Can you imagine a better hunting truck than a Scout? It’s certainly likely one of the top 10 examples of a vehicle you can see parked on a large tract of land, with all the requisite features of a sportsman’s paradise, and a 1978 International Harvester Scout like this one is the perfect accessory. In fact, as the seller notes, his grandfather had a fleet of them for traversing his hunting management facility located somewhere in Montana, which also helped keep some of the rust at bay. It still has some bodywork needs and the keys are missing, and it hasn’t been driven since 2005. Find it here on eBay with bidding at $4,700 and no reserve.
I love the idea of an older fella with a wide expanse of prime Montana hunting property having a half-dozen Scouts lined up for running across the property. It actually seems pretty ideal, really, given the current state of affairs (replace Scouts with Troopers, and I suppose you have my picture-perfect scene of blissful isolation.) The seller claims this is a lower mileage truck but doesn’t specify the odometer reading; the photos of the interior do seem to back up the notion that it hasn’t seen too much hard use, even if the seat covers could potentially be hiding ripped up upholstery. The dash has some cracks, but not as many as I was expecting for a truck that’s lived outside.
There are no keys to start it, but the seller did manage to find a title – sitting right in the glovebox. The engine bay shows no major concerns, other a non-running engine that hasn’t been fired up in years. The seller mentions that they’ll be selling a few of these Scouts off at a time, and there is another one listed for sale, but this seems like the less-rusty example. If the seller can find them, pictures of all the Scouts lined up at the Montana camp would certainly make the listing all the more interesting, especially since they’re apparently going through the effort of shipping all these trucks home before selling them.
The bodywork may look decent, but the seller does note that there is rust in the lower door jambs on both sides. The “…front of the rear quarter panels” is another watch area described in the listing, and the seller notes that on the inside, the “roof liner” – I’m assuming he means the headliner – somehow got lost in transport. I’m honestly not sure how such a hard to access part goes missing, unless it was shipped with the windows open (I’ve seen this plenty of times, so it’s not out of the question.) The Scout is part of that desirable segment of four wheel drive classics that still holds immense appeal across multiple generations of collectors, so I’m sure the seller will clear out his grandfather’s stash with ease.
I wouldn’t buy this if it was a dollar because I appreciate animals and anyone who would shoot a wild animal disgusts me – there is absolutely no reason or excuse for hunting. Yes I’m a vegetarian.
Your last sentence explains everything.
That’s the worst not-interested argument I’ve ever heard. We humans are meat eaters and have the teeth to prove it.
Well, don’t visit Colorado, where they are still cowboys firing pistols in the air, and Wisconsin, where hunting generates MILLIONS of dollars in revenue. I could be a vegetarian, not so much for the animals, but more because cooking them disgusts me.
I’m a vegrtarian once removed. I believe in efficiency. Therefore I eat animals that only eat vegetables, letting them do the hard work.
I personally support vegetarians/vegans by eating the animals that kill your food source. Vegetarian/Vegan Lives Matter!!!
I’m a huge Scout fan. Unfortunately, I’m not in the market right now. This looks like a nice truck.
Love this HUNTING Truck.
I’m sure it was very much loved and if it could only tell stories. I keep my CJ2A at our local duck club and all the older members love seeing it loaded up to travel to the ground blinds to HUNT. Great memories
great find
I suppose its ok to cage an animal and slaughter it. I love a good steak, chicken and deer, as well as elk.
keep your opinions to your self unless its about this site. JUST SAYING
Love the truck.
Decent truck, though those door gaps are sure sign that the front body mounts are in need of replacement. Not a hard job, but not for everyone. Scout prices sure have skyrocketed in recent years.
What does being a “vegetarian” have to do with buy/don’t buy this Scout? Stay on point! Nice truck but would prefer a Trooper from that era.
This a tired old Scout, even though, it was almost the end of the line for the make. Gramps pulled something that required a brake control, and with sagging doors, he used it in all weather, surprisingly, exactly what they were made for. Scouts in Wisconsin led a rough life, and it’s common to see 4 or 5 sitting in the woods with no bodies. Looks like one headache after another with this, however, all parts are probably around, and you’ll make great friends with the Autozone clerk.
Plenty of money to spend and blood to shed on this one, but it looks decent and original.
The Autozone clerks will be totally clueless and tell you to go away! The way it was when I owned one between ‘88 and 2000 and I’m sure it’s gotten no better.
sic truck
They were Junk new, pop cans now
dogwater –
Clearly, you never owned one. It was the best 4×4 I ever owned (and I’ve owned a bunch). I got 400K miles out of the engine before I had to rebuild; the rebuilder said it looked like it had less than 100K on the engine.
The Scout’s Achille’s Heel was the bodies; all it had to do was look like rain was coming and the truck would start rusting. Otherwise, it would out-offroad any other stock 4×4 on the market.
What engine is that? A 345? Can’t really tell. Doesn’t matter I guess, going to be hard to start without a key, they do have the title I hope. IH made some rough tough trucks, never cared for these much. Of course, these got to skirt a little around the emission laws back then as they were considered “trucks”.
Great hunting, plow and around the backcountry road vehicles. Powerful V-8’s but low mpgs. Wish they still made them, with better rust protection, and modern electronics. I’d be wary of the rust on any scout though, they will rust in half very quickly once the tin worm finds its home. Be ready to undercoat. There are lot of nooks that retain moisture and dirt. I live in WI and my dad had a 65 and 74. Rust was there worst enemy.
Scouts of this era were pieces of junk, IMHO. Their trucks and SUVs went downhill after 1968.