Sometimes car manufacturers get it right and create a timeless design that just looks good. I think International Harvester did that with the first “SUV” – the Scout. This example is a later model but International Harvester first introduced the Scout in 1960 and it was produced all the way through 1980. This 1978 International Harvester Scout II is for sale here on eBay with only 1 day remaining in the auction. This Scout II has reached a bid of $10,700 after 52 bids. It is located in Corrales, New Mexico. There are several interesting options on this Scout II in addition to it being used in a TV series.
The first Scouts (1960-1965) built by International Harvester were called a Scout 80. The second generation of Scout was called the Scout 800 and produced in three sub-models (800, 800A, and 800B). In 1971, the third generation model was introduced and produced until 1980. It was called the Scout II (like this model). The first generation Scout 80s were equipped with a 152 cubic inch inline four-cylinder engine rated from the factory at 93 horsepower. This was also the base engine for the Scout 800 but it could also be ordered with a turbocharger which upped the power to 111 horsepower. An optional 196 cubic inch inline 4-cylinder was introduced in 1966. Other optional engines included a 266 cubic inch V8 (1967), a 304 cubic inch V8 engine, a 345 cubic inch V8 engine (1971) and a 198 cubic inch diesel inline 6 (1976-1979) in second and third generation Scouts. This example has the Nissan SD33 Diesel with an aftermarket turbo set up according to the seller. The SD33 was a 3.2 liter inline diesel engine made by Nissan that is said to produce good low end torque. This engine was also used in Nissan, Jeep and marine applications. In 1980, a turbocharged model was introduced in the last year of Scout production.
The interior looks pretty nice. It is equipped with a 4 speed manual transmission and 2 speed transfer case. This Scout II is said to run and drive well and has new tires. It smokes when it is cold and needs brake work. The speedometer is also nonfunctional due to a failed speedometer cable. The seller has lots of paperwork including documentation for the aftermarket turbo set up installed by the original owner. I wish their was more information on the turbo and its condition. This Scout II has a working tachometer and tilt column that seems rare. The horn button on the steering wheel is missing and the 8 track stereo probably needs work and new speakers.
The seller states that this Scout II was bought new in El Paso in 1978 and was special ordered by the original owner. The seller states that the Scout II has 143k miles and he or she is the third owner. The body does have rust in the lower rocker panels and surface rust on the frame. The floor pans and body mounts are said to be in good shape. Surprisingly, this Scout II has some TV history. It was used in Season 2 of Dark Winds. The vehicle came with spare mount/jerry can holder. However, during filming, the bolt was lost that attaches to the tail gate so the spare mount/jerry can holder will be included uninstalled with the sale.
Dark Winds? Never even heard of it. Doubt it’s much of a selling point.
Dark Winds is a thriller on AMC. Very popular! It’s a great show and quite exciting. It takes place in Western New Mexico. If you notice there are a lot of bids on this Scout, probably because of being used on the TV show. BTW, my hubby had a red ’78 Scout. He traded it for a new ’81 Toyota Celica when gas prices were high. His Scout only got 10 mpg on the highway. That 5 spd Celica was a blast to drive! (and it got 42 mpg hwy)
Wow. The rust on a New Mexico Scout is bad. Imagine what my 79 in MA looked like! Way too much money to make road legal, so it got beat through the woods and fields behind my house. 345 V8 automatic with the “automatic” hubs. Never broke, except for pieces of the body falling off.
Needs a/c
Looks like a good unit for the most part. I have my doubts that it spent all of its life in NM as there’s more rust than I usually find in similar units out in the Chinook Belt. But then it might be my imagination.
That Nissan engine. A lot of us grumbled about IH using a non-International engine when International built engines of its own. But, the relatively low production didn’t allow for development of a diesel for this unit. Binder’s 4 cylinder engines outweighed this one by at least 100 lbs.
The SD33 was essentially the same engine as used in the Nissan pickups but with a couple more cylinders. Not many problems except for the “Slug Performance” option. Let’s just say that the only time you’re going to hear the tires squeal is when you lock up the brakes.
The fuel injection system is supplied by Diesel Kiki, which begat Zexel, which is all licensed by Bosch. In fact a lot of Bosch items can be interchanged to the pump and injectors. The governor on this one is known as an ‘RLD,’ which works okay but is an absolute bear to set. It must be calibrated on a proper test bench and on-engine adjustments other than idle speed should never be attempted. The ones who chose to utilize this are obviously drinking their own bath water. I might add that the same governor was used on the GMC/Isuzu cab-over trucks. Personally, I’d rather have an RQV which was used on the ’94 to ’98 Dodge-Cummins (not to mention thousands of other applications) because you can make some roadside adjustments if necessary. Of course I wouldn’t recommend that unexperienced people try it unless you enjoy hearing your engine clear 10K rpm. Those DFWI screws can get you into a heap of trouble.
Overall, I’d like to have a Scout with a diesel. It would be an interesting mode of transportation…
I know for a 100% fact that it spent its entire life here in New Mexico. I’ve talked in length with the original owner that ordered it, and I know where it was parked by the 2nd owner where I hsd bought it. I know everything that happen with it feom the day it was picked up to the day I bought it.
I have no reason to argue with you. A couple of guys went to bat for you and I see their point.
Derek Bieri, of Vice Grip Garage.com has a 1979.
I understand that VW merged with International and have ideas of building an updated “Scout”, due out in 2026.
Yes, there is an updated Scout in the works. So far the powers that be are dictating that it is EV ONLY. I can just imagine that when a person is stranded with a dead battery on a logging trail a 100 miles into the backwoods in the Pacific Northwest. The inquiries that have been coming in have been for diesel power, mostly, but I’m sure there would be a gaspot in there somewhere. Zero interest in EV. With the toning down of the pending mandates of EV I think the EV Shell is beginning to crack. Personally I thought it would be quite a neat vehicle if powered by a 3.3 Cummins V6 and a ZF or Dana powertrain…
The rust appears to be from wet mud. My 83 year old friend still doesnt realize how many cv joints and rear axle bearings he has ruined over the years playing in the mud and not doing any preventative maint or cleaning the mud from under the bodies. Mud every day or even once a week will ruin most anything.
I was at home depot one saturday and spotted a scout 2 but it had a late model crate diesel the owner told me. He spent 10k to start the swap he told me. Im happy with the 196 in my 800 and the 345s in the 2’s i have.
Wow, this is the spitting image of my first Scout, minus the diesel. That color is called Siam Yellow, and the seat upholstery is Tanbark. Other than the engine and spare tire setup, I had exactly the same thing: highback buckets, 4-speed manual, green rubber floormats, color-matching traveltop with no roof rack.
Go over those rockers and all of the cab mounts with a fine-toothed comb, flashlight, magnet, and screwdriver; and definitely look under those floor mats.
I had one, I swapped out the head gasket because it was leaking oil. My wife was driving down the highway and this dude pulled her over and said, “excuse me Mame, you have flames coming out the bottom of your scout.” The engine was gone, must’ve been aluminum. I sold the Scout to a dealer that had an engine to drop into it.
I had a “77 and a ’79 Traveler, both 345 automatics. Have had many four wheelers since, a CJ, two YJ’s, three Cherokees, a Rodeo, a Pathfinder, an F-150, an Avalanche….but there was nothing like those Scouts!
Binder built several smaller versions of the 466 (7.6 liters) the smallest of which was the 5.9 liter 6 cylinder with a turbo that was used mostly in school buses , I have thought it would be a great match for the scout but perhaps it is to long to fit in the area built for a V8.
The D/DT 360 was still a 400 Series engine which weighed almost as much as the 466 and was just as bulky. No doubt it would do the job but it would still require a lot of room…
For the past 26 years I have been the proud owner of a well preserved 1976 Scout II with the 3.2 Nissan diesel engine. I’ve been looking for a starter and not having much luck. I ordered one from Rock Auto and had to send it back as it was much smaller and only had two holes on the mounting flange instead of 3. Any help would be much appreciated. THX.