One of my 1972 IH Scouts

customtronic · Dec 6, 2015

I showed off my 1972 Scout in a different thread but thought I'd share a little more on the build progress from what we started with to what we have now. I started off with the first '72 Scout I bought. It was a rust bucket that I overpaid for. I learned a lesson on Scouts with that one. I spent a lot of time and money on that one but never could get it straight. I then bought another 72 to use as parts but soon discovered that the body was in much better shape than mine so the original one became the parts rig. Here's the start:

The rust bucket is the one on the right.

customtronic · Dec 6, 2015

It doesn't look bad in that last pic but there were issues all over the place. The truck on the left had dented, trashed body panels but no rust anywhere. I used all of the nice straight body panels off of the black door truck.

customtronic · Dec 6, 2015

Next I braced it all before cutting off the trashed panels.

customtronic · Dec 6, 2015

Here's the start of the panel swap.

And here's what it looked like after welding on new rear quarters and end caps. I used the new straight fenders that I bought for the original truck.

customtronic · Dec 6, 2015

After I got all of the panels on and verified proper alignment I took it all back apart and shot some high build primer.

customtronic · Dec 6, 2015

A little out of order. We brought everything down to bare metal before self etching primer and then high build primer.

customtronic · Dec 6, 2015

Here's the base coat color

And this is the accent color that I'll be painting the hardtop, grill and bumpers with.

customtronic · Dec 6, 2015

customtronic · Dec 6, 2015

I also bought an aftermarket wire harness and rewired the rig. Here's a few pics of that.

Contender54 · Dec 6, 2015

Build looks good.
I have a CJ with the rear dana 44 from a Scout II in it.

Any issues using the replacement wiring harness?
I've been kicking around the idea of re-wiring my CJ for a while now.

customtronic · Dec 6, 2015

Contender54 said:
Build looks good.
I have a CJ with the rear dana 44 from a Scout II in it.

Any issues using the replacement wiring harness?
I've been kicking around the idea of re-wiring my CJ for a while now.

Thanks. No issues at all. It's pretty easy to install with just basic knowledge. It's a good idea to have the electrical schematic to the vehicle being wiring and used in conjunction with the aftermarket harness diagram.

Strouty · Dec 6, 2015

Very nice, thanks for sharing. It is going to look really nice when it is done.

fourjeepin · Dec 6, 2015

Re: Home Depot Clearance Thread 2015

Looking good! Always liked the Scouts..

Contender54 said:
Build looks good.
I have a CJ with the rear dana 44 from a Scout II in it.

Any issues using the replacement wiring harness?
I've been kicking around the idea of re-wiring my CJ for a while now.

I hear the Painless Wiring harnesses are actually quite painful. I don't recall the name of their competitor offhand, but hear those are slightly more expensive, but completely worth the extra coin.

Richard Cranium · Dec 6, 2015

The scout is looking good.

Squashfest81 · Dec 6, 2015

First rig I bought in 94 before I had my license was a 1979 Scout II. 345 with the 727. Such a fun rig. I bought it with like 70,000 miles. Even pulled clear plastic seat covers off the blue plaid minty fresh seats. Sun is shining and I'm missing that rig.
Nice build. She's looking hot.

Scout Driver · Dec 6, 2015

Very nice work on your Scout!

And....hello from a fellow BinderPlanet member. :beer:

Scott

countryroad82 · Dec 6, 2015

Awesome work!!!

54FordPanel · Dec 6, 2015

Very nice. I used to have a Scout, very sturdy truck. I love that Mocha Frost color, that's what I used on my Jeep.

Just curious from the IH guys: Are there any heavier engines for the displacement than the IH 304/345? Maybe a 331 Hemi?

Is that your personal shop, or a place of business?

Squashfest81 · Dec 6, 2015

I'm no Scout expert, but I believe the 304, 345, and 392 are all considered big blocks. There was something different with the casting too, high nickel maybe?

SCscoutguy · Dec 6, 2015

Squashfest81 said:
I'm no Scout expert, but I believe the 304, 345, and 392 are all considered big blocks. There was something different with the casting too, high nickel maybe?

For IH engines they were actually considered small. The 266,304,345,392 were all "SV" engines meaning small v8. IH also made 404 and 446 "MV" medium v8 engines as well as the 401,461,478 and 549 "LV" Large v8 engines. I am not sure if this has ever been verified by any official sources but IH SV engines are supposed to have the highest nickel content of any production v8 engine ever made.

customtronic · Dec 7, 2015

Thanks for the comments. All of the pics except the last two were taken at my stereo shop. I've since sold the business and semi-retired. It was a great space....5000 sf. The two pics of the Scout in color were taken at my home shop. Not nearly as big at 1700 sf but still a great space. It was a barn until I started the conversion this past summer. Here's the thread that I started on that: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=310438

customtronic · Dec 7, 2015

fourjeepin said:
Looking good! Always liked the Scouts..

I hear the Painless Wiring harnesses are actually quite painful. I don't recall the name of their competitor offhand, but hear those are slightly more expensive, but completely worth the extra coin.

I looked at the Painless kit and read some reviews. I read about people not liking them for various reasons. I found a lot of positive comments on Kwik Wire so that's the one I bought. A lot cheaper than Painless and so far it has been a pretty easy install.

Scout Driver said:
Very nice work on your Scout!

And....hello from a fellow BinderPlanet member.

Scott

Awesome! My other favorite forum! I only spend time in three forums....this one, BP, and a car audio one named DIYMA.

customtronic · Dec 17, 2015

I've spent the last few days repairing a cobbled up mess that a previous owner did. The rear bumper support was all cut up and a big piece of angle steel was welded on in place of a rear bumper. I first cut it all off and then designed a new piece, welded it all together. I should be able to get it back together tomorrow.

customtronic · Dec 17, 2015

This new piece ties in the end of the frame and gives a place for the body mount bushings. The rear bumper mounts here as well. I shot some self etching primer on the inside a few hours ago. Tomorrow morning I will paint the inside with some rattle can black, weld it onto the frame and then prime/paint the outside.

Ponchoguy · Dec 17, 2015

You would have been in your glory in NYC in the 70's and 80's. Every NYC municipal agency used these. My uncle worked for the Water Department (now DEP) and I can remember as "recent" as 1987 when he just about retired having him drive around in a Scout.

The junkyard I used to get parts for on my Delta 88 locally had a few of these. I remember one was a '78 by the door jamb label, but you could tell it had been sitting a while and looked like it was in an accident causing its demise.

customtronic · Dec 18, 2015

Ponchoguy said:
You would have been in your glory in NYC in the 70's and 80's. Every NYC municipal agency used these. My uncle worked for the Water Department (now DEP) and I can remember as "recent" as 1987 when he just about retired having him drive around in a Scout.

The junkyard I used to get parts for on my Delta 88 locally had a few of these. I remember one was a '78 by the door jamb label, but you could tell it had been sitting a while and looked like it was in an accident causing its demise.

I think I first noticed the Scout in the late 80's. I grew up in Providence, RI and don't remember ever seeing one. Cadillac and Lincoln everywhere but very few 4x4's where I lived. I'm sure they were around, I just never noticed them. A neighbor had one when I moved to Seattle after leaving the Army. His was a '76. I didn't buy one until about 2007. After buying that first one I was hooked and ended up buying 4 more plus a '69 IH Travelall.

nonhog · Dec 18, 2015

Been eyeing Scouts on CL. Torn between FSJ or a Scout.
Cool thread!

Squashfest81 · Dec 18, 2015

Customtronic, pics of the travelall please. Almost bought one about 15 years ago, but she was 2wd and I just couldn't commit.

Mavawreck · Dec 18, 2015

nonhog said:
Been eyeing Scouts on CL. Torn between FSJ or a Scout.
Cool thread!

I've had a few Wagoneers and grew up around Scouts. I'd rather have a Scout but could be tempted by an FSJ Cherokee.

customtronic · Dec 18, 2015

Squashfest81 said:
Customtronic, pics of the travelall please. Almost bought one about 15 years ago, but she was 2wd and I just couldn't commit.

The Travelall was sold to a family member about two years ago. It was pretty sweet....1200D with a Dana 60 stock. 345, 4 speed. Here are some pics of it.

vintagespeed1956 · Dec 18, 2015

i had a '72 right hand drive scout. digging your build!

madoc1 · Dec 19, 2015

nice work on the green scout. am a bit confused tho. are you building the new bumper for the green one? any way, thx for the pics. have always loved them (but not as much as my fj440

)

customtronic · Dec 19, 2015

vintagespeed1956 said:
i had a '72 right hand drive scout. digging your build!

madoc1 said:
nice work on the green scout. am a bit confused tho. are you building the new bumper for the green one? any way, thx for the pics. have always loved them (but not as much as my fj440 )

Thanks for the comments.

I'm not building a new bumper. The piece we've been working on is the support that is welded onto the rear of the frame that the stock rear bumper mounts to. I also had no place for the rear body mounts to support the body.

This will make more sense after we weld that piece on and test fit the rear bumper.

customtronic · Dec 24, 2015

Haven't had a chance to get in any work these last few days. I'm hoping to get that bumper support welded on today.

customtronic · May 19, 2016

I've got quite a bit done since I visited the forum last. Here's an update,

nonhog · May 19, 2016

oh how nice! :thumbup:

customtronic · May 19, 2016

FunkyfullWidth · May 20, 2016

I've been working on a 73 at work. It started out as rebuilding the ******, then transformed into pulling the motor, sending the interior out repairing some wiring, and patching some holes someone cut for speakers, and doing a small lift kit.

Yours is looking awesome! What size motor do you have in there. The one we just did was a 345. Pulling it was easy, but it's scary heavy. You got any pics of the interior. What did you do with the dash? Hard to tell but it looks like your rockin a different gauge set.

I searched for a looong time for decent interior pictures but came up empty. I think a strong 90% of scouts out there are in a slight state of disrepair. Any idea how they cut the holes in the dash pad for the defrost vents?

customtronic · May 31, 2016

FunkyfullWidth said:
I've been working on a 73 at work. It started out as rebuilding the ******, then transformed into pulling the motor, sending the interior out repairing some wiring, and patching some holes someone cut for speakers, and doing a small lift kit.

Yours is looking awesome! What size motor do you have in there. The one we just did was a 345. Pulling it was easy, but it's scary heavy. You got any pics of the interior. What did you do with the dash? Hard to tell but it looks like your rockin a different gauge set.

I searched for a looong time for decent interior pictures but came up empty. I think a strong 90% of scouts out there are in a slight state of disrepair. Any idea how they cut the holes in the dash pad for the defrost vents?

This one has a 304. I have a few IH engines hanging around my shops....two other 304's, a 345, and a 196 4-banger. You are correct....the 304 and 345 are big time heavy! As far as the dash, I upgraded to a set of modern round gauges from IH Only North. I still have the stock dash pad going back in but I bought a nice ABS cover for it from Super Scout Specialists. It comes black but I'm going to use some SEM color coat and dye it tan. I'll be starting on the door panels, center console, amp rack and sub enclosure. I've got some cool plans for all of that. I'll post some pics when I get going on that part.

Dick in Wisconsin · May 31, 2016

The original I-Scout was a great "parking car". That original Scout could be a pickup or a "station wagon" with the bulkhead out and the rear cap on. The back seat sat on angle iron that slid back and forth on combo wheel wheels/gas tanks. You could bolt the rear seat down, but it was easier to just let it side freely. This enabled a couple to quickly position the rear seat so everything lined up perfectly!

One of my 1972 IH Scouts

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