Thanks Gary for letting me continue the blog!

This is how Oakley rolls apparently... saw this in the parking lot today at Bass Pro Shops in Grapevine, Texas... built up on a massive Freighliner Chassis... then some nice custom body work... look at those massive rear tires... sweet ride...

Oklahoma State Scout

Saw this old Scout at Oklahoma State tail-gating before game...

Picked up the Scout from Jeff Tech

Picked up the Scout from Gerald at Jeff Tech today. Man, does this guy know his way around a Scout! He fixed all the electrical problems - missing grounds, broken wires... now all the gauges are working for the first time in probably decades! Replaced master cylinder... now we have brakes to spare. The steering is all okay, the clutch is good, tranny good - the only issue I have with this tranny is that being a 3 speed and being geared so high, that when I need to crawl out of a tight spot, I have to lock the hubs and drop it into 4WD to grab the power I need. That 1st gear just doesn't have it! The limits of the 196 and the 3 speed are just that... but using the 4WD helps a lot...

Gerald Warner at Jeff Tech

Picked up the Scout from Charlie at Truett Worrell and he had completed work on the springs, lowering them, pushing out the angle of the shackles and thus softening the ride considerably. I still have plenty of clearance for the wheels - probably still have a couple extra inches lift over factory delivery standard. This ride still ain't no cushy luxury sedan by any means but it's much better.

Next stop was to see Gerald Warner at Jeff-Tech in Arlington. Mark Drake of Scout Madness in Lubbock, TX told me that Gerald is the man for Scouts in Dallas and he knows what he's doing on a Scout. When I got to his place, in fact he had 3 or 4 other Scouts in the shop, which was good to see! With all new gauges and a new fuel tank sending unit and still not having a functioning amp, fuel, temp or oil gauge, I am at the point where I need a mechanic who is an expert at working specifically on these old Scouts. The steering is still a little questionable, the brakes may need attention and the clutch probably needs to be checked. Gerald says he is the man who can take care of all this! I believe him...

Carburetor, steering, front end, springs

Had the Scout back in the shop last week for some carb work. There was gas leaking where the carb mounted to the engine. I tightened it up a bit and stopped the leak but could not get the engine to run smooth again - too rich! Bob Pruitt got hat fixed simple enough but while I had it there we discussed the spring situation and the sterring gear box again. I was referred to Truett Worell Co. down in Dallas. They have been there since 1940 and they surely know there stuff. They went to work on getting the front end in order. They think the gear box might be okay. Just lubing the tie rods and drag link could help. These old vehicles don't have grease fitings so they get stiff. Also may need front end alignment. They think they can work on the springs to soften 'em up a bit without replacing them, which would be pricey.

1971-1980 Scout II: The Final Evolution

1971-1980 Scout II: The Final Evolution
Story by Jim Allenphotos by the author, courtesy John Glancy/Super Scout Specialists, or Mark Drake and Larry Fintel/Scout M.A.D.ness

The International Harvester Scout II was the final production evolution of a popular 4x4 that helped set many SUV benchmarks. The original Scout made its debut in November of 1960 as a 1961 model. It proved to be a hit for IH, but one that was outside the manufacturer’s normal agricultural and commercial markets. (See “Old Iron, The Forgotten Scout: 1961-1964 Scout 80” in the January 2004 issue for more info on the beginnings of the Scout.)
The original Scout 80 was a cut above other SWB 4x4s of the day in terms of comfort and day-to-day convenience. For the next decade, the Scout moved steadily upmarket. Because International’s sales and marketing organization was outside the mainstream, IH wasn’t able to keep up with the burgeoning SUV craze. Sure, it was competing against companies that had more resources and better mainstream marketing options, but International Harvester was geared more toward agricultural and commercial markets. Despite the overwhelming competition, the Scout held a small but respectable slice of the market. In 1971, with a new model on the horizon, IH execs knew the market had to increase.

The Midas interior was definitely from the 1970s, but lemme tell ya, it’s still cushy 25 years later. The Midas in the Traveler featured a rear seat that folded down into a bed. The front and middle seats were swiveling captain-type chairs.

The interior of the SSII was Spartan and basic-just what a wheeler wants. The seats were covered in heavy-duty boat vinyl, and there were no floor coverings. A rear seat was optional. The SSII came with removable defroster vent covers to prevent the dreaded winter dust storm when the defroster was used the first time after a dusty summer.
On the eve of a new model, IH brought in a mainstream marketing guy, Keith Mazurek, who had been seduced from Chrysler. With sweaty palms, the conservative IH execs allowed Mazurek to mount the biggest media campaign in the company’s history and modernize the dealership organization. True to IH’s customary practice of ignoring traditional model introductions in the fall, it introduced the Scout in the spring of 1971.
The Scout II was the biggest upgrade in the model’s history — but it wasn’t a groundbreaking change. The new Scout II was still true to the 800A and 800B models it replaced, and that wasn’t all bad. The Scout II was longer and wider, but on the same 100-inch wheelbase as the previous model’s, with the extra length over the tail. New doors added greatly to a more solid feel and drastically better access. Most of the other changes were refinements that made the vehicle better suited to compete in the SUV market. Those changes were many, but IH built upon a basic mechanical foundation tested and proven over the previous decade.

The Cabtop Scout II, 1974 model shown, is a fairly uncommon beast these days. It was essentially the same Scout as the others, with a bulkhead behind the seats and the half cab. Before the XLC upgrade in 1975, the GVW was a meager 4,600 pounds early on but was later upped to 5,200. 5,500 pounds was optional.

The Rallye is a popular version of the Scout II Traveltop. Several variations in look and features over the years were offered. It consisted of the stripe treatment, chrome Rallye wheels with HR-78 tires, power steering and HD shocks. It wasn’t usually seen on bare-bones rigs, so usually it was part of a nicely optioned Scout. This is a 1975.
Known internally as the Model 810, the new Scout II came in three basic configurations: the Traveltop (a full-length hardtop), the Cabtop (a short cab mini-pickup), and the Roadster (a topless variant). The Traveltop was by far the most common variant. The Roadster was seldom seen.
Mechanically, the new Scout reprised many previous tech features. It had the option of four engines, including three standby choices: the 196ci four, the AMC-built 232 inline-six, and the 304ci International V-8. To that was added IH’s medium-duty 345ci V-8-a true truck engine, with many super HD features. Both V-8s used 2-bbl carbs and had similar horsepower numbers, but the 345 had a big 37-pound-foot edge on torque (see specs).

The Patriot Editions came in 1976 to coincide with the Bicentennial. Shown is a roadster with the typical red, white, and blue motif plus rallye wheels and Goodyear Tracker ATs.

In 1979, the Midnitestar editions were offered, and, like most of the other special Scout conversions, they were done by contractors. Good Times was such a company that did van conversions in Midland, Texas. The conversion started out with a high option V-8/automatic Scout with bucket seats, air-conditioning, cruise control, and tilt wheel. Good Times added a cowl induction hood, body moldings, fender flares, new grille, color keyed spoker wheels, louvered rear windows, a special center console, and gold exterior accents with special paint. The Midnitestar also came with a high-zoot 8-track, multi-speaker stereo system. Three colors were offered: black, brown, and deep blue. According to Mark Drake, a Scout expert and restorer, only 120 Midnitestar editions were built and only two were this deep-blue color.
The engine choices evolved over the years, with the 232 being replaced by the AMC 258ci six for 1972-1974. The 196ci four was dropped in 1973 but came back in 1975 when the AMC six was dropped. In 1976, the Nissan 6-33 six-cylinder diesel was introduced as an option. That engine was given turbocharging for 1979, making it more sprightly but still capable of mid-20s fuel economy.
The 345 V-8 was “de-HDd” to a point, with the emissions variant 345A engine in 1975. From 1979 on, the 345 used a four-barrel Carter Thermoquad 4-bbl. Dual exhaust was standard or optional on V-8s until the advent of the catalytic converter in 1979.

The Scout SSV, or Supplemental Scout Vehicle, was the Scout Division’s last gasp. It was built on a more or less standard Scout chassis but had a cool, composite (fiberglass and other elements) body. It made its debut in 1978, and the initial release hinted at a 1981 debut to the tune of 4,000 units. The glass body knocked a third off the Scout’s normal weight. Some 10 to 12 were built, though some were test mules of varying completeness. The last few built were more or less fully developed units.

The Scout II was marketed as a capable four-wheel-drive station wagon or a practical family wagon able to do anything. Towing ability was one of its touted capabilities, whether it was the family camper or a farm grain wagon. The inset pic shows that Scouts earned some frequent-flier miles as well. Several teams fielded Scouts in the Baja racing scene, this one a two-wheel-drive version. Shown towing is a 1972 model.
Depending on engine, owners of the first Scout IIs had the choice of the venerable Warner Gear T-90 three-speed, the T-18 close-ratio four-speed, or the Borg Warner Model 11 automatic. After 1972, the BW-11 was dropped in favor of the Chrysler three-speed Torqueflite A-727. Manual transmissions changed along the way as well, with a wide-ratio Warner T-19 being introduced in 1975. The rather weak T-90 three-speed was uprated to the stronger but not much more inspiring T-15.
Transfer case options started and ended with the familiar Dana 20 until 1973, when the IH TC-143 single-speed, chain-drive part-time transfer case was put on the options list for auto trans rigs. It was a simple, cable-operated “in-r-out” type t-case. The highly sought after Dana 300 transfer case appeared for the 1980 model year only, offering a much better 2.6:1 low range versus the Dana 20’s 2:1. This was to compensate for the tall axle gearing used that year.

The 345ci V-8 was the most popular engine for Scout II. It cranked out about 150 net horsepower (give or take according to year) and nearly 300 net pound-feet of torque. This engine was designed for industrial use, with a high nickel block and forged crankshaft. It didn’t like to be revved, but it had a broad, flat torque curve from idle to about 3500, and it lived longer than most of its owners.

A cool camping accessory turned the Scout II into a mini camper.
The axles in the Scout II started off the same as the previous Scout 800s, a Dana 30 front and a Dana 44 rear. By 1974, the weak D30 had been upgraded to a Dana 44 in most units. We say “most” because the D30 still appeared (with disc brakes) through 1974, though not with the 345 V-8. A rear Trac-Lok limited slip was optional in all types.
When IH decided to kill off the light-truck line after 1975, it substituted several new variations of the Scout II for 1976. The Terra pickups and Traveler SUVs were basically Scouts with the wheelbases stretched to 118 inches. Starting in 1975, all Scouts had been uprated to 6,200-pound GVW (the so-called XLC, Extended Load Capacity) to exempt them from certain emissions regs and put them in the lower end of the half-ton-pickup GVW range. The Cabtop option for the SWB Scout II disappeared with the advent of the Terra.
Within the range of models, there were many Scout special editions. One of the best known, and coolest, was the SSII. This was a trail-ready variant that appeared in March of 1977. It was stripped and equipped for the trail in a fashion similar to Jeep Renegades.
Other special models offered over the Scout II run included the Rallye, an often seen sporty version of the Traveltop. The Spirit and Patriot Editions appeared for 1976, as did a special model for the Winter Olympics. The Family Cruiser was a luxury version of the Traveler. The Suntanner was a soft-top version of the Terra pickup. The 844 (eight cylinders, four-speed transmission, four-wheel drive) appeared in 1980 as an econo version of the Scout II, boasting low-20s mpg with a V-8. The RS was another full boat luxo version of the Scout Traveler. The Selective Edition package came with unique features that could be added to any Scout starting in 1978. The Midas package featured a comfortable and practical interior. Some of the rare Scout versions were the Midnitestar, Sportstar, Terrastar, Shawnee, and a few others specially produced by outside vendors for the dealer network and are prize finds for Scout collectors.

Several companies offered camper setups for Scouts over the years. This 1973 carries the popup nicely, but we weren’t able to find out if the unit was vintage or recent.

This 1978 SSII was optioned out with just about everything. Several packages were available in the SSII line. The base model was cheaper than any other Scout. Standard features included the hard doors replaced by fiberglass inserts, roll bar, fuel tank skidplate, special grille, and a special tailgate panel. The base SSII came with a 196-4 and a three-speed manual. Numerous factory and dealer-installed options/accessories could be added. The 304 or 345 V-8s were popular, combined with four-speed manuals or three-speed automatics. Big,10x15 Goodyear Tracker tires (about 31 inches) on white spoker wheels, rear limited slip, fender flares, tow hooks, and many other goodies also were available. Gears as low as 4.09:1 (304 V-8 or four-cylinder) and 3.73:1 (345 V-8) were available. The top and doors were optional. This one is the Baja Cruiser package that came with the 345ci V-8, automatic, HD springs, automatic Warn hubs, power steering, tow hooks, rear seat, off-road tire package, and the side applique. In addition, the owner specified air-conditioning, the top and doors, center console, AM/FM radio, and the tube bumpers. This restored original even sports the original Goodyear Tracker AT tires and is an almost perfect gem. Other SSII packages included the Ranch Special, Brush Buster, and Sport.
By the late 1970s, IH had increased the Scout’s market share from 8 to 11 percent, but dark days loomed. Difficulty in making the IH engines meet upcoming emissions standards with the money available was a giant cleaver waiting to drop. A massive, crippling labor strike came in late 1979 and lasted well into 1980 and brought the company to one knee. Questionable executive decision-making (20/20 hindsight, but there it is) brought them swaying on both knees and that led IH to discontinue the Scout in late 1980. The last Scout II rolled off the line in October of 1980. Things were bad enough that IH was forced to liquidate many other assets to stay alive.
For a short time, it seemed all was not lost. Buyers were in the wings, apparently ready to take over the Scout, but this all fell through, and, after a short while with the life monitor on flatline, the Scout was declared legally dead. Nearly 300,000 Scout IIs were produced, and the following has remained huge.
The Scout might have been left in total oblivion if it weren’t for the efforts of John Glancy and Rod Phillips, who bought all of IH’s remaining Scout and light-truck parts and tooling to form Scout Light Line. This is a wholesale company that keeps a host of retailers around the world supplied with Scout and IH parts. It owns the rights to manufacture reproduction parts and some rights to the Scout name as well. Mostly, it keeps the IH Scout and truck fires burning bright.

The Scout Traveler and Terra shared the same basic platform, the Terra having only a half cab and bulkhead, and the Traveler the full-length top. They accounted for a big chunk of sales in the four years they were available — the Traveler, because it had lots of interior room, and the Terra, because it was the closest thing to a pickup from International. Would IH have developed a four-door version of the Terra? Likely, since the industry was heading that way.

The Nissan 6D-33 six-cylinder diesel was added to the lineup in 1976. The naturally aspirated version cranked out 96 horsepower and 137 pound-feet from 198 cubic inches. That was good enough to give a Scout Terra 20.7 mph in a combined city/highway test by “PV4” magazine. Pretty good from a 4500 rig, though its 0-to-60 time was a yawn-inspiring 33.1 seconds. The turbo version cranked out 101 horses and 175 pound-feet with only 6.5 pounds of boost.
Remaining Scout IIs are divided into two groups — the stock/restored and the modified. Sometimes the modified rigs are built to extreme standards. The restoration crowd is big, since the huge IH tractor crowd has a lot of carryover into the Scout II collector ranks. The builder guys do their best to make sure nobody forgets the Scout is still a force to reckon with out on the trail.
Scout and IH events are numerous around the country, but the biggest is usually the IH Scout and Light Truck Nationals that takes place in September in Springfield, Ohio. This event has a cast of thousands.
Last year, Navistar International announced it was studying a new Scout truck. What this means isn’t clear exactly, but it makes you remember that good ideas never fully die.
Specs: 1972 Scout
Engines:
196 ci, four-cylinder (std.)
258 ci, six-cylinder (opt.)
304 ci, V-8 (opt.)
345 ci, V-8 (opt.)
Power:
102 hp @ 4000 rpm
113 hp @ 4000 rpm
140 hp @ 4000 rpm
144 hp @ 3600 rpm
Torque:
176 lbs-ft @ 2000 rpm
191 lbs-ft @ 2000 rpm
236 lbs-ft @ 2400 rpm
263 lbs-ft @ 2000 rpm
Comp. Ratio:
8.1:1, 8.0:1, 8.02:1, 8.1:1
Transmission:
3-speed manual, Warner Gear T90 4-speed manual, Warner Gear T18 (close ratio) 3-speed automatic, Borg-Warner M11
Transfer case:
2-speed, part-time, Dana 20
Rear axle: Dana 44
Front axle: Dana 30
Axle ratios:
3.31, 3.73 or 4.27:1 (depending on engine & option)
Wheelbase: 100 in.
Tires:
E-78-15 (std.), F78, G78, or H-78-15 optional)
Length/Width: 165.8 x 66.4 in.
Curb weight: 3,846 lbs.
Fuel capacity: 19 gal.

On the deer lease

I took the Scout out to the Shackleford County to the deer lease for a few weeks to do some deer hunting and to give the Scout a little test run on some of the rough trails out there. The engine ran well but the Rough Country springs are extremely stiff and rode very hard. They are designed for hard running indeed. There are several Jeeps on the lease and a couple pick ups, one equipped with a top-drive system.

New WARN locking hubs

I took the Scout into 4 Wheel Parts in Coppell to let them have a look at things. I wasn't happy with the steering tracking. It was wandering, especially at high speeds. And the gear box had been tightened up a lot to compensate for wear. They decided to loosen up the gear box a bit to get some more natural handling back. They also rotated the axels some to get a better fit with the drive shaft, lubed everything, changed fluids and aligned the front end. During inspection, they noticed the hubs needed replacing so we replaced the old originals with new WARN hubs.

An S.U.V. Pioneer That Left Before the Party Began

By ROB SASS, NY TIMES.COM

Published: September 2, 2007

THE question of exactly which automaker created the muscle car or just what company gave birth to the minivan may never be answered satisfactorily. The origins of the sport utility vehicle seem to be more certain, however. In 1953, International Harvester, a manufacturer better known for its farm tractors and commercial trucks, introduced the Travelall, a truck-based passenger wagon. True, the Chevrolet Suburban had a similar layout (and a name that dates to the 1930s), but the Suburban didn’t acquire four-wheel drive, a hallmark of the S.U.V. category, until 1960; the Travelall was available with four-wheel drive by 1956.
Dodge’s Town Wagon wasn’t offered with four-wheel drive until 1957. Willys, Kaiser and later American Motors sold civilian versions of the Army jeep, but these spartan vehicles were hardly the forebears of the modern soccer-mom S.U.V. International’s head start was little help in the long run. By the time S.U.V.’s became must-have accessories for suburban families, the company had decided to focus its efforts on commercial vehicles and was long gone from the consumer market. Chevy, Dodge and Jeep still sell utility vehicles, of course, and have earned tidy profits from the category that International defined.
Now producing buses, large trucks and diesel engines under the Navistar name, International traces its roots to the invention of the reaper by Cyrus McCormick in 1831. In 1907, the company began production of the Auto Buggy, a versatile passenger car with a removable back seat that let it serve double duty as a pickup. Before long, it was producing the Auto Wagon from the same basic structure, complete with a bed that could haul an 800-pound load.
International’s century of truck making is chronicled in a colorful tribute published in June, “Milestones in the Company That Helped Build America” (Graphic Arts Center Publishing, $60). Historic photographs and reproductions of advertisements illustrate the company’s close ties to the farm economy and its contributions to the country’s growth; by 1910 International was the fourth-largest company in America by the value of its assets.
Farm implements and work trucks of all sizes and shapes helped International to prosper. A wide range of specially bodied vehicles, from armored cars to gasoline tankers, were built on International chassis. Mainstream pickups delivered industry’s goods, and one of its school buses became an icon of popular culture as the psychedelic Furthur bus of Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters.
But taking the reputation for ruggedness to a new market of private buyers was another challenge altogether. With advertising that emphasized four-wheel-drive practicality, International wisely initiated a marketing campaign directed at suburban families rather than at farmers or tradesmen. Unfortunately, the timing wasn’t ideal.
Al Ries, chairman of a marketing strategy firm and a prolific author of business books, has said that “strategy and timing are the Himalayas of marketing; everything else is the Catskills.” International’s rugged Travelall — and later the Scout — may have been capable of tackling the Himalayas, but from a timing standpoint, they never left the Catskills.
Even if its timing was off, International’s strategy was prescient. Travelall marketing campaigns often featured women; later ads pictured preppy couples loading their Travelall with furniture at a New England antiques shop.
According to Dee Kapur, president of the International Truck Group at Navistar, no one is really sure how or why the Travelall was approved for production. Although it seems incredible today, there was no market research or shopping-mall focus groups, just a hunch that a need might exist.
According to Mr. Kapur, International Harvester thought that it could hit on a winning formula by infusing the DNA of its rugged commercial trucks into a passenger vehicle. And in fact, the Travelall started out as a modified R-Series commercial panel truck with side windows and a new tailgate design. It sold moderately well and was on the market from 1953 until 1975. Its only major restyling took place in 1969.
Roughly comparable in size to today’s Suburban, the first Travelalls were two-door models. In 1957-61, they had a third door on the passenger side; later, all Travelalls came with four doors. Ansel Adams used one to travel the United States, often photographing his magnificent landscapes from a custom-built platform on the roof.
Collectors seem to prefer the vintage look of the first series, but it is unusual to see Internationals of any kind at collector car auctions.

Charles Kuhn, a Chicago classic-car dealer, said that was a result of rather low survivorship. “Most probably lived long, hard lives in the hands of tradesmen and outdoors types and were just used up well before there was any thought about collectibility,” he said.Still, Mr. Kuhn said that a restored Travelall is truly a usable collector vehicle that makes a much different statement about the owner than a new Grand Cherokee or Explorer.
The Travelall was followed by the smaller Scout in 1961. The Scout came only with two doors in various hardtop and soft-top configurations. In size and concept, it was similar to the Ford Bronco II of two decades later. But according to Mr. Kapur, everything was built to a more rugged standard, as would be expected from a company building commercial trucks.
If a vehicle is a reflection of the owner’s personality, then Chris Chelios is the archetypal Scout owner. Mr. Chelios — a defenseman for the Detroit Red Wings and a durable veteran of 24 N.H.L. seasons — has owned seven Scouts. He currently has two, one of which stays at his off-season home in California.
Mr. Chelios enjoys their tough and trouble-free nature. “I can leave them sitting for a long time, and they always start right up,” he said. “The one in California hasn’t had its top up in 12 years. Their design makes them better-looking when the top is down.”
Mr. Chelios said that finding parts was not an issue. Although Navistar no longer supplies them, various specialists have filled the void.
According to Mr. Kapur, International’s dealer network, and a recession, were responsible for the company’s decision to leave the passenger vehicle market. Scouts and Travelalls were sold alongside commercial trucks through International Harvester’s dealers. Most were in rural areas rather than in the urban and suburban markets that International sought to crack.
In addition to its large trucks, Navistar today sells the XT series of gargantuan pickups for extra-heavy-duty service. These could provide the platform for a supersize S.U.V.
Mr. Kapur said that it was not impossible that Navistar might return to claim part of the market it pioneered. “If we do, it will certainly be something different and worthy of our heritage in the truck industry.”
International Harvester’s departure from the consumer truck market in 1980 came years before vehicles like the Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee changed the suburban landscape. Had it been able to hold out a while longer, International, a company with a real heritage and a history in rugged commercial trucks, would probably still be a player in an S.U.V. market successfully populated by such unlikely truck makers as Porsche and BMW.

New dash and rear wire harnesses, dash guages and fuel tank sending unit

I ordered a new dash wire harness since I knew the existing one had some "issues" and I took the Scout to Bob Pruitt at Roadmaster Automotive to let them have a go at re-wiring the dash for me. Bob has been in business for 20 years and does a great job of taking care of customers. He has a good crew and they know how to work on these older vehicles.

The Scout II has 4 basic wire harness systems and these include: 1. The forward lighting systems, 2. The main engine compartment, 3 The dash controls, and 4. The rear lights and fuel tank. The main engine compartment and forward lights on my Scout were all in good shape but the dash controls were not functioning. Even when we had previously tried to re-wire the dash the guages quit working shortly aferwards. Upon further inspection, we found that someone had previously soldered bulbs directly into the backs of the guages rather than replaced the plastic bulb sockets for the guages. So instead of replacing a few $2.00 plastic parts, they caused several shorts in the dash wire harness damaging it beyong repair. We simply replaced the TEMP/OIL and ALT/FUEL guages with used guages (from Super Scout Specialists) as this was an inexpensive option. The SPEEDO was not readily available but we found a replacement circuit board for its back and new plastic sockets for it too (again for Super Scout Specialists), so we were able to get it functioning well and looking to just about like new.

Once we had everything in the dash back together and working, we noticed the fuel guage was still not reading. It had been tested at the seller so I knew it should be working. We dropped the tank and inspected the rear wire harness and found more burned-through wires. I then ordered a new rear wire harness to go with the one under the dash. Thankfully, Super Scout Specialists came to the resue by amazingly having this custom made item in stock.

In inspecting the tank and fuel sender, we found the sender was bad so I ordered a replacement for it as well, also from SSS of course.

Here's contact info for Roadmaster Automotive:

2523 Southwell Road

Dallas, TX 75229

972.484.2267

Bob Pruitt, Owner

Tow Bar

I bought a Blue Ox 10,000 lb. rated tow bar on ebay so I can pull the Scout without having to trailer it. Blue Ox also sells univeral mounting brackets which my friend Scott simply welded to the bumper of the Scout. This enabled us to avoid the time-consuming and expensive typical custom bumper installation required when using the Blue Ox tow bar system. Anyway, Blue Ox does not sell a custom bumper kit for the 1976 Scout so utilizing the universal mouting bracket was the only practical solution.

Grand Opening at the NEW Chip's Auto Repair

On Sunday, September 14, Chip held a Grand Opening party to celebrate the opening of his new shop on the corner of Keller Springs and Josey Lane in Carrollton. Chip had a great turnout with a lot of friends coming by to check things out. Many brought their classic rides, some of which Chip and the guys have done work on. I of course drove my Scout over.

Better than ever, and now in amazing new facilites, Chip and his team will no doubt continue to do what they have always done. And that is delivering top notch customer care - that's exactly what got them here in the first place!

Bumper feeder

I had this bumper feeder leftover from a golf cart I used on an old deer lease but I needed a bracket in order to mount it to the front of the Scout. My friend Scott fabricated this excellent hitch mount bracket for me so all I had to do was run some wire through the firewall into the cab and then mount a switch in the dash to remote operate the broadcast motor on the feeder.