banner
color bar
You are in Home > Bugsby > Adventures > 2006 > KisselCars

Cars and Owners at the
100 Year Anniversary Celebration
June 17, 2006


Some of the cars and owners who gathered on June 17, 2006, in celebration of the 100 year anniversary of the Kissel Motor Car Company.

Also see:

Jump to:

Kissels And Their Owners On Display


ANOTHER VIEW of the cars at the 100 year celebration. (Photo by Bob Brown)

This page is devoted to a brief pictorial review of the Kissel cars that were placed by their owners on display at the 100 year anniversary celebration of the Kissel Motor Car Company. The celebration was hosted by Dale Anderson and the Wisconsin Automotive Museum on June 17, 2006, in Hartford, Wisconsin.

In addition to those explicitly noted on this page, there were many other Kissel owners, family members, Hartford residents and businesses, and spectators that participated in the days event that unfortunately go unmentioned. Thanks to everyone who contributed to making this such a fun, exciting and rewarding experience.

Elsewhere Lynn describes his preparations and participation in the 100 year celebration of the Kissel Motor Car Company.

Lynn gratefully acknowledges the help of Joe Leaf who helped refine the details of the cars and their owners. Lynn would like to make the information on this page as accurate as possible. Please bring any errors or other comments to Lynn's attention by sending email using the address at the bottom of this page.

1909 Model LD-9 Touring
     — Presented by owner Joan Rosenberger





1909 Model LD-9 Touring — owned by Joan Rosenberger

This was by far the oldest car in the show, likely 97 years old this year. Lynn's been told that the car has been with the owner for a long time, from 1960 or earlier.


FIRST CAR WITH CHROME? It is the 1927 Oldsmobile, according to Tad Burness.

Note the extensive use of brass as the brightwork on the car. One sees a progression in the technology on the cars in this show from brass to nickel (nickel over copper, late 191x-1928). Lynn has seen this ink drawing by auto historian Tad Burness that claims the first car to use chrome (chromium over nickel over copper) on the radiator shell was the 1927 Oldsmobile, and that it was not introduced by most other manufacturers until 1929. According to Karl S. Zahm, Kissel introduced chrome plating of the external brightwork in 1929.

1918 Model 6-38 Roadster
     — Presented by owner Bob Leu





1918 Model 6-38 Roadster — owned by Bob and June Leu

Bob restored this car himself. The only work he subcontracted was the upholstery. He bought the car in 1971 and it was in pretty rough shape, so rough the Bob almost parted the car out (i.e., sell parts off the car). It took Bob about 18 months to restore the car.

1920 Model 6-45 Speedster
     — Presented by owner Tom Harrington





1920 Model 6-45 Speedster — owned by Tom Harrington

This car and two others owned by Tom, who lives in Paris, are stored in the museum. Tom had been following the car for about 15 years and acquired it about 3 years ago.

Ben Bliss, Tom's mechanic, was also in attendance.

1924 Model 6-55 Speedster
     — Presented by owner Lynn Kissel





1924 Model 6-55 Speedster — owned by Lynn and Jeanne Kissel

Lynn and Jeanne trailered this chassis from their home in Livermore, California, spending five days on the road to Hartford. Son Andrew separately few to Hartford to participate in the show. Lynn and Andrew stand next to Bugsby (their name for this vehicle) in the left-most photo.

Lynn is in the middle of a serious freshening of Bugsby that will likely take 12 months or more to complete.

Note the right-hand drive position. Lynn has learned from John Lewis who has written a history of Australian Kissels that Bugsby is the oldest of 12 Kissels that were exported to that continent.

1925 Model 6-55 Speedster
     — Presented by restorer Dave Arnold





1925 Model 6-55 Speedster — owned by DeWayne Ashmead.

This car was accompanied to the celebration by Dave Arnold, the restorer of the car. This car was a 100-point Concours d'Elegance winner in 1998. .

Lynn got numerous pointers on the proper restoration of a Kissel Speedster when he spent a day with Dave and this car in January, 2006.

1925 Model 8-75 4Pass. Speedster
     — Presented by owner John Quam





1925 Model 8-75 Speedster — owned by John Quam.

This beautiful car was class winner at the 1999 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and was also shown at the 2002 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance.

John traveled to the event from his home in Montara, CA, south of San Francisco.

1927 Model 6-55 4Pass. Speedster
     — Presented by owners Mark A. and Linda Kissel





1927 Model 6-55 Speedster — owned by Mark A. and Linda Kissel.

Mark and Linda brought two cars to the celebration, this car and their 1928 Model 8-80 Brougham Deluxe.

This vehicle is an older restoration that had been performed about 15 years ago.

1928 Model 8-80 4Dr Sedan
     — Presented by owner Bob Brown







1928 Model 8-80 4Dr Sedan — owned by Bob Brown
Bob Brown (the current owner) is the one under the yellow cap in the bottom-left photo. Bob's standing next to Hugh Cooper (former owner). (Photos by Bob Brown)

Bob is associated with the Wheels O' Time Museum in Peoria, Illinois. This car came to Bob's attention through his association with the museum. After some time he bought the car then owned by Hugh Cooper.

Hugh bought the car in 1955 off a used car lot. It was only after owning the car that he come to learn more about the history and significance of Kissel cars. The car was in very bad condition and the roof leaked when he originally purchased it, but Hugh drove to work for some years before eventually restoring it.

1928 Model 8-80 Brougham Deluxe
     — Presented by owners Mark A. and Linda Kissel





1928 Model 8-80 Brougham Deluxe — owned by Mark A. and Linda Kissel

Mark and Linda brought two cars to the celebration, this car and their 1927 Model 6-55 4Pass. Speedster.

1929 Model 8-126 White Eagle Brougham
     — Presented by owner Bonnie Schauer-Strand





1929 Model 8-126 White Eagle Brougham — owned by Bonnie Schauer-Strand.

This beautiful and freshly restored car was proudly accompanied by its owner who lives in Interlochin, Michigan. Bonnie is the granddaughter of Emma Kissel-Schauer, daughter to Louis Kissel and sister to William and George Kissel, founders of the Kissel Motor Car Company.

Bonnie is a school teacher so the acquisition and restoration of this vehicle was a severe stretch on her budget. She felt that it was important to keep a Kissel in the family and did it largely in honor of her father.

The car's restorer Mike Nickels, owner of Nickels Automotive Woodworking, Traverse City, Michigan, was also in attendance.

color bar
Contact with your comments or questions
Copyright © 2018 Lynn Kissel
Last updated: May 24, 2009