Speedster
Chassis number: 5513231
Engine number: 55-13294
The Kissel Motorcar Company was started by the German immigrant brothers George and Will Kissel in 1906. Based in Hartford, Wisconsin, the company initially called its motorcars 'Kissel Kar.' With World War I, the company soon changed its name to just 'Kissel' as the 'Kar' portion carried anti-German sentiment. They produced a quality production with sound engineering and mid-priced. The early product was a four-cylinder 30 horsepower car introduced in 1907. By 1909, a 6-cylinder model was introduced. By 1917, they introduced a V12 powered car, but it would be their L-head long-stroke six, introduced in 1915, that would prove to be their most venerable production. It would remain in production until 1928.
The Kissel 'Gold Bug' was a favored transport of many celebrities of the day, including Amelia Earhart, Indy 500 winner Ralph DePalma and Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle. The car was the mastermind of one of the company's dealers. New York distributor Conover T. Silver commissioned the Speedster to his own design. The 'Gold Bug' designation came from a naming contest for the sports car organized by Kissel and was chosen from over 500 submissions.
Powering the Kissel was an engine that produced over 60 horsepower and offered strong torque. The body was a lightweight two-place body with sporty cycle fenders. The engine runs through a three speed transmission and is mated to a rear axle with sufficiently tall gearing for high-speed motoring.
Chassis number 5513231
This Speedster has been given a concours quality restoration. It features very rare Wood-Lite headlights, something not available on the earlier models, as well as the rare rear-mounted spare. Many of the earlier 'Gold Bugs' had two-wheel mechanical brakes; this example features four-wheel hydraulic brakes.
This car has been with the current New York owners for the past 15 years. It was acquired from Stanford Block in 1999.
by Dan Vaughan