It was hard to beat being in Hartford, Wis., over the weekend of June 12-13 if you are a fan of orphan car royalty. Hartford is a great place for car lovers to begin with, being the home for the Wisconsin Auto Museum and the home of the long-extinct Kissel brand, which the museum showcases. And every June the museum hosts Wisconsin Autofest, which attracts a relatively small gathering of cars and attendees, but among the group are always some long-lost, very rare and truly impressive machines.
The Old Cars staff was in attendance this year, and here are a few of our favorites rides from the show:
The Kissel Motor Car Co. was perhaps best known for producing speedsters. This gorgeous 1928 example belongs to Dennis Holloway.Courtesy of Brian EarnestOnly five 1927 Kissel Speedsters are believed to exist. This lovely specimen belongs to Mark Kissel. These “Gold Bugs” were produced in small numbers from 1919-1927 and driven by luminaries such as Amelia Earhart and Rosco Arbuckle.Courtesy of Brian Earnest1918 Kissel Roadsters would have been some very refined high-performance cars for their time, with 25-hp six-cylinder engines, a top speed of 60 mph and a sticker price of nearly $1,300! Courtesy of Brian EarnestFor a time in the late 1910s, Kissel produced 3-ton trucks for FWD — also based in Wisconsin — and the U.S. War Department.Courtesy of Brian EarnestAlthough not often mentioned in the same breath as Cadillac, Packard or Pierce-Arrow, Kissel had some of the most sophisticated and stylish cars on the road — and this 1929 Model 8-95 White Eagle Tourster would have stood out in any crowd.Courtesy of Brian EarnestThis 1929 White Eagle coupe roadster from Kissel carries an eight-cylinder engine that produced a whopping 95 hp. With a top speed of 75 mph, it would have won a lot of races in its day.Courtesy of Brian EarnestThis amazing 1913 Kissel semi racer is part of Lynn Kissel’s fleet. This body style eventually evolved into the company’s famous speedster.Courtesy of Brian EarnestThis venerable 1931 Auburn Cabriolet shows patina and age spots, but still looks great nonetheless. It belongs to John and Bunny Boswell.Courtesy of Brian EarnestNash and Kissel were never under the same umbrella, but they both called Wisconsin home. This bulbous 1950 “bathtub” Nash sedan looks at home in any car show. It’s owned by Cheryl Samuel and Mike Spangler.Courtesy of Brian Earnest
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