old husqvarna

Timbercruiser · June 05, 2015, 10:43:48 PM

I have a very old husqvarna with the id plate missing. I believe its a 180 husqvarna. It has points ignition. Does anyone know of a collector or anyone who had info on these saws. Like was there a smaller version of a 180 class saws ? Just need to track down some info and i really want to restore it . ?

JohnG28 · June 05, 2015, 11:37:17 PM

SawTroll, Spike 60 or weimedog may know a little something about them, they know their Huskys!

sawguy21 · June 05, 2015, 11:39:20 PM

PM sent

HolmenTree · June 06, 2015, 08:59:51 AM

That 180 would have been one of the 1st Husqvarnas in the country as they were just getting imported from Sweden......back then in the early 1970's.

SawTroll · June 06, 2015, 10:55:01 AM

Quote from: HolmenTree on June 06, 2015, 08:59:51 AM
That 180 would have been one of the 1st Husqvarnas in the country as they were just getting imported from Sweden......back then in the early 1970's.

I believe it started in 1969 - but may not have been very notisable at first?

It sounds like the saw is a 180S (since it has points), if it isn't one of the smaller ones, like a 160S or 163S.

It could also be a 65 or 77, for all I know. Pictures may help regarding the ID...

Timbercruiser · June 07, 2015, 11:19:52 AM

its not a L65 or 77 has a different top cover i think its the other series for sure

HolmenTree · June 07, 2015, 01:38:38 PM

Quote from: SawTroll on June 06, 2015, 10:55:01 AM
Quote from: HolmenTree on June 06, 2015, 08:59:51 AM
That 180 would have been one of the 1st Husqvarnas in the country as they were just getting imported from Sweden......back then in the early 1970's.
I believe it started in 1969 - but may not have been very notisable at first?

It sounds like the saw is a 180S (since it has points), if it isn't one of the smaller ones, like a 160S or 163S.
It could also be a 65 or 77, for all I know. Pictures may help regarding the ID...

Yes photos would be nice.
I just re read some of my old history notes and this is from 1971:
"Husqvarna penetrates U.S. market through importer Husqvarna Inc., South Plainfield, N.J., Bengt O. Farnstrom, pres., enters Canadian market through Husqui Canada Ltd., Montreal, Quebec, and Comor Supplies, Ltd., Hinton, Alberta.

Also from 1971: Husqvarna intros "vibration free" model 180-S.

HolmenTree · June 07, 2015, 03:49:36 PM

I found Husqvarna's earliest attempt to enter the U.S. market from this Quote from 1966:
"Husqvarna, a 280-year-old Swedish arms manufacturer, enters U.S. market with instant-start, quiet, compact, lightweight c.s. model, through distributor Tradewinds, Inc. Tacoma, Wash."
Also have a great looking 1966 Husqvarna advertisement of their A90 with a description of a rotary valve induction and automatic oiler.
My computer in down at the moment and only using a phone so can't post the ad pic right now.
Husqvarna was very slow moving in the North American market, as their 1966 attempt died out quickly. Even retrying to establish in 1971 with the 180S model as their front runner it wasn't until 1973 when the 99cc 1100CD was introduced in the PNW did they start to gain momentum.
Still no heavy advertising until May 1974 when they got a strong foothold in the PNW.
Models advertised at this time was:
140S
65
77
163S
263CD
280S
380CD
1100CD

sawguy21 · June 07, 2015, 06:45:40 PM

Pacific Equipment in Vancouver was very aggressive with Husky, Peter Holmquist (I think I have the last name correct) went into the west coast camps and handed saws to the loggers to head off Stihl, he hated the distributor. Some of his business practices were questionable but he was very successful. Holmen Tree, I am sure you remember him. ;D

HolmenTree · June 07, 2015, 10:01:27 PM

Quote from: sawguy21 on June 07, 2015, 06:45:40 PM
Pacific Equipment in Vancouver was very aggressive with Husky, Peter Holmquist (I think I have the last name correct) went into the west coast camps and handed saws to the loggers to head off Stihl, he hated the distributor. Some of his business practices were questionable but he was very successful. Holmen Tree, I am sure you remember him. ;D

yes I do know the Holmquists, they farmed about 7 miles from our farm in Saskatchewan.
Peter was a big strong lad who left farming behind and headed to the west coast.
He got very good at lumberjack competitions and felled a fair ammount of timber himself.
Being a Swede himself he probably spoke the language well enough to get the contacts
from the factory.
Many many 1100/2100's were sold over the years throughout the B.C. coast and interior.
I have some good writeups with pictures how well Husqvarna got ahold of that market area
starting in 1973-74.
I'm buying a new computer tomorrow so will be posting soon.
This time seperate key board with stand up screen as what's poplar now......no more worries about spilling a whole mug of coffee again.
. :D

sawguy21 · June 07, 2015, 10:54:42 PM

:D :D Keyboards are a lot cheaper than a new laptop.

SawTroll · June 08, 2015, 08:33:44 AM

Quote from: HolmenTree on June 07, 2015, 01:38:38 PM

Yes photos would be nice.
I just re read some of my old history notes and this is from 1971:
"Husqvarna penetrates U.S. market through importer Husqvarna Inc., South Plainfield, N.J., Bengt O. Farnstrom, pres., enters Canadian market through Husqui Canada Ltd., Montreal, Quebec, and Comor Supplies, Ltd., Hinton, Alberta.

Also from 1971: Husqvarna intros "vibration free" model 180-S.

Ok, it was a couple of years belated in the US then, as the 180 was made from 1969.

SawTroll · June 08, 2015, 08:40:31 AM

Quote from: Timbercruiser on June 07, 2015, 11:19:52 AM
its not a L65 or 77 has a different top cover i think its the other series for sure

Yes, it is easy to see some differenses - but I have no idea how much the OP knows about that.... ;)

HolmenTree · June 08, 2015, 09:44:53 AM

Quote from: SawTroll on June 08, 2015, 08:33:44 AM
Quote from: HolmenTree on June 07, 2015, 01:38:38 PM

Yes photos would be nice.
I just re read some of my old history notes and this is from 1971:
"Husqvarna penetrates U.S. market through importer Husqvarna Inc., South Plainfield, N.J., Bengt O. Farnstrom, pres., enters Canadian market through Husqui Canada Ltd., Montreal, Quebec, and Comor Supplies, Ltd., Hinton, Alberta

Also from 1971: Husqvarna intros "vibration free" model 180-S.

Ok, it was a couple of years belated in the US then, as the 180S was made from 1969.

Yes I saw that 1969 claim too when the 180 was introduced. But from my info the 180 "S" was introduced in 1971.
So whether or not the 180 was an earlier original version of the 180S I can't say for sure.

SawTroll · June 08, 2015, 02:01:18 PM

Quote from: HolmenTree on June 08, 2015, 09:44:53 AM
Quote from: SawTroll on June 08, 2015, 08:33:44 AM
Quote from: HolmenTree on June 07, 2015, 01:38:38 PM

Yes photos would be nice.
I just re read some of my old history notes and this is from 1971:
"Husqvarna penetrates U.S. market through importer Husqvarna Inc., South Plainfield, N.J., Bengt O. Farnstrom, pres., enters Canadian market through Husqui Canada Ltd., Montreal, Quebec, and Comor Supplies, Ltd., Hinton, Alberta

Also from 1971: Husqvarna intros "vibration free" model 180-S.

Ok, it was a couple of years belated in the US then, as the 180S was made from 1969.
Yes I saw that 1969 claim too when the 180 was introduced. But from my info the 180 "S" was introduced in 1971.
So whether or not the 180 was an earlier original version of the 180S I can't say for sure.

I'm not really sure that the first 180s were called "S" - but the Husky document I refer to does state that the 180 had that AV system from 1969, being their first model with AV.

HolmenTree · June 11, 2015, 10:15:46 AM

SawTroll, I'm thinking the "S" model might have meant Swed-O-Matic which was Husqvarna's name for their chain brake at the time. 1971 sounds about right for Husqvarna's first chain brake.

A little update on my earlier 1970's pictures to post. I just bought a new I Pad 2 Air with a BlueTooth (another Swedish invention ;D) keyboard stand/cover.
Anyways it may take me a while to get this new gizmo figured out as I'm at my busiest time of the year with my tree service slaying trees and stumps.
Stay tuned

Caloren · June 17, 2015, 01:55:02 AM

OK, all this talk about the old days of Husky's in the US reminds me of the first one I used. Visiting a friend in Quesnel, B C in 1972 who was working in the woods bucking trees I had never heard of Husqvarna chainsaws. all I knew about Husky was Motorcycles and Rifles. My friend was bragging about his new Husqvarna saw which he said was the first one that didn't leave his hands bruised with broken blood vessels after a day in the woods. We cut down a maple (?) tree for fire wood and cut it to firewood length and the saw must of had spring AV on it, as after the saw touched the wood I had to 'take up slack' in the handles to get it to cut. A lot different than the Mac's and Remington's we were using back home! Another thing I remember was how quiet it was compared to what we were used to.

SawTroll · June 17, 2015, 12:57:22 PM

Quote from: Caloren on June 17, 2015, 01:55:02 AM
OK, all this talk about the old days of Husky's in the US reminds me of the first one I used. Visiting a friend in Quesnel, B C in 1972 who was working in the woods bucking trees I had never heard of Husqvarna chainsaws. all I knew about Husky was Motorcycles and Rifles. My friend was bragging about his new Husqvarna saw which he said was the first one that didn't leave his hands bruised with broken blood vessels after a day in the woods. We cut down a maple (?) tree for fire wood and cut it to firewood length and the saw must of had spring AV on it, as after the saw touched the wood I had to 'take up slack' in the handles to get it to cut. A lot different than the Mac's and Remington's we were using back home! Another thing I remember was how quiet it was compared to what we were used to.

I'm sure there weren't any springs in the AV at that time. It was rubber, but it was the two-mass prinsiple, that only Husky used back then.

This being 1972, the saw likely was a 180S.