78 Scout II

[Nick87080]

alright it's time for me to show off my project. This is going to be a very slow build, so this might end up being the longest running thread on here...

I found this Scout sitting at the front of a steel recycling center here in san antonio, tx, and got it for 400 bucks, which I thought was a steal. Towed it to a buddy's place and started messing with it. To our suprise it started up and drove, not very far due to bad radiator and forklift driver sticking fork thru side of oil pan. Still not bad for the price.

I spent the next 2 months tracking down owner to get a title put into my name (was sold with no title). After that I started hunting down forums and info to figure out what I can to it. I found the top on craigslist in austin and bought it for another 200 bucks. The lift gate is rusted pretty bad and po did a crappy weld job trying to get hinges on.

I haven't made up my mind on what I am going to do to it exactly. Right now I would like to do 2" body lift with new bushings, SOA conversion with full length Chevy Dana 44's,keep stock 345 but redo seals for now maybe a mild cam, high steer, lockers front and back, roll cage and new seats.

It's been almost 2 years since I found my Scout and so far I have just recently started to work on it, I ordered a new radiator for it from summit 26" x 19" aluminum griffin race series which im going to modify for it, also a master seal kit, replacement oil pan from IHOnly along with a robertshaw t-stat
hopefully I will keep this updated and make some progress and not let it sit for another 2 years...

 

[Scooter]

Welcome to the forums and the insanity of IH ownership.

the body looks to be in decent shape. Gotta love the p.o. Virus syndrome (po = previous owner) while browsing these forums, don't forget to click on the link for the online store At the top of the page for all your Scout needs. The kind owners of ihon provide this forum for us IH fanatics.

If you plan on a lot of highway driving during your build, you might consider the shackle reversal kit. I have installed 2 kits on my own scouts and I know it made a huge difference for the better on the way it handles. Also, the build threads in the reader's rides section and the IH only build-ups would also give you some ideas for your build.
Cheers
scooter

 

[Nick87080]

Thanks for the advice, I already have a wish list going from the store, just going to buy stuff a paycheck at a time.

 

[Nick87080]

O.k. It's been a while since I last posted any updates so here I go...
It was actually cheaper to sell the 345 and change up to Chevy 5.3/ 4l60/np241. I first tried IH Parts America for kit but they were still working on Scoutco kit and had no reviews of it at the time. So, I went with another company's kit, it should be here Monday so I will keep this up to date with pics and my opinion of it. I also ordered reverse shackle kit and new spring perches from here which get here Monday as well. Here's some pics just because everyone loves pics. Gotta love the rusty windshield frame

 

[Nick87080]

Here's pics of the frame sandbasted and completly welded from end to end. They must have out new guys on the welder when they made these frames all the ones I have seen look like a 8th grade welding class did the work.

 

[Nick87080]

Well it's been a while so time for more updates....
Motor was rebuilt, had some parts powdercoated on it.
Got motor mounts and crossmember welded in. It took a while to get the harness thinned out and wired up but, it started up yesterday so, I guess I didn't screw that up. I got the reverse shackle almost complete need the frame drilled still. Transmission and transfer case still need to be rebuilt, when I got the transfer case I picked it up and water poured out of it so I might be screwed on replacing internals but I have a spare drivers drop to swap internals into it.