This Hillman is listed here on craigslist and seems rather expensive at $13,500, but it’s also rather nice. It’s rust free and has only 21,000 miles so it might just be worth it if you really want on of these. It has a 62 horsepower engine with a four speed all syncro transmission and lots of features, such as front disk brakes and electric overdrive, that you wouldn’t expect in a little car like this. The Husky was a 3 door station wagon or “estate” version of the Minx and the top speed was said to be 80mph.
This one appears to be in incredible condition inside and out, under the hood and even underneath. The owner has been using it as a driver and has put several thousand miles on it and it’s still looks great.
They have replaced the heater and radiator cores as well as the hoses, brake booster, brake lines, alternator, fan belt, tires and everything necessary to make it roadworthy.
The underside of this car is the nicest I’ve seen on a non-show car. It is amazing to see this much attention paid to a simple little car like this.
Most of these dissolved into small piles of rust long ago. Anyone willing to pay this much has got the be a collector, but you never know. Would you attempt to use it as a driver?
Having once used a Hillman Minx — the Husky’s sedan brother — as a daily driver, I have to admit this one gets my attention. While $13.5K is too rich for my blood (bought the Minx for $50!) I’d pay a bit extra for a car presented this well.
The lack of interior photos (or mention of condition of same) bugs me a bit. But if it’s as nice as the rest, this would be fun, if a bit on the slow side.
Reminds me of the Husky my late paternal Grandfather had. His had the front numberplate on a hinge to fold backward at speed. “Speed’ being relative, in a Husky,though.
It is hard to place a value on this car but I must say it is really special, both in rarity and for its condition. For those not familiar with Rootes products, they were very solidly built indeed before Chrysler got involved, noticeably more so than other British cars and most French and Italian cars. They were kind of like the Hudsons of the British market — not exactly thrilling but intended to be a step up from competitors in engineering, materials and build quality. Rootes customers paid a little more than their BMC, Ford and Standard-Triumph counterparts and were generally happy to do so for the extra quality. Steel is heavy, gearboxes and drivetrains basically unburstable. Body construction is all welded — including the front fenders, so beware rust and fender-benders as replacement can get expensive. From the description and what I see underhood, this very late model Husky carries the robust 5-main 1725-cc engine also used by the Minx and the Alpine, though the Alpine’s had an aluminum head, different carburetor and considerably higher output. We had a ’67 Minx, friends had a Rapier, and as a teenager I loved driving that 4-speed Minx around New York state. No, it didn’t handle like a BMW or Rover, but it was still really nice. I recall the precise floor shift, powerful front disc brakes, and smooth engine. Steering I thought was good if a tad numb, but that was in comparison to our Saab 96’s truly outstanding steering. These “Audax” vehicles are extremely pleasant to look at — reflecting their Raymond Loewy design origins — and to operate. The overdrive would make this Husky a fine highway cruiser as the owner states. It’s hard to believe the lovely condition of this car. I really want it. But it’s on the wrong coast and my garage is full. Darn. Someone else negotiate a price and treat this baby well.
I have to say my Minx, although neglected by the first owner, was reliable and pleasant, if not exciting, to drive. The only modification I made was installing the floor shift from a wrecked Husky. For a short time, I had the only Minx in the world with TWO shift levers! The column shift, by the way, had a reversed shift pattern with First toward the dashboard, as it was adapted from the RHD model.
The earlier models, like my ’59, didn’t have goodies like front discs or overdrive. Mine didn’t even have a radio. So this Husky would be a huge step up in my eyes.