With the popularity of vintage 4×4’s, it seems like everything in the truck market is turning to gold right now. This 1980 International Harvester Scout 4×4 Midas Edition looks like gold, the name says it all. But, with a current bid price of $9,350, you might not have to spend much to get this one, that is if the reserve isn’t too crazy. The VIN is listed, the title is clear, and there are 12,103 miles. You can find it here on eBay and it is located in St. Louis, Missouri.
A 345 cubic inch V8 lives under the hood of this Scout. It has an upgraded four-barrel carburetor and a Chrysler A727 three-speed automatic transmission with 3.31 gearing and Dana 44 front and rear axles. It has a 2-speed transfer case. It does have power steering, power brakes, and disc brakes up front. The Firestone FR380 radials are fitted all around and are on the factory wheels with front locking hubs.
Inside, this Scout boasts the golden touch of the Midas treatment, a swiveling front bucket seat. These plaid seats also have fold-down armrests, all of which are original. Notable creature comfort is working air conditioning. An overhead clock that has an alarm is perched in the headliner. Sadly, the temperature gauge, fuel gauge, speedometer, and odometer all no longer register their respective measurements.
Painted in Saffron Yellow with “root beer” graphics, part of the Midas touch, it might not be gold colored, and it might not be the gold standard of all trucks, but it is the standard for International Harvester because only 298 were produced in partnership with Midas Van Conversion Company. If you are looking for rare, interesting off-road vehicles, this one should certainly make it onto your list.
Very nice, but does it have a leaky muffler? Stretching for a joke…I won’t quit my day job.
COOL Love that interior.
~ Never seen a Scout with swivel seats. That’s cool. BTW This guy has handled a fair number of Internationals. Last time I visited he had at least a half dozen. Knows them well, he does.
I am not usually a fan of trucks newer than 1972 but this is cool.
WOW the imagination comes alive with this one. Leave it the way it is, or give it some modern day touchs.
Not a big fan of the rectangular headlights, apart from that WOW! That period color combination is just stunning, the plaid swiwel seats is icing on the cake.
Scouts in non-rotted state are always great finds, never heard of the Midas. Given it’s such a rare edition it should see little if any modifications
I used to have a suit made out of that material…
If you still have it, let me know!😁
Agin, last of the Mohicans. IH stopped production of all remaining light trucks
on Oct. 21,1980 to focus more on the heavy duty truck market, which was going great guns at the time. There were several of these “special edition” Scouts, the rarest, the final, posh, unobtainable “RS” Scout, and all were top notch in my book. Wasn’t enough, people just didn’t think of IH as a SUV builder. Considering where the heavy truck market went for IH ( in the crapper) they, in hindsight, should have expanded on this line. Very nice truck, I remember the ads, “no, mom, it’s not a truck, it’s a Scout”,,,
Given the market for pickups and SUV’s today, I’ve sometimes wondered where IH would be if they had focused on those market segments. I suspect they would not have survived, given the difficulties in being a small(er) player. But it is fun to wonder, perhaps they would have carved out a profitable niche (e.g. Land Rover).
A good friend of mine had an orange one of these in college. Wasn’t a Midas but did have the two rows of buckets plus a third row bench with that sweet upholstery. Orange with while stripes and a white hardtop.
What a rig!
Lovely looking International Scout. I find it more attractive than most earlier Scouts and Scout IIs. This is perhaps the nicest one I’d ever seen. I hope whoever purchases it enjoys it. :)
I bought a brand new 78 Ford F-150 shortbed 4×4 that had the Midas Touch as the salesman said. It was the coolest truck in the Fox Valley area outside Chicago. I do miss it and wonder if it still exists. The only thing I would lose on this Scout is the farmer running boards.
We have a ’74 Scout II that is being completely redone at this time(actually going on 3 years now!) LOL
I bought it in 2010 for $2,100.00 345 2 bbl 4 speed 4″ lift spring over axle 35′ tires that was running but unsafe brakes and needed a carb rebuild.
Now we have a mild build 392 w/4 bbl still hooked to the 4 speed, rebuilt drive axles with rear lockers, installed F 150 front shock towers(front) beefed up leafs front and rear, major body work including replacing inner and outer front fenders, core support, hood and rear tailgate…
Paint is on and almost ready to fire her up and go!
Way too much money to get it here, but will be so much fun back on the roads again!
And, while its been out of commission the values have started to sky rocket!
Not selling anytime soon though…
Nice and quirky. Wonder why it needed repainting with only 12k miles..check the picture of the build tag and the paint on it.
Needs some explaining since that tag is inside a door on a pillar and looks like a complete repaint.
“No longer display their respective measurements” ? I guess that means that they’re broken. Really nice vehicle. The swivel seat is a nice touch.
I went and looked at a white one years ago, with around 60,000 miles for 1500.00. should have grabbed it but boy was it ugly.