Steve is finally back to occasionally blogging!

 

made by the C.W. Kelsey Manufacturing Company out of Hartford, Connecticut from 1910 to 1912.

https://serviside.blogspot.com/2024/11/three-wheeler-thursday.html
https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/hf14/lots/r161-1911-kelsey-model-m-motorette/

I wonder of that is related to Kelsey Hayes rims? 

I learn it's not. At least, not directly. It's likely that CW Kelsey is related to John Kelsey, who founded the  Kelsey Wheel Company, but without seriously diving into time consuming research, I won't find out how

Well, hell, you knew I needed to try.

There were brothers, it seems https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Kelsey-2813 by the names of John and Charles William. But that isn't Charles Washburn. 

..................................................................................................................................

John Kelsey formed the K. H. Wheel Company (with partner H. J. Herbert) in 1909 with the hopes of developing a spring wheel.

Advised by Henry Ford to focus instead on the production of traditional wheels made of hickory wood, Kelsey took his advice and by 1919 his company was producing wooden wheels at a rate of two million per year and in 1915 the Kelsey Wheel Company was reincorporated for $13 million.

Ford gave Kelsey his flying start, buying more than three quarters of the company's wheel production in 1909. Afraid of becoming too dependent on Ford, Kelsey diversified, giving Ford less than one-third of his business in 1910 and, following a disagreement with Ford, less than ten percent in 1912.

While still selling to Ford, by 1915 the company's business had grown to $3.5 million in total revenues and had 15-20 percent of the wheel market, supplying not only Ford but also Hudson, Paige, Chalmers, and Studebaker.

Government demand for artillery type wheels provided a further boost to profitability--in 1918, 80 percent of production was devoted to defense type wheels--and by the end of World War I the company was solidly profitable.

https://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/kelsey-hayes-group-of-companies-history/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelsey_(automobile_company)

Cadwallader Washburn Kelsey's first ride in an automobile came in 1897, when a banker took him for a ride in a new Panhard. This inspired him to build his first car, a two-cycle, single-cylinder affair that proved to be a failure, but he kept many of the parts.

 Enamored of the Léon Bollée tricycle, he joined with a classmate, Sheldon Tilney, to build a three-wheel car called the Autotri, now said to be at the Smithsonian Institution. 

He became an agent for Autocar in Pennsylvania and continued to build cars of his own design before selling Maxwells, and then he became sales manager for Columbia in Hartford, Connecticut. In 1910, he attempted a startup with the Spartan car at Hartford. It was stillborn after a single prototype.

It was the Motorette that finally went into production. Kelsey again embraced the three-wheel formula, with a single rear wheel and a two-stroke 10-horsepower engine. 

After air-cooling proved insufficient, he switched to thermo-syphon water cooling and birthed the Motorette at $385 F.O.B. Hartford. With a 74-inch wheelbase, it weighed just 700 pounds, delivery models being slightly heavier and more expensive. Unfortunately, in 1912, he endeavored to cut costs with outsourced engines, which proved to be very poorly built. 

By the time the problems were solved, the Kelsey Manufacturing Company was in dire straits and went into receivership. A concept for an automobile drivetrain with enclosed friction discs failed to gain traction, although he endeavored to produce it in an otherwise conventional Kelsey car in 1920/21. 

Carl Kelsey spent most of his subsequent career with the very successful Rototiller company in Troy, New York. In the 1960s, he patented the Skycar, a two-passenger vertical-takeoff helicopter. He died in 1970, aged 89.

https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/hf15/lots/r246-1911-kelsey-model-m-motorette/

Did you know Kelsey Hayes had diversified into brake systems and farm equipment? I sure didn't

Plymouth Sport Satellite Sport Wagon, hemi, 4 spd, and the recall rims. They REALLY look good with this wagon! Why hasn't this been featured in a car magazine yet?

Speedy Gonzales, great choice for the air filter lid!

taking the racer vibe to the dash, its a radio delete plate. I see a Carb Air lever under the ignition key, and next to it, the reverse indicator light. Nice touch!

Steering wheel is primo... by the way, this wagon also has a Gear Vendors over under drive, and dual quad Holleys

Ummm, the only odd thing is that it's an air conditioned car with the non ac, heater and fan control panel.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10209362523000744&set=a.10209362448878891&type=3&theater

1969-1970 Mercury Marauder X100-Kelsey Hayes Magstar-390/429 Wheel Rims, and the slight variation - the X100 XL

Thanks Mario!

1969-1970 Kelsey Hayes Magstar Wheels, Mercury Marauder X100 XL 390 428

1967 Shelby G.T. 500 with the Kelsey Hayes steel wheels, from the factory

This Shelby G.T. 500 was built with the standard Kelsey Hayes high-strength steel wheels with standard hubcaps, and has retained them throughout its life.

Muscle Car Review, Nov 2017
http://www.hotrod.com/articles/mcacn-2017-preview-check-muscle-car-heroes/

Nice looking spare tire

Joe Mac's 29 RPU, alive and well again

there was a small write up in Hot Rod July 1961, 2/3rds of a page near the back of the mag.




Cragar valve cover, Moon fuel log, Winfield Super head, Kelsey Hayes rims, dual Stromberg 97's, Firestone Deluxe Champion rear tires, hand drilled brake backing plates, air scoops welded to the front brake plates, bolts replacing factory rivets between the frame and the front cross beam... just the things I noticed or had pointed out 'cause I miss a lot too!
Some of the frame rivets at the bottom of the radiator are replaced with bolts for increased strength

Click for the full size to se where Joe stamped his intials into the top of the center of the intake
Dean Moon started with fuel logs... this must be an early one!







Joe was the man, not one of many - the one, to go to for a Ford transmission for racing on salt or dry lakes. "He's one of my greatest heroes- a real car guy that has busted his knuckles on Fords for over 75 years, was one of the VERY first guys to go around to Ford dealerships and clean out their "Obsolete" stock for scrap rate and recycle it back to the car community starting in the '40s, he supplied all the local rodders and restorers for nearly 50 years" http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=152986
Back in the late 40s early 50s, Joe built the RPU from parts he had on hand with the purpose of racing and beating the more handsome cars of the time, with a beater flat out powered by racing Model A power.
Possibly this is the 29 RPU mentioned on the HAMB thread by the member JUSTPLAINBLL on 05-08-2008, 09:59 AM http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=261874&showall=1
Joe Mac once built a 29 RPU in his den from pieces he had scrounged. In case you didn't know Joe started what was probably the original Ford Parts Obsolete.After he retired to Corona you could call him for a rebuilt early V8 trans or rear end and pick it up next day.

Joe was always a contender with this truck at all drag racing and hill climb events. He purposely kept the truck looking very worn and tattered but never spared his money on motor or running gear. This was one of Joe’s favorite vehicles which ran its last race at the Antique Nationals in the ‘90s when the over ported engine had a problem in the number two cylinder.
The truck traded hands from a gentleman’s agreement between Joe and Tim’s dad for first right of refusal if Joe ever wanted to sell the truck. Tim’s Dad being a good friend of Joe and fellow member of the “Four Ever Four” understood the history and value of a race worn and beat RPU. The RPU was towed to San Diego where it sat for more then two years in the back of storage warehouse.

Instead of getting to work and drive the rpu, Tim’s dad kind of stored it for the time being until health and relocation forced the sale of the parts warehouse and to Tim’s luck, his dad traded him the beaten and bent rpu for the labor he put into selling the parts and clearing the warehouse of its antique parts gold.

Once the rpu was in Tim’s garage, he called Joe. The first thing Joe said is he wanted the engine, Tim didn’t figure out why until he started to rebuild it. There are many old hotrod racing tricks on the inside. Just like the truck you can’t tell just by looking at it. It is a time capsule of 1950’s race car fabrication by a guy who is named in the same breath as Pete and Jake, Chapouris, and 'Ol dad' Baskerville. one of the few lights of goodness being guys like Joe Mac of Ford Parts Obsolete, Pete Eastwood, Jake Jacobs, Pete Chapouris and Gray Baskerville. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2179623

During the rebuild the bump stick used in Joe’s original motor was exchanged for a more mild Jim Brierly special, the sake of the go fast four banger guys... the original cam is likely to be a special grind given to Joe by Ed Winfield (the head is from Winfield).

So the rest of the story? Tim turned it into a project to teach righty-tighty and lefty-loosey for 2 twelve yr olds, his son Bryce and the grandson of Berry Meguire, Ryan (Meguires car wax products)… under the supervision of a dad passing along the experiences of learning from his own father, and a lots of hands on experience working on old Fords himself. Both were twelve and the object was to build the truck for the last lakes meet at El Mirage in 2007. Much rust and a lot of broken bolts later, the truck had two twelve year old pilots on El Mirage. All went to plan and the boys learned what it is like to pass the car crazy sickness on to the next generation.

Interesting side note: Tim was fortunate to be the one chosen to be the new custodian of a beautiful woody that came off the last farm in Del Mar (just north of San Diego ) I believe we are all just custodians of cars, they outlast us if we treat them right.

http://www.nwvs.org/Technical/MTFCA/Articles/0404Speedsters.pdf

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/vintage-shots-from-days-gone-by-part-2.1154030/page-800#post-13807402