. 
    G. In 1926, Kissel started buying smaller Lycoming 8 cyl blocks and sold a line of smaller 8 cyl Cars, the models 8-65, 8-80, and 8-95. The Kissel Chassis for the two Lycoming engines do NOT interchange. Indeed, the Kissel made model 6-45 cars have almost the same HP as the Kissel small eights with the Lycoming blocks.

    H. The Kissel 8-126 engine is the same Lycoming as a Cord L-29, and several other big cars. It was guaranteed to go 100 mph.
    I. Besides differing engine and chassis lengths, Kissel offered something like 15 different body styles.

 

    From the above, you’ll see that there is a huge number of permutations of engines and body styles that Kissel sold. But they only made a relative few of each permutation each year within their 1000-1500 vehicle per year ability. And many are not interchangeable. So if you wanted to but my Kissel 8-126 engine it would not fit into this model 8-95 chassis.
    This offered car is a very good example of a rare open model driver. Kissels go forever. It is a good restoration and as to color scheme, it can be ok for a purist because you could order Kissels in any color scheme besides the factory standards back then. 
    I am a “nickel era” 1916-1924 ish person, so I won’t buy it. But it’s a great car.

    Below are pictures of a 1921 Kissel Model 6-45 Sport Tourster (only one), 1923 Kissel Gold Bug Speedster ( one of 4), and a Kissel made L-head six engine.

    FYI    Ron Hausmann P.E.

[JamesR]

I know nothing about these beautiful cars, but I could look at them all day long. I especially like the pic of the yellow roadster with the elegant looking lady in the matching dress sitting on the side. I've never seen a setup like that. Doesn't look very safe, but a very clever idea. Thanks for posting this ad and these great photos, everyone!

[edinmass]

The Lycmomimg built engine is ok, but if I were to  own a Kissel, I prefer to have one with their own engine design. Not better or worse, just a preference after years of collecting. The pure “as built factory designed and assembled car appeals to me”. An assembled car with multiple make components.........not so much.

[bdc]

That's 1 heck of a mother in law seat on the yellow roadster. What could possibly go wrong? Fast left curve and hitting the brakes would make for quiet an impressive launch...

[58L-Y8]

21 hours ago, edinmass said:

 An assembled car with multiple make components.........not so much.

The stigma of the "assembled" car still lives, ninety years later!  Kissels no longer purely Kissel, Peerlesses no longer purely Peerless...no better than those Jordans, Durants or Auburns!  Who with a modicum of intelligence buys a Roamer...or a DuPont?

[alsancle]

10 minutes ago, 58L-Y8 said:

The stigma of the "assembled" car still lives, ninety years later!  Kissels no longer purely Kissel, Peerlesses no longer purely Peerless...no better than those Jordans, Durants or Auburns!  Who with a modicum of intelligence buys a Roamer...or a DuPont?

not fair to lump DuPont in that group.  They used they biggest continental and heavily reworked and hand assembled each one.

[edinmass]

24 minutes ago, alsancle said:

not fair to lump DuPont in that group.  They used they biggest continental and heavily reworked and hand assembled each one.

 

It’s an assembled car........very neat, and I want one,  but it’s a two steps below an Auburn.

[58L-Y8]

A. J. 

Just channeling sentiment of the 1920's when any make of car not powered by its own maker's engine was looked down upon as an 'assembled" car, even the DuPont, however unfair that was.   Visiting a Packard, Cadillac, Lincoln, Pierce-Arrow, Franklin, Stutz or Marmon dealership, the mere mention of consideration of a Roamer or DuPont would have elicited a denigrating response regarding the intelligence of those that selected one such as preference to a 'real' car.  The 'assembled' car was regarded as 'lesser', and called as such by fully in-house manufactured power-train makers.  Even the DuPont name couldn't buck that attitude.

[edinmass]

The man who drives a Pierce Arrow envies no one...........

[58L-Y8]

Just now, edinmass said:

The man who drives a Pierce Arrow envies no one...........

And looks down his nose at the upstart DuPont drivers!  Not to mention those pretentious Roamer owners!

[edinmass]

2 minutes ago, 58L-Y8 said:

And looks down his nose at the upstart DuPont drivers!  Not to mention those pretentious Roamer owners!

 

That verbiage was taken from a Pierce ad in 1931...........

[ericmac]

1 hour ago, edinmass said:

The man who drives a Pierce Arrow envies no one...........

Except maybe a Duesenberg owner...and didn't even the mighty Duesenberg source their engines,  albeit of their own design, to Lycoming?

[oldcarfudd]

These days you can buy a private airplane, from the most basic to the most sophisticated and exotic, and the engines and radios will be made by someone other than the airplane manufacturer.

[ron hausmann]

All -

    The commentary about this Kissel with a correct Lycoming engine might be a bit extreme.

    True, Kissel built their own big six engines models 6-38, 6-45, and 6-55.

    But the Kissels with Lycoming engines were really not Purely Lycoming either. Kissel only bought Lycoming blocks in 1925 and later to my knowledge. They distained using the other Lycoming fittings and cast heir own well balanced connecting rods, pan, oil pumps, and Kissel heads for these Lycoming blocks. I know that they did this in 1925 and maybe later. The pans on those Kissel-Lycoming engines were ribbed aluminum way ahead of their time. Kissel assembled those well balanced Lycoming-Kissel engines the same as Their own great Kissel six engines. So you can argue well that those Lycoming engines were really made to those fantastic Kissel standards, more Kissel than Lycoming.

     As to other trim items, Kissel did the same as other high end manufacturers, not making but buying buffalo wheels, Subcontract doorhandles, top irons and bows from many shops, etc. I don’t know of any manufacturer except maybe Ford, who made 100% of everything in their teens and twenties cars. 
     My humble opinion. 
     Ron Hausmann P.E.

[ron hausmann]

    BTW if you are still stubbornly demanding an original Kissel made engine for this car, I have a couple complete Kissel 6-55 engines available. But they are 1925-27’s. A Kissel-Lycoming 8-65 chassis usually can take a Kissel 6 engine. Kissel discontinued making their 6-55’s in 1927. I don’t think they made their own engine blocks after that. The 1929 Kissels all used Lycoming blocks.

    Ron 

[edinmass]

My comment of the factory built engine was due to the fact I considered it better than average for its era........it offers a bit of additional admiration and appreciation as a historian and collector. It’s not putting it down........just as a purist the “all Kissel” to me is more appealing.........virtually every manufacturer outsourced a LARGE amount of their cars......early on Packard and Pierce made everything.........later on things like axels, brakes, u joints, carburetors, wipers......were all purchased off the shelf or designed by outside suppliers............Trico is a great example. By the 20’s Pierce Arrow was buying transmissions from outside. The early Kissel’s were “all Kissel” ...........which I think makes it a special car, and much more interesting.

Edited September 6, 2020 by edinmass (see edit history)

[John_Mereness]

On 9/4/2020 at 11:49 AM, suchan said:

"Phaeton"-style sedan? You mean, like, a phaeton? Touring?

The hot rod gas pedal, lipstick-red paint, home-made trunk, etc. should be a signal that potential buyers need to get an expert to go over the car.

Look like a fun ride, but for $89K, it better be an authentic fun ride.

No expert needed - it is just a demonstration of a car restored in a certain period of time when Resell Red and ... was popular.  

 

It is actually a very lovely car - it needs a canvas cover (or perhaps Black vinyl) made for that trunk (which by the way is excellent woodworking) - and while at it a nice top boot made in Tan canvas or (Black vinyl) is needed, it could use a heal mat for the front carpet, and it really could use blackwall tires too, and any other "toning down" is probably a wise (perhaps Black painted wheel rims).  I am while an "addition" - I am also a fan of windwings on tourings - the wind buffeting gets a little old after a while. 

[John_Mereness]

1 hour ago, edinmass said:

My comment of the factory built engine was due to the fact I considered it better than average for its era........

Agreed, the engine in a Kissel is actually the joyous part and in my opinion makes the car even more valuable that its contemporaries - you can actually service a Kissel and they run down the road great.  

 

Friends have a 1925 Goldbug and it is quite the road beast - lovely car to drive and amazingly easy to keep going. 

[ron hausmann]

Can’t argue about Kissel made engines. Many Engines survived as home made farm tractors and saw mill plants. Bodies not so much (usually aluminum). I only drive (and restore) Kissel made 6’s and yes they are very durable. Love ‘em!

thanks, Ron