Go Huskies!

If you've read my bio page you know I'm a UConn alum, but I'm not much of a sports fan so, as much as I'm pleased that my alma mater boasts championship teams, this item is not about basketball. The Husky, as people my age know, was a tremendously useful Hillman station wagon.

In our part of New England, imported cars caught on early. By the early 1950s, Austin Devons and English Fords were fairly common on the roads. A bit less so was the Hillman Minx. About 1955, though, Hillman's fortunes took a big upturn with the Husky. Based on the MkVII Minx, it used a nine-inch-shorter wheelbase and had a nifty little two-door wagon body. Of unitary construction, it was powered by the Minx's 1265 cc L-head four, which made 35 bhp. The company dubbed it "Double Duty," for it was equally useful in commerce or as a family car. Cleverly designed, it had a spare that was completely accessible even with a full load of luggage. Its versatility was widely advertised, even implying a matching trailer for greater loads, although I suspect there was no such thing. In some regions, the Husky might have been the best-selling Hillman.

In 1958 came a revised version called, strangely, Series I. This car had a two-inch longer wheelbase, new sheet metal and a new grille, but more importantly a 1390 cc ohv engine good for 43 bhp. The instrument panel was subtly revised from that of the earlier car, and exterior door handles, previously a conventional push-button design, took on a funky appearance. There were further trim changes through two more series, with production continuing until 1965. There was also, through the whole period, a four-door Minx estate wagon on the long wheelbase.

One reason for the Husky's success was its lack of competition. Triumph's TR10 estate wagon had some of the Husky's features, but a smaller engine. The Vauxhall Victor estate wagon featured a liftgate in contrast to the Husky's convenient side-hinged door, and disappeared from the US market as soon as the Tempest arrived. The only British two-door wagon was the Austin A40, smaller, less versatile, and early models lacked the rear liftgate of later versions.

As popular as the Huskies were in the late 1950s, all of a sudden they seemed to disappear. For more than 30 years I saw none at all. Then this past October I came across this one in the Hershey Car Corral. I believe it's a circa 1960 Series II model, and quite nicely presented, although there were a few flaws, like a wrinkly bumper. I chatted with the owners, but I wasn't in the market for any car so I didn't even inquire of the asking price. It's probably just as well, but I still wonder...