IH Scout 80 vs. 69-72 Blazer

[Mutiny]

I've been looking for a project for awhile now. And I'm torn between IH Scout or a 69-72. (Either way it'd get a small lift (4-6) and some 33-35's)

Scout (probably an 80) - Has a fold down windshield. Original SUV. Cheap. Kind of unusual.

Blazer - Classic Chevy. More expensive to find one in decent shape.

They both have pros/cons and I know this board will probably be slightly biased but what do ya'll think of the Scout vs the Blazer?

[Sport/Truck]

Dont they usually hack the crap out of scouts to make them into rock crawlers? Just thinking out loud.....
s/t

[Tx Firefighter]

Scouts are real neat, but speaking from experience, parts availability for them is the worst of any vehicle I have ever dealt with. I once did a brake job on one and had to have the shoes relined because parts stores couldn't get them at any price. This is just one example.

[tcb-1]

granted everything rusts in it's own good time, but those Scouts were absolutely terrible. and as Kevin stated, parts aren't exactly the easiest to find either......

[mbgmike]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

Scouts are real neat, but speaking from experience, parts availability for them is the worst of any vehicle I have ever dealt with. I once did a brake job on one and had to have the shoes relined because parts stores couldn't get them at any price. This is just one example.

I agree. Its was made in the USA but they are a pain to work on. My neighbor was a MIT graduate and he helped design those damn things.He even helped set up the plant in Spain to produce them over their. IH was good back before the 1970's but they fell apart later. Their Pu's and the scout were pieces of crap. They were HD but they would not run for long and the parts were hard to get when they were new. The radiator hoses were two different sizes on each end for instance. I worked at a state fish hatchery and they bought IH for state DNR trucks in 1972. We drove the older late 60's Chevrolet trucks instead. No one wanted the IH trucks. We did drive them to take trash to the landfill however. If they broke we wanted to leave them their If you want to be diff thats ok but I would not. This is just my opinion.

[Mutiny]

Originally Posted by Sport/Truck

Dont they usually hack the crap out of scouts to make them into rock crawlers? Just thinking out loud.....
s/t

Yeah they usually cut the heck out of them, and hack up the wheel wells to fit huge tires.


And I heard the same thing about the parts availability - If I got a scout it'd probably get chevy axles/engine so that would help a bit. But I figure I could build up a decent scout for 1500-2000 where that would just be the base price for a pretty beat up blazer. I like them both and I was originally leaning towards a blazer but I can't get the thought of cruising down the highway with the windshield laid flat out of my head.

[mbgmike]

Originally Posted by Mutiny

I've been looking for a project for awhile now. And I'm torn between IH Scout or a 69-72. (Either way it'd get a small lift (4-6) and some 33-35's)

Scout (probably an 80) - Has a fold down windshield. Original SUV. Cheap. Kind of unusual.

Blazer - Classic Chevy. More expensive to find one in decent shape.

They both have pros/cons and I know this board will probably be slightly biased but what do ya'll think of the Scout vs the Blazer?

I would yank out the engine and trans , radiator at least. I am not sure what they used for the drive train.

[Mutiny]

Originally Posted by mbgmike

I would yank out the engine and trans , radiator at least. I am not sure what they used for the drive train.

They used an odd mix of IH parts and engines. So yeah it'd probably get a 350/sm465

[mbgmike]

Originally Posted by Mutiny

They used an odd mix of IH parts and engines. So yeah it'd probably get a 350/sm465

Keep us informed. As much as I hated them you got me to thinking now

[OldBlue70C20]

Mutiny,

I can't say much about the blazers, but I did own a 1971 IH Scout 800B. I really enjoyed it, but finding parts was pain in the butt and when you found them you might as well be buying gold bars. Other than the lack of affordable parts I like the scouts.

But, I would think that Blazer part would be much easier to locate and cheaper to buy.

[dwcsr]

Seems I'm the only one that had great luck with mine. I had a Terra with a 345 4 spd. The 345 was a motor that would not die. Don't buy one with the 4 cylinder.

I worked at a IH dealer for several years and never replace a V8 motor in a scout. Parts used to be hard to get but they are reproducing them just like GM trucks now. Also stay away from the chain drive version. The chains broke in the power divider often when plowing or alot of off road. It was a poor atempt at full time 4 wheel drive.

I'd do the scout

[Mutiny]

I am kind of leaning towards an 80 or 800 scout.. for the uniqueness. (throw in a chevy drivetrain..) but the blazer has a collector factor with it

[fine69]

http://scoutparts.com/


http://www.superscoutspecialists.com/store/t-faq.aspx

This one is right by me.

I personally like the Scouts. I want one.

[70clone]

What the heck get em both

[special-K]

I love all the IHs.I really dig those little Scouts.They aren`t the 1st SUV,though.what about Willys wagons,suburbans,and Travellalls?I never owned an IH because they were always funky with parts...even when new.i you don`t have the line order you don`t know what you`ve got.Depending on when and where a vehicle was built,the parts sources varied.I like their smaller size in the bobtail group...CJs,Bronco,Land Rover 88s,FJs...
I always wished GM had made the Blazers that size.always wants to downsize one.I don`t see the two as comparable because of size.The Blazer was the 1st full-size vehicle of this type.

Now that they`re old all this parts stuff isn`t important unless you are doing a correct restoration.mine would end up with GM stuff under it.a Scout could always have other small 4wd parts swapped-in,like axles from Jeeps.

[lks dcvn]

I like the Scouts and I also like the Blazers.

If I ever found a solid Scout near me that was a decent price I would probably pick it up...that is the problem - they are rarely solid in these parts. Most of them rusted away faster than the Blazers.

Anybody know the price comparison between the two (which was cheaper to buy new - disregarding options - just base price)?

[BlueJeep]

I also like the scouts. Unless you're going for 100% resto, I don't know why parts should be a problem. They share most of the same drivetrain components as Jeeps, dana 30 and 44 axles, model 18 and 20, and 300 transfer cases, T18 transmissions....etc. If something isn't available or reasonably priced, swap it out. Drum brake open knuckle dana 30 outers can be swapped out pretty easily for dana 30 or 44 disc brake components. Closed knuckle axles can be swapped to later model open knuckle axles, etc.

[capev86]

it comes down to personal choice...both trucks will get looks going down the road as you don't see those kinds of vehicles any more (at least in my area of the country).

as for the scout being the orginal suv.....it has been around longer than the blazer, but the jeep is arguably the first also. however....if you can find a production suv build before 1935 (the year of the suburban) you are a hero. and if that vehicle is still in production.....you are a god amongst car lovers!

[JimmyFloyd]

I like the looks of both, but the blazers have always been more appealing to me. Where in PA are you? There is a decent Scout on CL by me for $2500, and I know of a junkyard with half a dozen of them in Western NY.

[69GMCLonghorn]

If I wasn't a GM fan, I wouldn't be on this forum. But I'd go for a IH. They are different, pretty tough from what I've heard and can be built to any extreme your mind and budget will allow! As noted somewhere above, just stay away from the Hurricane 4 (I think that's what it was called). It was a V-8 with one bank lopped off, sealed up and rebalanced...

I think in certain years, there was also a diesel option. That might be fun to build on...

[Mutiny]

Originally Posted by JimmyFloyd

I like the looks of both, but the blazers have always been more appealing to me. Where in PA are you? There is a decent Scout on CL by me for $2500, and I know of a junkyard with half a dozen of them in Western NY.

I'm about an hour north of Pittsburgh. And trying to find a 4-speed blazer around here is ridiculously hard.

[chipflyer]

Anybody else remember the little jingle in their tv commercials?
"International Scout, anything less is just a car"

[travlinman]

try this.http://www.anythingscout.com/ theres lots of scouts out there and there all hardcore scout guys. theres a big club out here that people fly in from all over. they do trail rides rock climbs.shows,bbqs and even do clinics on how to's when someone needs something done or custom made.

[special-K]

I know this has nothing to do with what you want,but I just had to stick this in here:

[Mutiny]

Originally Posted by special-K

I know this has nothing to do with what you want,but I just had to stick this in here:

Not exactly my style, but I can definitely appreciate the work somebody put in. Did it have the scout front end on it?