IH Scout 80 vs. 69-72 Blazer

[vectorit]

I like em, they are just cool in my book. There were a couple friends in my HS that had Scout's, plus one of the big Travelalls.

Little story:
My Dad tells me the story of when he was shopping for a good 4x4 before the family got bigger, and he was torn on the Scout and the Jeepster. He told me about the test drive of a new 66 Scout, and how he was suprised to see all kinds of exposed sheet metal bolts in the cabin. He said it reminded him of an old tractor, but he liked it for the rugged feeling it gave. But, my Mom hated it and made him buy the Jeepster. Plus the Jeepster Comando had just came out again, and had a lot of fan fair, and the dealer was making deals on them.

He said that the Jeepster was in the shop more than on the road... He later sold it to get the 68 burb 4x4, which I now have to this day...

[Mutiny]

Originally Posted by vectorit

I like em, they are just cool in my book. There were a couple friends in my HS that had Scout's, plus one of the big Travelalls.

Little story:
My Dad tells me the story of when he was shopping for a good 4x4 before the family got bigger, and he was torn on the Scout and the Jeepster. He told me about the test drive of a new 66 Scout, and how he was suprised to see all kinds of exposed sheet metal bolts in the cabin. He said it reminded him of an old tractor, but he liked it for the rugged feeling it gave. But, my Mom hated it and made him buy the Jeepster. Plus the Jeepster Comando had just came out again, and had a lot of fan fair, and the dealer was making deals on them.

He said that the Jeepster was in the shop more than on the road... He later sold it to get the 68 burb 4x4, which I now have to this day...

Thats real cool - keeping it in the family

[68lwb292]

I've been looking at a 55 IH dually flatbed down the road runs and drives but doesn't stop and appears to be original and in very decent condition. It has a 4 spd tranny and a huge inline 6 diamond motor and the rear end looks like it belongs in a semi truck. The owner told me that it is a 2 ton farm truck, but I can't find much info on it. It looks to me "size-wise" like a regular dually pickup. He says the farm trucks came in 1 ton, 1 1/2 ton, and 2 ton so i don't know but I think I can get it for a grand.

[Tynee]

My father-in-law is an admitted Scout-a-holic. He's owned somewhere around 10 or 12 in the last 15 years, whether they were to drive or part out. His Super Scout is a lot of fun. I don't a know lot about them except that he reveres the 345 like a lot of folks around here think of a 4 bolt main 350. He daily drives a late 70's scout, and I've never heard him complain about it. I drove it around town on parts runs while I was working on my wife's Jeep at his place, and really enjoyed driving it.

On parts avai;ability, with the number of internet parts sources now, you can get practically anything you want. It may cost you a little more, but it'll still be chepaer than replacing the transmission in a late model sedan.

I think you're going to be happy with whichever you wind up buying. It's just a matter of what you can find a good deal on first.

[UltraBlue71]

I love Scouts! In the early 90's I could find everything I ever need for the two I have owned, they were both Scout II's a 74 and a 76 4wd the 76 was so rotton I had plywood in the floors so you didnt do a Fred Flintstone! a IH 345 is a beast of a motor, not a big revver, but torquey, heck they put it in School Bus's and Big Straight Trucks too, we had a grain truck with a 345 with a 2 speed rear end.

I had a straight 6 in my 74 it was a rare 2wd version, with a split header, man it used to cackle! Other than the crap sheetmetal they used to make the bodys with they are solid trucks,

A used car lot in town has a 80 Scout II (square headlights) with a turbo diesel in it nissan made it for them, It appears to be a pretty solid truck, I havent got close to it, I hate used car salesmen about as much as I hate clowns!.... he has $3400 on it, it has the rare half-cap option, I'm not a fan of the rod-knockers myself, but its a cool truck none the less....