Hillman Husky
Encyclopedia
The Hillman Husky was a line of British passenger vehicles manufactured between 1954 and 1970 by the Rootes Group, under their Hillman
marque.
based on the contemporary "Mark VIII" Hillman Minx
. The two-door Husky entered the range alongside an existing Minx estate car, which had a 9 inches (228.6 mm) longer wheelbase. The Husky was not a hatchback, having instead a single side-hinged rear door. While the new Mark VIII Minx DeLuxe saloon, convertible and "Californian" hardtop used a new OHV 1390 cc engine, the Husky continued to use the older 1265 cc 35 bhp sidevalve engine with single Zenith carburettor which it shared with the Minx "Special" saloon and estate. Unlike the Minx with its column change, the gear lever for the Husky was floor mounted.
There were individual seats in front and a bench seat in the rear which would fold flat to increase load area. The trim material was leathercloth. Both the heater and radio were optional extras. The car was available in blue, grey, green or sand paint (1954 colours).
The Husky was badge engineered
and slightly modified to form the Commer
Cob – basically the same vehicle but with the rear side windows removed to create a panel van.
42,000 of this Husky were sold until the model was replaced in 1958 (a year after the "parent" Minx was itself replaced).
The Motor
magazine tested a Husky in 1954 and found it to have a top speed of 65 mph (104.6 km/h) and acceleration from 0-50 mph (80.5 km/h) in 24.3 seconds. A fuel consumption of 33.4 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £564 including taxes.
Again Commer sold a panel van version of the same vehicle as the Commer Cob.
Testing the Husky in 1960 The Motor magazine recorded a top speed of 73.4 mph (118.1 km/h), acceleration from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) of 26.9 seconds and a fuel consumption of 30.8 mpgimp. The test car cost £674 including taxes.
From 1964 the Husky gained an all-synchromesh gearbox and changes to the clutch and suspension. Production of the Series III ended in 1965.
appeared in April 1967. This new Husky shared the Imp's rear-mounted 875 cc overhead camshaft engine, and had slightly better performance than the Imp. This was also the engine adopted by the Bond 875
.
Like the earlier van version, the "Imp estate" was based on the two-door car, with the roof raised by 4 inches (100 mm) to provide a large carrying space above the engine bay, giving the car a square boxy look. The unusually flat roof was reinforced with stiffening ribs and supported on the inside of the vehicle with "synthetic foam noise-deadening material". When compared to the Commer badged panel van from which it derived, the Husky body also had extra stiffening at the rear window apertures.
Loading access was by a vertical top-hinged rear tailgate with the bottom of the opening level with the floor, making it easy to load without stooping down. Sliding windows gave ventilation and a view out from the rear bench seat. The top part of the back seat squab folded forward forming a useful horizontal loading platform with a ribbed rubber surface, and 50 cubic feet (1.4 m³) of capacity. To take the increased load, this was the first Hillman derivative to have radial-ply tyres
. It also had uprated rear shock absorbers and rear springs were fitted along with a strengthened rear suspension. These gave the Husky more sporty handling that the standard Imp, and looked surprising when this tall vehicle went quickly round a corner with very little roll.
Once more Commer
sold a commercial version of the same car, the van version which was launched in 1965 and had the engine in low-compression form.
The last Husky was built in 1970, at which point Chrysler Europe
, new owners of Rootes, engaged in a major rationalisation of their products.
Hillman
Hillman is a British automobile marque created by the Hillman Motor Car Company, founded in 1907. The company was based in Ryton-on-Dunsmore, near Coventry, England. Before 1907 the company had built bicycles...
marque.
Original Hillman Husky ("Mark 1")
The first (or "Mark 1") Hillman Husky, introduced in 1954, was a small estateStation wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
based on the contemporary "Mark VIII" Hillman Minx
Hillman Minx
The Hillman Minx was a series of middle-sized family cars produced under the Hillman marque by the Rootes Group between 1932 and 1970...
. The two-door Husky entered the range alongside an existing Minx estate car, which had a 9 inches (228.6 mm) longer wheelbase. The Husky was not a hatchback, having instead a single side-hinged rear door. While the new Mark VIII Minx DeLuxe saloon, convertible and "Californian" hardtop used a new OHV 1390 cc engine, the Husky continued to use the older 1265 cc 35 bhp sidevalve engine with single Zenith carburettor which it shared with the Minx "Special" saloon and estate. Unlike the Minx with its column change, the gear lever for the Husky was floor mounted.
There were individual seats in front and a bench seat in the rear which would fold flat to increase load area. The trim material was leathercloth. Both the heater and radio were optional extras. The car was available in blue, grey, green or sand paint (1954 colours).
The Husky was badge engineered
Badge engineering
Badge engineering is an ironic term that describes the rebadging of one product as another...
and slightly modified to form the Commer
Commer
Commer became known in later years as a maker of vans for the British Post Office—particularly the Commer FC which was introduced in 1960 with many body styles, including a 1500 cc van. After engine and interior upgrades it was renamed the PB in 1967 and the SpaceVan in 1974...
Cob – basically the same vehicle but with the rear side windows removed to create a panel van.
42,000 of this Husky were sold until the model was replaced in 1958 (a year after the "parent" Minx was itself replaced).
The Motor
The Motor (magazine)
The Motor was a British weekly car magazine founded on 28 January 1903....
magazine tested a Husky in 1954 and found it to have a top speed of 65 mph (104.6 km/h) and acceleration from 0-50 mph (80.5 km/h) in 24.3 seconds. A fuel consumption of 33.4 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £564 including taxes.
Series I
In 1958 the new "Series I" Husky appeared. It followed the same formula as its predecessor, but was based on the new "Audax" or "Series" Hillman Minx. This time the engine was the new Minx's 1390 cc overhead-valve unit but de-rated to an output of 51 bhp. As before, there was also a four-door "Minx estate", and the Husky had two doors (plus the side-hinged rear door) and a shorter wheelbase (by 8 inches (203.2 mm)). It was, however 2 inches (50.8 mm) longer than its predecessor.Again Commer sold a panel van version of the same vehicle as the Commer Cob.
Series II
A "Series II" Husky followed in 1960 with a four-speed gearbox, slightly lowered roof, a deeper windscreen, and altered seats. The engine compression ratio was raised to 8:1 and the carburettor changed to a Zenith 30 VIG type.Testing the Husky in 1960 The Motor magazine recorded a top speed of 73.4 mph (118.1 km/h), acceleration from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) of 26.9 seconds and a fuel consumption of 30.8 mpgimp. The test car cost £674 including taxes.
Series III
The final iteration of the "Audax" Hillman Husky, the "Series III", made its debut in 1963, along with a face-lift for the whole Minx range (and its badge-engineered derivatives). The face-lift bodywork changes were applied to the Husky, but the reduction in wheel size from 15 inches (381 mm) to 13 inches (330.2 mm), which was applied to the saloons, was not applied to the Husky in order to maintain its ground clearance. In addition, whilst the contemporary Series V Minx got front disc brakes, the Husky continued with four-wheel drum brakes. While the 1390 cc engine continued to be used in most markets, for the USA the Husky adopted the 1592 cc engine used in the contemporary Minx Series V.From 1964 the Husky gained an all-synchromesh gearbox and changes to the clutch and suspension. Production of the Series III ended in 1965.
Hillman Imp van derivative
No further Huskies were made until a new model based on the Hillman ImpHillman Imp
The Hillman Imp is a compact, rear-engined saloon car that was manufactured under the Hillman marque by the Rootes Group from 1963 to 1976...
appeared in April 1967. This new Husky shared the Imp's rear-mounted 875 cc overhead camshaft engine, and had slightly better performance than the Imp. This was also the engine adopted by the Bond 875
Bond 875
The Bond 875 was a small three-wheeled car, made by Bond Cars Ltd in Preston, United Kingdom from 1965 to 1970. There was also a van version from 1967, known as the Ranger....
.
Like the earlier van version, the "Imp estate" was based on the two-door car, with the roof raised by 4 inches (100 mm) to provide a large carrying space above the engine bay, giving the car a square boxy look. The unusually flat roof was reinforced with stiffening ribs and supported on the inside of the vehicle with "synthetic foam noise-deadening material". When compared to the Commer badged panel van from which it derived, the Husky body also had extra stiffening at the rear window apertures.
Loading access was by a vertical top-hinged rear tailgate with the bottom of the opening level with the floor, making it easy to load without stooping down. Sliding windows gave ventilation and a view out from the rear bench seat. The top part of the back seat squab folded forward forming a useful horizontal loading platform with a ribbed rubber surface, and 50 cubic feet (1.4 m³) of capacity. To take the increased load, this was the first Hillman derivative to have radial-ply tyres
Radial tire
A radial tire is a particular design of automotive tire . In this design, the cord plies are arranged at 90 degrees to the direction of travel, or radially ....
. It also had uprated rear shock absorbers and rear springs were fitted along with a strengthened rear suspension. These gave the Husky more sporty handling that the standard Imp, and looked surprising when this tall vehicle went quickly round a corner with very little roll.
Once more Commer
Commer
Commer became known in later years as a maker of vans for the British Post Office—particularly the Commer FC which was introduced in 1960 with many body styles, including a 1500 cc van. After engine and interior upgrades it was renamed the PB in 1967 and the SpaceVan in 1974...
sold a commercial version of the same car, the van version which was launched in 1965 and had the engine in low-compression form.
The last Husky was built in 1970, at which point Chrysler Europe
Chrysler Europe
Chrysler Europe was a division of the Chrysler Corporation that operated between 1967 and 1979.-Formation:In the 1960s, Chrysler sought to become a world producer of automobiles. The company had never had much success outside North America, contrasting with Ford's worldwide reach and General...
, new owners of Rootes, engaged in a major rationalisation of their products.