Hillman

The Hillman Husky was introduced in 1954 as a compact estate car based on the Hillman Minx platform. Produced by the Rootes Group, it was designed as a practical small utility vehicle aimed at families and small businesses needing additional cargo space. The Husky used the mechanical components of the contemporary Minx but featured a shortened estate-style body with a large rear load area and a two-piece tailgate. Power came from a modest four-cylinder engine driving the rear wheels through a four-speed manual gearbox. The simple and sturdy design made the Husky versatile and economical to operate. Produced until 1958, the original Husky filled a niche below the larger Hillman estate cars and helped establish the idea of a small, practical estate in the British market.

The redesigned Hillman Husky was based on the new Audax-generation Hillman Minx and was introduced in 1958. Like its predecessor it was a compact two-door estate with a shorter wheelbase than the Minx saloon and estate, but it now used the Minx’s modern 1,390 cc overhead-valve engine, detuned to about 51 hp. In 1960 the Series II brought improvements including a four-speed gearbox, a slightly lower roofline, a deeper windscreen and revised seating. The final Series III version appeared in 1963 with the facelift applied across the Minx range. Further mechanical updates followed in 1964, including a fully synchromesh gearbox. Production of the Audax Husky continued until 1965.

1960