Hillman Husky
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hillman Husky can refer to several different vehicles produced by British car manufacturer, the Rootes group, under their Hillman marque.
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[edit] Original Hillman Husky ("Mark 1")
The first (or "Mark 1") Hillman Husky, introduced in 1954, was a small estate 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-inch longer wheelbase. The Husky was not a hatchback, having instead a single side-hinged rear door. It shared the Minx’s 1265cc sidevalve engine.
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).
[edit] "Audax Series" Hillman Husky
[edit] 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 1390cc overhead valve unit. 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). It was, however 2 inches longer than its predecessor.
Again Commer sold a panel van version of the same vehicle as the Commer Cob.
[edit] Series II
A "Series II" Husky followed in 1960 with a slightly lowered roof, a deeper windscreen, and altered seats.
[edit] 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 inch to 13 inch, which was applied to the saloons, was not applied to the Husky in order to maintain its ground clearance.
From 1964 the Husky gained an all-synchromesh gearbox and changes to the clutch and suspension. Production of the Series III ended in 1965.
[edit] Hillman Imp van derivative
No further Huskies were made until a new model based on the Hillman Imp appeared in 1967. This new Husky shared the Imp's rear-mounted 875cc overhead camshaft engine but in low-compression form. This was also the engine adopted by the Bond 875.
The car had two-doors plus a rear tailgate – this time top-hinged, with the engine bay below it. There was 25 cubic feet of capacity, and this was the first Hillman derivative to have radial-ply tyres.
Once more Commer sold a commercial version of the same car.
The last Husky was built in 1970, at which point Chrysler Europe, new owners of Rootes, engaged in a major rationalisation of their products.
