Murchio's Kissel -Greenwod Lake, NY

[Walt G]

Here is another of Murchio's cars a Kissel. Please let us know, year, model, series and does the car still exist?

[alsancle]

The gold bug part is easy, but I've never seen one with wood wheels before.    Also,  no mother in laws seat?  I'm going to guess later 6-55?

[George K]

A quick check shows Hyman sold one with that owners name in the provenance. 1925 Kissel 80-75.

[ron hausmann]

All,

    My guess is that it is a 1926 or 1927 Kissel Model 6-55 Standard Speedster, aka Gold Bug.

    Around 1925, kissel marketed their speedsters as “Standard” with wood wheels and rear spare. And “Deluxe” models with side mounts and wire wheels. Also, the side seats were discontinued at the end of the 1923 year run. So now you know the difference wood vs wire.

     They mounted golf clubs above the rear wheels starting in 1925.

     The 6’s had a little shorter chassis than the 8’s. The car on the picture to me looks like the shorter frame, so it would be a 6-55 model.

     The car in the other picture, sold by Hyman, was a standard Model 8-75 Kissel Speedster. He bought it from a guy in Arizona. I flew there and almost bought it myself but I wasn’t retired yet and couldn’t swing it. It now is owned by the Ted Stahl Collection here in Michigan. 
     Thanks, Ron Hausmann P.E.

[George K]

This is from the Hyman description.

[George K]

8 hours ago, ron hausmann said:

All,

    My guess is that it is a 1926 or 1927 Kissel Model 6-55 Standard Speedster, aka Gold Bug.

    Around 1925, kissel marketed their speedsters as “Standard” with wood wheels and rear spare. And “Deluxe” models with side mounts and wire wheels. Also, the side seats were discontinued at the end of the 1923 year run. So now you know the difference wood vs wire.

     They mounted golf clubs above the rear wheels starting in 1925.

     The 6’s had a little shorter chassis than the 8’s. The car on the picture to me looks like the shorter frame, so it would be a 6-55 model.

     The car in the other picture, sold by Hyman, was a standard Model 8-75 Kissel Speedster. He bought it from a guy in Arizona. I flew there and almost bought it myself but I wasn’t retired yet and couldn’t swing it. It now is owned by the Ted Stahl Collection here in Michigan. 
     Thanks, Ron Hausmann P.E.

So you are saying that Murchio owned two Kissel speedsters? Or that Gene Husting was wrong. Just wondering.

[ron hausmann]

6 hours ago, George K said:

So you are saying that Murchio owned two Kissel speedsters? Or that Gene Husting was wrong. Just wondering.

Nope. My guess was close but wrong by a year and a couple cylinders. You posted hustings stuff after my guess.

thanks. Ron Hausmann 

[George K]

Thanks for the response. 

[kisselman27]

I thought I would add my two cents worth to the discussion on this Kissel picture.

This is an early 1926 Model 8-75 Standard Speedster. This is a pre “Cushioned in Rubber” car and has the normal bolt spring shackles. The pre “Cushioned in Rubber” 8-75 speedsters had a shorter wheelbase than the later 8-75 cars.

The number of hood louvers and the three hood hold down latches each side are feature found only on the model 8-75.

The lack of an outside door handle and the shape of the side light make the car in the photograph 1926 or later.

The size of the wheels and the shape of the wheel spokes make this speedster an early 1926 model. The shape of wooden spokes changed with the “Cushioned in Rubber” cars.

This car would not have had Ryan Lite headlights as original equipment when it was new.

The Model 19 Ryan Lite headlights were not standard equipment on Kissel speedsters until 1927. And were standard equipment on all 1928 Kissel cars.

Ryan Lite headlights and side have been added to quite a few Kissel speedsters as part of the restoration process.

Cheers

John Lewis

Edited July 4, 2022 by kisselman27 (see edit history)

[Walt G]

This is why I take the time to post random photographs taken even up into the early 1960s of orphan makes of cars . I feel most of the photos have not been seen in over 50 years and even if the cars were "collectible" then do they still exist and if so where? Gene Husting lived about 12 miles north of me and he was only a mile or so away from Austin Clark where I worked in Austin's library that was located at his house. Gene was a nice old guy and so passionate about Kissel cars and trucks. If I recall Gene had the remains of a Kissel chassis in his garage.

Thanks to all who comment and give us more information. MOST appreciated .

Walt