The International Harvester Scout has long been a darling of the collectible truck world, part of that amazing class of square body rigs that emit classic style with go-anywhere drivability. This 1971 model is made even more desirable for being one of the relatively few examples equipped with the unstoppable Nissan-sourced SD33T inline 6 turbo diesel engine. Throw in the fact that it’s clearly a survivor and you have all the ingredients for a very strong auction, as bidding is currently up to $17,000 with no reserve. The seller notes it has been upgraded during his 15 years of ownership, and it’s now listed here on eBay in Gentry, Alabama.
Photos like these tell a story, with near-perfect body panels and original decals still presenting as-new. The aftermarket wheels clearly have lower offsets than the factory wheels, and the stance is just spot on. The paint isn’t original, but it does appear to be the original color – at first, I thought this was white, but the seller confirms it is Embassy Gray and in different photos, you can tell it’s a shade darker. He calls it a “fair” paint job, and it sounds like it has some flaws but clearly looks good from 10 feet away. Some rust is noted on the bottoms of the rear fenders and behind the door frame, but it doesn’t seem significant at this time. Tires may look good in photos, but the seller notes they are due for replacement.
The interior is certainly eye-catching and is surprisingly vivid considering the staid exterior. The driver’s seat will need some work, but you could also live with this for the time being with the help of a seat cover. The truck is all original inside, and the dash retains its original paint. The good news is the original fabric is still available, according to the seller, and he recommends re-doing the front seats but leaving the back seat alone. The Scout is equipped with air conditioning but it doesn’t work; other non-functional interior components include the clock, radio, and fuel gauge. Overall, for an unrestored cabin, this one is holding up pretty well. The transmission is the preferred manual gearbox with a Dana 300 transfer case.
The engine is what most collectors will be scoping out, as this overbuilt Nissan turbodiesel is a gem. Known for being incredibly long-lived, it’s encouraging to see an engine bay that looks this clean. The water pump, belts, and coolant hoses have all been replaced, and the rear axle, including the differential, driveline, rear and front brakes, and emergency brake, have all been rebuilt. The seller has also installed new Warn locking wheel hubs, and a variety of body seals/weatherstripping have been replaced as well. Overall, there’s very little this truck needs to go on a long-distance cruise right now, and the Nissan turbodiesel will happily return 20-23 miles per gallon wherever you go.
These are cool rigs. I had the opportunity to look over one that came into the shop in Denver where I used to work. It was also a real cream puff. What was really cool was while it was in the shop a different customer had brought his Datsun 280Z with the same engine. I think that one was taken from a Maxima but it has been too long to be 100% on that. And this engine found its way under the hood of few pre Cummins Dodge pick ups. Gotta love the early days when a Diesel engine was significantly cheaper to own and maintain. It doesn’t make sense to own a new one unless you tow heavy.
I had an NTC Maxima with a 5-speed. It was an amazing car. Burned up the glow-plugs using ether in the wintertime, the soent a year chain-pulling or parking on hills to start. It’s probably still running somewhere…
Another one! Well that shows that they had some degree of popularity. They were hard to wear out but you definitely learned to use the gearbox. IMHO, I don’t think the turbo did a heck of a lot except add to the overall cost. I do say that the timing advance didn’t tend to get fouled with sludge. It also had a much better shut down mechanism. As in the last one I wouldn’t kick this one off my driveway. I would get the A-C and other stuff working and get out and drive it. That’s what it was made for…
Ad says rust is beginning, from what I saw it,s been there for a long time and there were prior attempts to control it. Expect to find the lower part of a small iceberg. I hope my impression is wrong.
These are wonderful, and many of us readers pull for the smaller manufacturers. Me, I love AMC.
The two images of the rust question the previous body work. The body filler looks awfully thick. Both ends of the rocker panel show filler as well. The floor at the driver’s position is a concern as well. It appears the bed liner was applied over existing corrosion. A block heater suggests this Scout originally spent time well north of Arkansas. I don’t think the vehicle is as good as it appears. Give the seller credit for the close-up images.
Until I looked at Hagerty I had no idea of the market. The valuations were a surprise to me. The mechanical upgrades may be worth the money but the bidding looks suspicious.
The last of the Mohicans, too bad it’s an oil engine. 1980 was the last year for Scouts, a colossal blunder, we’ve been over and over, but to equip one with a low output diesel like this, just shows, the folks in the boardroom were losing it, trying to cash in on the trend of the day, diesels. IH made the best gas motors, or even the AMC replacements, but a motor like this is a poor choice. I’m not an overly gloting type person, but again, wait until these folks actually drive this thing, “why won’t it hold 55mph in 4th gear? Is it supposed to smoke like that?” Ha-Ha,,,
Another fine example of ignorance speaking volumes: The battery isolation switch goes on the negative post.
I think this is the 32 & final yr scout wuz 33 which = a turboed diesel, no? (it’s been awhile since around them).
Too much body rust and bad bondo work
I do not nor will I ever understand the enthusiasm, for lack of a better term, for these automotive turds. At least the Scout II was marginally better than the original with it’s horrible 4-cylinder and proclivity to rust the minute it left the dealership. IMO the ONLY thing worth a second look here is that indestructible engine.