In the sea of International Scouts washing into the market starting in 1961, several special models came along with the tide: the Red Carpet Scout celebrated the 100,000th Scout 80; the Scout Campermobile supported outdoors adventure; the Terra and the Traveler delivered longer wheelbases; the Super Scout II went racing; and the Scout Rallye supplied uprated shock absorbers and tires for offroading – to name just a few. Some were substantive variants with altered bodies, and some were trim packages. In 1976, to celebrate the country’s bicentennial, International Harvester introduced the Spirit of 76 and the Patriot. Both were painted white with horizontal red and blue stripes along their flanks. The Spirit of 76 had a blue soft top; the Patriot had a white hard top. Here on craigslist is a 1976 International Harvester Scout II Patriot with an asking price of $3900. The truck is located in York, Pennsylvania, and will need to be towed. This truck has no title and is being sold for parts. We have Gunter K. to thank for this tip!
The motor is a V8, either the 304 cu. in. or the 345 cu. in. While it doesn’t run, it does turn freely. It has an automatic transmission and a floor-mounted transfer case shifter to engage four-wheel drive. Power steering and power brakes round out the package. The Patriot and the Spirit of 76 were inspired by the seventeen Scouts supplied to the US Olympic Ski Team headed to Innsbruck, Austria. These were decked out in red, white, and blue with the US Ski Team insignia on the front fender. Sales figures show fewer than sixty Patriots were made, although some Scout IIs received Patriot alterations without matching line setting tickets. It’s not difficult to fake a Patriot, so buyer beware.
The interiors of both the Spirit of 76 and Patriot were Wedgewood Blue. Honestly, I’ve seen worse interiors on barn find vehicles; this is rough but not terrible. The seller says the truck is “very rusty” – here’s a glimpse of that problem. The sill on the driver’s side is rotted out and the windshield post base is almost gone. The other side isn’t much better.
This truck is almost annoying; parts of it are quite respectable and don’t even come close to looking as shabby as the rusted portions. The rear is clean, the glass is clear, the back bench seat is fine, and the grille is straight. It hasn’t been stripped for parts. The odometer reads 77,000 miles; maybe it hasn’t even turned over. Previous Scouts covered here at Barn Finds draw comments from fans who say almost any Scout can be restored. What do you think about this one?
I’ve bought parts from this seller before. Scouts in PA are always a dicey proposition, and the scattershot location of rust here is typical of Scouts in this area. Patriots aren’t hard to fake, but the fact that the entire interior is the correct blue and wearing Rallye wheels leads me to believe this one is legit (looking at the lineset ticket will confirm this fact, a $20 investment from the Wisconsin Historical Society).
I would have to look at this Scout long and hard in person to know whether $3900 is a good deal or not. God only knows what’s under those carpets in back…
Proof, EVERYBODY jumped on the bi-centennial band wagon. In case you weren’t there, American loyalty had drooped to an all time low. Many still bitter over that useless war, and what better way to bolster patriotism, offer red, white, and blue renditions of ho-hum vehicles. Did it work? Maybe a little, but we needed more than brightly patriotic colored vehicles to solve that problem. I’ll admit, Scouts are the new hot button, still get a chuckle, of all the 4x4s today, a Scout of 50 year old design, is attractive. Clean ones go for 5 figures, for some silly reason. This is too far gone, at least one my age would think so, I’d hang a plow on it and park it ’round back. As far as Scouts go, this, in it’s day, I believe, was the most refined Scout made. Shame it didn’t go any further.
This thing is blatantly patriotic enough to get you banned in 2022 America
Being 6 years old in 76 , all the red white and blue is a huge nostalgic reminder of my early childhood. I even rember having a red white and blue bike. In 76 we loaded up in the family LTD and went to Philly to see the liberty bell and independence hall. Couple years later my uncle woukd buy his first of many scouts. A 80 that was us park service surplus. I’m no expert. But this poor thing is too far gone. Shame
I lived in the Denver PA and when I was 15 I bought a Scout Patriot from a local Veterinarian in the Ephrata area. I have been told that there were a very limited number of these made. York is only about 40 minutes away, could even be the same one. Mine was a 345 for sure. Had been one owner before I bought it. Always regretted selling it, wish I still had some info to find out if its the same one. I had put a big sheet metal patch inside the cargo area, wish I could pick up that rear mat and see…