What might be the two greatest concerns of someone interested in an early International Scout? The most obvious is rust, and the second is how to deal with traffic when you’ve got 86 net horsepower under the hood. This particular 1963 Scout Cab-Top alleviates your concerns with a Ford 302 swap and a nearly rust-free body. It’s just about ready for the road, but the seller says it should be trailed home because it hasn’t been driven long distances; however, if you’re looking for a light project or a solid restoration candidate, the Scout is for sale here on eBay in Longview, Washington, with an asking price of $9,500 or best offer.
Engine swaps are fraught with potential catastrophes, but on the surface, this one appears to have been done well, and the seller says that the engine was swapped in 40 years ago. Whoever did the work used a Ford FE expansion tank, and the seller has gotten the engine running on the driver’s side fuel tank with a new Autolite/Motorcraft 2100 two-barrel, an excellent carburetor. Most interestingly, the Scout’s entire driveline aside from the engine has been retained, including its Warner T-90 three-speed, Dana 18 transfer case, and Dana 27 front and rear axles with standard 4.27:1 gears. While a two-barrel 302 is no powerhouse, even the most emasculated emissions version put out roughly twice the power and torque of International’s slant-four, so judicious driving might be required to keep everything in one piece. The T-90 transmission was used in later V8 Scouts, but the axles were upgraded at that time. Just something to keep in mind; anyone can make something last by not beating on it, of course.
The seller includes several undercarriage pictures, and the only serious rust on the whole truck appears to be a couple pinholes in the rear quarter on the passenger side. As you can see with the hoses and lines, the brakes appear to have been serviced at some point in the more recent past, and the master cylinder and rear shoes are new. The exhaust system is rusted and will have to be replaced.
The new buyer will also have to do something about what’s left of the driver’s seat. Fortunately, the Scout 80 was a spartan ride, so little interior work will need to be done aside from the seats.
If you are planning a restoration, the Scout will come with two original International four-cylinders, although I think that most of us would be reticent to go back to an engine that powered the Scout to sixty in about 20 seconds in contemporary road tests.
Being that compact SUVs from the 1960s are extremely popular, and solid early Scouts fairly hard to come by, I think the price is more than fair. Can you imagine how much more the seller would be asking if this were a ’68 Bronco? The engine swap makes it a little more interesting, so I can’t imagine this little International will be on the market for too long.
Well, it’s not a Jeep, but close enough for my triumphant return, pending approval, of course. I just returned from a 10 day drying out stint at the BarnFinds facility in Hawaii for the temporarily mishigosh, and now back at full pace, pending approval. Note improved avatar. The “chief, cook, and bottle washer” was cordial enough to give me a stern lecture on behavior, off camera and guess what,,,,it worked. New me? Happy Howard? Nah, too old for that, but not too old to know who my friends are.
The Scout? Love ’em, almost as much as the Jeep. 302? EXCELLENT motor, just a bit overboard, it will tear itself out of there. Again, and still, I’m a stickler for original, the V6 was pushing it, and gearing and torque, got you through the slop just fine. I’d put the 4 cyl. back in, save the 302 for a Mustang. Now, a Scout ll, way different story.
Peace all,,,,
Huh, I knew it wouldn’t last long, like an old dog, the more you beat him, the more he comes back!!!