“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” Especially if they have a 1967 International Scout 800 like this one! Yes, this is a former USPS vehicle with right-hand-drive, so if you live in Great Britain, or Japan, or you just like to drive a right-hand-drive vehicle, this one is for you. Not to mention that it’s located in Las Vegas where you were planning on visiting anyway. This is a no-brainer here, fly in, drive this Scout home and make your IH Scout collection complete.
You must already know that there is a huge society of IH Scout lovers and fans around the US, and the world, and that parts can be had for darn near anything that you may need. The seller says “it is an EX-US MAIL vehicle and it carried out its service right here in Las Vegas.”
The body looks like it’s in good shape, almost like they brought it in for a patina-wrap, but it’s real! That’s what your skin will look like after living in Las Vegas for fifty years! Well, ok, that’s not true, most people there are gorgeous, but I think that this Scout is gorgeous just like it is here, without a lot of fancy paint and bodywork and makeup and whatever else the Vegas showgirl-like Scouts are wearing this year. This is a Scout for folks who don’t give a dang what others think about their ride.
Whoops-a-daisy, did I mention that it’s also an automatic? So, if anyone is keeping score: 1) non-4WD – 2) right-hand-steering – 3) automatic. Some would say three strikes and you’re out, but I say, bring on the quirkiness; the more the merrier for me! Well, I’d rather have a manual transmission, always, but other than that I’m on board with this ride. The interior looks halfway decent from the photos that the seller has provided in the ad. Ok, you’re right, it needs some tidying up in there, too. In fact, in the seller’s words, “the paint is ugly, the inside is ugly…. the whole thing is ugly which makes it a perfect Desert Rat vehicle.”
Did I also mention that this is a four-cylinder? So, 1) RWD, 2) R-hand-D, 3) Autobox, and 4) four-cylinder. But, look at how nice that four-cylinder is! This is the smallest engine available for the Scout in 1967: a 2.5L inline-four with 92 hp and 142 ft-lbs of torque. If you’re just going to be driving around on paved streets this setup may work well for you, it did for the USPS for a few decades.
This unusual Scout 800 is on Craigslist with an asking price of $3,500. Hey, are you still there? I know, that may seem like a lot, but as the seller says, you can forget “spending $20,000 on a perfect one just so you could run it out into the desert and make it look like this one….this one is already pre ruined.” If that isn’t a good sales pitch, I don’t know what is! Are you intrigued by this highly unusual Scout or do you like your IH Scouts to be 4WD or nothing?
pre-ruined might pre-empt the “p” word now
Speedometer delete?
The 4 banger was half of the 345 V-8 commercial duty engine. It has sodium filled exhaust valves and should run forever.
They are 1/2 of a 392……..but the same idea. They are good engines but I prefer a 266 or 304 V8 in these. Having driven a lot,of left hand drive cars in England, I would not want a right hand drive car to use here unless I was a postman. It would be interesting to see the line setting sheet on this one. I think the price is too hi by 2X.
Was it originally red, or did someone rattle can it?
I like it but being in the snowy Midwest the non 4 wheel drive wouldn’t work for me and as I’ve stated before right hand drive does not work well on right hand roads when it comes to seeing in the other lane for turning across traffic or passing so I would have to pass.
Is that driver door going to fall off?
I’m a big fan of the Scout. I feel, IH was the best truck out there during this time. Not a big fan of the 2wd, though. I mean, why bother. ( like it’s 2wd Jeep replacement for the post office) It’s the 4wd that really set this truck apart from all the rest, even with the 4cyl. Originally, these were blue with a white top and a red stripe. I think the best use for this, would be a rural mail route job, as it would be pretty useless as a driver. Not many Scout’s left, in any configuration, as these and their 4wd counterparts rusted to bits. http://www.geocities.ws/lances_scouts/LeftSide.jpg
Most of them were painted Green, or a least the ones that ran around here in SE Missouri.
Believe it or not there is still to this day a Rural Carrier that still drives one of these, Right Hand Drive and all, here in the Parkland. I saw it this morning at the Post Office the Guy was loading up for his route.
These old Scouts are so hard to kill even in Missouri, the rust will eat on them but there are still parts for these old Beast. Which I was closer to Vegas I would think about buying it!!
Sorryhitreport
I love the dash shifter.
By the late 60s the Scouts operated by the US Post Office were blue with a white top. Several were also sold to rural contract carriers. Driving from the right seat is no big issue if you set your mirrors correctly. Not like you will be doing a lot of passing. Getting away from a curb takes some thought.
Dig the subtly improved stance with Mopar steelies.
I had a 4WD Scout and unless it was snowy or I was off-road I kinda always thought it’d be fine with just 2WD.
Had a job years ago and drove a RHD Subaru Legacy around dropping tablets into catch basins for mosquito control. Left turns were the only tricky thing.