Feature Truck for Spring 1998:  1914 Kissel

Kissels were built from 1907 to 1931, starting in Hartford, Wisconsin.  The first Kissle truck was mounted on a passenger car chassis.  By 1910, the company was offering trucks up to five tons capacity.  The bigger trucks used chain drive.  The company also built automobiles.  Kissel originally started as Kissel Kar but dropped the Kar during the First World War with Germany.

The featured truck is a 1914 two ton flatbed.  The engine is a Kissel water-cooled, 4-cycle L-head.  The transmission is a Warner 4-speed selective sliding gear and the rear axle is a Timken semi-floating worm-drive.  Wheels are wood spoke type with solid rubber tires.

During World War One, the Kissel factory built the liberty truck for the war effort.  In 1918, the factory was switched over to the production of FWD trucks under license from that company and under government contract.  By 1919, Kissel returned to manufacturing its pre-war production models.

This 1914 Kissel truck on display in the museum sold for $1,975 new.

-by Don L. Hays

Museum Director