1911 Kissel Kar D-11 Baby Tonneau

The Kissel family were German immigrants living in Wisconsin during the turn of the century. Their success at farming led to exploring various business ventures, including hardware and grocery stores, followed by lumber mills, quarries, real estate and home building. These successes allowed the two younger Kissels, George and Will, to start an automobile company called the Kissel Motor Car Company of Hartford, Wisconsin. The company's first automobile was produced and sold in 1907. As a tribute to their German heritage, the car was dubbed the Kissel Kar. Most of the early cars were sold and marketed in the Chicago area.

Three Kissel Kar models were offered in 1911, including two four-cylinder versions and a six-cylinder model. Of the available models, the D11 was the most popular Kissel Kar built that year. Power was sourced from a robust, four-cylinder, 50 HP, L-head engine paired with a four-speed transmission with overdrive and mounted on a 124-inch wheelbase chassis with a dropped frame that gave the car a low and sporty appearance. Five body styles were available with prices beginning at $2,300.

This 1911 Kissel Kar D11 is finished in red and wears a sporty, four-passenger touring body (Kissel Body No. 796D) called the Baby Tonneau by Kissel. Differences between the Baby Tonneau and the larger touring car were a lowered steering column, a scuttle cowl and a closed-coupled, four-passenger sport touring body.

This Kissel Kar was first discovered in the 1960s by Edward 'Bud' Catlett, an employee of Harrah's Automobile Collection in Reno, Nevada, where he was in charge of locating and purchasing vehicles. It was found in a California desert and immediately began a full and thorough restoration. Upon completion, the car became a regular participant in early Horseless Carriage Club of America tours, and the car was often pictured in the Horseless Carriage Gazette.

This Kissel Kar remained with the Catlett family until 1988, when it was sold to Jim Williams, who kept it for the next three decades.

This car wears an older restoration that still shows well inside and out.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2022