Should I get a Scout II as a first car

J

jt-wad

New member
Hey guys,
I'm a 15 year old high school kid with a lowish amount of funds and was wondering if I should get into this project. My uncle has a 1973 Scout II with a v-8 with a 4-spd,(not sure if it's the 304 or the 345.) the rust doesn't even seem that bad. Unfortunately though it's not in running order at the moment, it has been sitting for the past 7 years and needs a new wiring harness.
What I am wondering though is if it would make a good dd for around town, maybe a few longer ranged trips, and make generally good first car. Also if I do follow through on the project I want to maybe put a 4-inch SUA on it with maybe some 33s. Anyways I've been doing my research on it and I just wanted to have a general take on it from the binder society before I dive into it.
Thanks guys,
john
 
We like pictures. When I was 16 I took my drivers test with my 76 terra. A Scout is a good starter vehicle as long as you understand what it is. Its not gonna win a race. Its gonna strand you in b.f.e. Its gonna have quirks. Its gonna try and kill you. Its an old vehicle. What it will do is get you from point a to point b. Once you have it running properly. I suggest you research "Maybens?" posts on reviving old sv8's. Pretty sure it was mayben....grumpy. To the point. Strange syntax. Yeah probably mayben.

If you have limited funds you should try and get it running. If it runs then get it driving. If it drives then park the sonofabitch and get a real mechanic in there to tell you what all needs to be done. Remember its old.

Its gonna need all new fluids. 70$. Brake work ??$. Interrior will need to be scrubbed and disinfected. New wiring harness isnt cheap.

If you're gonna go headlong into this project then do it right. When I was 16 I found binderplanet. It helped. But mostly you had to sort through alot of heresay.

Here at IHPA you'll get facts on how to go about things. Proven science. Not watercooler talk.

So if you're ready for it then I say hell yes. But if its gonna cost you to much then I say dont attempt it.
 
ihrunner said:
we like pictures. When I was 16 I took my drivers test with my 76 terra. A Scout is a good starter vehicle as long as you understand what it is. Its not gonna win a race. Its gonna strand you in b.f.e. Its gonna have quirks. Its gonna try and kill you. Its an old vehicle. What it will do is get you from point a to point b. Once you have it running properly. I suggest you research "Maybens?" posts on reviving old sv8's. Pretty sure it was mayben....grumpy. To the point. Strange syntax. Yeah probably mayben.

If you have limited funds you should try and get it running. If it runs then get it driving. If it drives then park the sonofabitch and get a real mechanic in there to tell you what all needs to be done. Remember its old.

Its gonna need all new fluids. 70$. Brake work ??$. Interrior will need to be scrubbed and disinfected. New wiring harness isnt cheap.

If you're gonna go headlong into this project then do it right. When I was 16 I found binderplanet. It helped. But mostly you had to sort through alot of heresay.

Here at IHPA you'll get facts on how to go about things. Proven science. Not watercooler talk.

So if you're ready for it then I say hell yes. But if its gonna cost you to much then I say dont attempt it.
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I agree. The only thing that I'll add is that it will be very rewarding and you will learn a lot. You will be way ahead of your friends in mechanical knowledge, because the Scout will force you to learn. Plus you'll have a greater respect for the vehicle since you've put so much work into it and you might not dog it like your friends will probably do with their first vehicles. I got an '81 Jeep cj-8 as a first vehicle. It was a blast. Just expect it to be 5 times more work than you think. Do it though! You'll be happy you did!
 
Welcome john. An ol' binder makes a great learning platform for anyone interested in vintage vehicles interested in acquiring some old school mechanical aptitude. You seem like a thoughtful and well spoken dude. The fact that you came here to seek out advise says a lot. There are some things for you to consider. What kind of resources are available to you in the way of sheltered work space and tools to perform repairs? Are you patient, persistent and able to follow instructions in a logical and methodical manner? Will your parental units get on board with this project at least from a moral support standpoint?
Like ihrunner basically said, safety systems and complete mechanical function should be your initial focus. Cosmetics can always come later. Don't bite off more than you can chew too quickly. Focus on one area or system to completion or until such time as a temporary impediment such as lack of funds or parts prevents you from going forward. Then you can move on to some other item needing attention. You'll want to get your hands on a factory service manual for your Scout, available from the IHPA online store. They May seem spendy until compared with a factory service manual for any late model vehicle...whoa nelly! From that perspective, eighty bucks is pocket change. The IH fsm's take a little getting used to. They were written and organized for consumption by IH trained wrench turners, not Joe shadetree 40 years removed. But, they are the most comprehensive pieces of technical literature available to us for these vehicles.
Ihrunner also referenced a document by Mike mayben regarding revival of long dormant engines. It is a pdf file contained in post #3 of a stickied thread titled "I-4 and sv non-oiling rocker assembly" located inside the gas engine tech subheading of this forum. You should already be getting the idea that rushing right out with a battery and a can of gas in a feverish attempt to kick the tires and light the fires would be bad form. Any engine that has been sitting for quite awhile must be revived in a careful and loving manner. That should be plenty for you to ponder for now.
 
From one young guy to another I am really happy to hear your even thinking about it:icon_cool: we need pics most definitely lol
anyways I bought my first IH truck when I was 16 and it was my first time dealing with IH anything. I was right in your shoes wondering if I should take it on or not to be honest with everyone. I would tell you or anyone else to go for it, bringing back a piece of history, doing what most kids our age wouldn't even think about doing anymore and feeling the reward of having the binder as it progresses is one in a million man:d

now I think its important to have your parents right with you for help and support its a big task that takes awhile so you will need support and extra hands now and then. My Dad has helped me through the tuff and confusing times to say the least. Do you got a good support of tools on hand? You will definitely need them before you even crank the motor over so tools is a must from the get go. Make a list off what you see needs to be done to make it drive-able then see what parts run about to get a price in mind. Everything will take a bit of money depending "motor,trans,axles,brakes,steering etc"
when you think you bundle a price point be sure to leave yourself extra because things happen along the way with these older rigs and sometimes you cant expect it all to be okay once you take a closer look inside. Dont forget it had been sitting neglected for awhile:(

to really sum it up, you have to have your mind set into it and heart wanting it because yes it will be a bit costly at first yes you will put some god hours into working on her and youll prolly get frustrated but once you start it you have to want to finish and be proud of what you did! Do what makes it drive able first and worry about minor appearance later as that you can do that in time and as funds allow. I know my budget gets tight sometimes so I just work at a pace that allows me to and not get to overwhelmed. Do one area of the truck at a time till its done then start the next.

Folks around here will be your best friend and more helpful then anything so do some reading on here and don't be afraid to ask, these guys know more about IH than I can shake a stick at!!
If you asked me do I regret a thing heck no man I love working on my old truck everyday and knowing I am keeping a bit of history alive and running. I love my truck and now I am addicted to old IH iron, were a crowd unlike dodgforchevy and I think that's special especially when people see you driving around in one and stare!
I hope this helps any it May seem like allot but with alital hard work in patience it will pay off trust me on that and you be proud everyday when you drive her knowing you brought back something not most kids would.
Sincerely anthony
 
Thank you all for your opinions/support. For the pictures, I'll try to get a few good ones next time I go up to see it though I have one now thats not too good but I'll try to post it later. But for the mechanical side of things, my uncle has a little shop up on his property with even a small paint booth! Also he has a mechanic that lives up there who did a look over on it and says everything looks pretty good. On the right side of the truck there are a few good sized dents on the roof and front corner panel :sad: and the brakes aren't working, don't know if they need to be bleed or what? Besides a little rust here and there, it seems to be pretty solid; the interior isn't even ripped!
My parents are also completely behind me in this whole project and have always liked the idea of me getting and working on the truck and are willing to help me out if I hit a bump in the road.
 
Actually found a few good ones
 

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It looks pretty good. I'd take a close look at those rear tires. It looks like they might rub the fenders when the suspension compresses. Otherwise, it looks good.
 
It would appear as if you have found a pretty nice unmolested Scout II.

I would echo everything others have said as well.

Just be realistic in making a budget for any repair or upgrade. Figure out what it will cost and double the amount.

If you do that you won't be that far off.

Odd costs always crop up that you didn't know about or occur because you broke something along the way because you didn't know what you were doing. Btdt!

In regards to upgrades, I would hold off on any suspension mods until you have a good dependable dd. Suspension mods are not as easy as the pictures portray and often lead to discouragement and disappointment.

With a limited budget get the rig to the point you can drive it have some fun!
 
The gas costs for someone with limited funds could be a problem depending on how much you will be driving. I suggest you figure out how many miles you will be logging and then back into the monthly fuel costs. If that blows your budget it's better to figure that out now rather than after you invest in getting it on the road.
 
dkminors said:
the gas costs for someone with limited funds could be a problem depending on how much you will be driving. I suggest you figure out how many miles you will be logging and then back into the monthly fuel costs. If that blows your budget it's better to figure that out now rather than after you invest in getting it on the road.
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X2,
also if you look you can find posts on getting an old motor running. Spinning the oil pump with a drill to get the engine oiled before running the starter is a must.

One thing about any 30+ year old car or truck, is it will need to be fixed up. So if you like that kind of stuff it could work out.
A lot of items can be cleaned up and paint and made working.
 
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