1927 Kissel RIP Ray

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BJB
Posts: 894
Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2011 3:49 pm
Location: Terra Australis (Down under to the Yanks)

1927 Kissel RIP Ray

Post by BJB »

I visited a very interesting bloke today. He lives near me and he is a retired GM-Holden engineer. He started with them in 1950.

PS Albert, the retired engineer worked on the 58/59 Holdens. In fact at his old rambling home he has a slarge piece of square flat thin shee metal. On that is the etched pattern of the 59 Holden B pillar that the pattern makes used as a permanent pattern. It was just lying on the ground at one stage and I helped him move it out of the weather . It was covered in pine needles at one stage. History!!!

He is now retired and owns some cool cars including an E type Jag , Alfa Romeo, a Maserati , XK150...he owns a prototype sports sedan body ( GTR-X) that GM-H was toying with about releasing in 1970 which was canned by the bean counters,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvf5uIDlLFM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q175EEV4Vvw

His plan is to sell off some of his toys so he can work at restoring, well building the prototype. It is just a rolling shell.

One of the cars he has is an american 1927 Kissel. Powered by a Continental 6 cylinder engine it is in very good condition. Had been restored some time ago but this model is very rare. He believes that only 7 were built. This one is RHD. ..perhaps only 7 RHD versions were made. This vehicle was fairly unique at having 4 wheel hydraulic brakes.

It has a strange u shape fitting on the running board and he stated it was a novelty where people could secure their golf clubs.

Anyway he is picking me up on Monday and we're going around to a neighbour's place where they meet weekly to work on cars.

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Last edited by BJB on Fri Mar 30, 2018 3:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
"I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of drought and flooding rains,..enough with the floods already..."

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albert
Posts: 869
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2011 9:38 pm
Location: Jackson, New Jersey USA

Re: 1927 Kissel

Post by albert »

I have heard the name Kessel but never seen one. They look very interesting. I really like the Torana and remember the street version Holden Torana back in the early 70's. Keep us posted on what you find on your visit. I like all classic cars but my favourites have to be Fords (just in case Pops and Roy are reading these posts about GM/Holden cars)
Albert's 65 289, polar white, black buckets, 5 speed, Autolite 4100, ps, pb, factory tach, crites hood, headers, dual exhaust

BJB
Posts: 894
Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2011 3:49 pm
Location: Terra Australis (Down under to the Yanks)

Re: 1927 Kissel

Post by BJB »

Well sad news today. I awoke this morning to hear that a person was found in a burnt out car not far from my home. Looking through the online news I saw a picture of police applying crime scene tape to gates on a rural property. I then realised that those gates were my friends. He is suspected of suffering a medical issue whilst seated in the Maserati , possibly applying the accelerator and the car overheated and caught on fire.

I visited Ray at his home a few weeks ago and he was working on his Maserati, getting it ready for a potential sale. He owned lots of classic cars. He was quietly excited about his GTRX as a local car restorer had agreed in principle to restore his GTRX and in return they would make a small production run and sell the others, to help recoup set up costs . It was the only way his car would get finished as at 83 years old he was time poor.

Cars were his life to the end.

RIP Ray.
"I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of drought and flooding rains,..enough with the floods already..."

comethead
Posts: 5692
Joined: Sun Nov 09, 2003 7:44 pm
Location: Palmdale, CA

Re: 1927 Kissel RIP Ray

Post by comethead »

Awww that’s terrible news. Sorry to hear it. RIP.

Joe
1965 Caliente HT- 289/4 speed
1964 Falcon HT- track car- 302/4 speed
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