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Barn Find Survivor: 1974 International Scout

This 1974 International Harvester Scout is said to have less than 42K original miles! The real-deal barn find is being sold by Desirable Autos and Classics in Springtown, Texas. You can find it here on eBay with a current bid over $9,000! The body, paint, drivetrain, and interior are all original and although there are some mild flaws, it is in amazing survivor condition. If you’ve ever wanted a cool vintage ride that isn’t something you see regularly, this might be the one for you!

The engine is a 304 cubic inch V8 with a 3-speed manual transmission. The top end has been rebuilt along with a new carburetor, although the original parts were saved. Also, under the forward-tilt hood lies a new aluminum radiator, master cylinder, alternator, and battery.

The interior appears to be very original and in good shape overall. You can see some cracks in the dash pad and some minor damage to the driver’s seat. Speaking of seats, they have an interesting scroll pattern on the seat covers. The back cargo area also looks decent and looks like it’s storing the piece of body trim that is missing from the passenger side.

The cool thing about Scouts is the top comes off and there’s no upper window door trim like there is on a Bronco, making it a true convertible. Overall, this looks like a decent driver and it may be a great candidate for a mild restoration. It would be a shame to completely restore this one since they are only original once. However, this would be a good starting point for someone that wanted to do a resto-mod or restoration. If you want to save this original Scout, you had better plan on bidding five-figures! What would you do with it if you were the winning bidder?

Comments

  1. Avatar KSwheatfarmer

    Wife wants a vintage Bronco in the worst way. I’ve been trying to convince her we might as well restore the Scout we already have, just like this one,saving the purchase price of either one.She’s not buying my idea. Could likely buy this one for less than restoration costs on ours,it’s that rough.She hates brown vehicles.Back to the drawing board.Can’t talk about Scouts without mentioning the R word,this one appears to be not as bad as most.

    Like 6
    • Avatar Greg

      not everyone has a Scout ,I’m a CJ person myself.But The Scout Is definitely on my Bucket List.

      Like 2
    • Avatar Mike

      I’m wondering if there are fiberglass bodies available for Scouts like there are Broncos and Jeeps.

      Like 2
  2. Avatar Pat Housel

    I had a 1979 Scout II. Got it from my brother in law after he blew the motor up.
    He changed the oil himself and didn’t make sure the o ring was removed before sticking the new one. Let’s just say, it went out with a bang…
    Pulled the 304 out and sourced a low mileage 392😊.
    That’s what the factory should’ve done.

    Like 6
  3. Avatar Eric

    As is the case with most classic suv’s and trucks, these are really climbing in price. Remember when you get into the classic car market relatively cheaply by buying an old truck or wagon?

    Like 4
  4. Avatar chrlsful

    “… there’s no upper window door trim like there is on a Bronco…”
    all yrs bronk, the window frames come out…yes tho, an extra step

    Like 1
    • Avatar Aamodel

      Actually only 66-67 bolted on, the rest were welded in place

      Like 1
  5. Avatar Stevieg

    My Dad had one of these as a plow truck. It was an absolute beast! Rusted to a substance similar to swiss cheese lol, but just wouldn’t quit. Very simple to work on too. I wouldn’t mind one day getting one for myself, now just ain’t the time. If it were, this one would be on the list to check out.

    Like 3
  6. Avatar DKW

    Darned near exactly what I learned to drive on. My dad had a silver 75 IH Scout II. Other than exterior color, Dad’s had the white rallye wheels. Interior wise, his also had green vinyl interior with a bench seat in the front and A/C. But the rest of the platform was the same… 305, 3-speed, manual lockout hubs. Thing was like a tank! Would go just about anywhere.

    But is it just me? This one looks like it could’ve been in a flood. Lots of surface and seal rust + the water stains to the back seat. Looks like it may have been backed a bit too far into a lake and pulled out.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Stevieg

      Well, sometimes that happens. A few too many herrs tipped & suddenly ya feel like going for a boat ride. Plus, it is a stick shift. Sometimes ya forget to let off the clutch after you lift off the brake. I get it lol.

      Like 1
  7. Avatar Floyd Artrip

    Not true.
    I owned a 1964 and a 1970 model. Both had removable roofs. The 1970 also had a removable panel which bolted on the back of the front seats, converting the back into pickup style. They had front opening hoods. The 1964 didn’t have a second hood latch.
    Metal failure when I met a semi on a narrow road at a high speed flipped the hood up and over, buckling at the top of the windshield. Fortunately, I had just reinstalled the roof a couple of weeks earlier. Otherwise the big crease in the roof over my head would have been in my skull! Removed the bent up hood and drove it that way until a heavy rain drowned out the engine, and convinced me that it was no longer an all weather vehicle in that condition. After repairing the hood latch I always used a rope as a second safety. Many other stories about these vehicles but I will save them for a future time.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar JMC

    Memories…my Granddad owned Scouts from the 60’s until the early 80’s.He owned a neighborhood bowling center and he did his own plowing.All were 3 speeds save that last one.Plowing a parking lot was a bit more involved with a manual trans than the typical setups available nowadays.I do recall that those vehicles started rusting rather early in their lives and quite profusely at that.

    Like 0

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