Scout Top - need tips mounting and refubishing

[bruss01]

Ok, guys, can you lay some helpful tips on me?

I've had my Scout II terra '78 pickup less than a year now. I have addressed most of the mechanical issues successfully because most of the work that needed done, I have done before on other vehicles.

But I've never had a vehicle with a replaceable top before. I don't know a lot about how car bodies go together.

Anyhoo, I met a guy at the dog park a while back who told me he used to have a long-wheelbase terra/traveler years ago, and the old top for it was still down at his buddy's farm, and did I want it? Well, how could I say no, the price was right (free) and I figured it would be nice to have a covered bed sometimes. So we went and picked it up. It is not in great shape, but it is all intact. Probably needs some touch-up and refinishing, maybe paint.

Anyway, my problems are twofold. First, the holes for the screws above the windshield don't line up very well. Everything on the body seems to be lined up fine but the windshield holes are like 1/4" too far forward. I don't want to start forcing things and end up with a busted top or a cracked windshield.

Also, the hatch in back is a one-piece affair and it's not mounted to the fiberglass top. No struts. Not really sure how to go about installing it. So would I have to swap out the tailgate and license plate every time I switch back and forth from terra to traveler? That seems like a pain in the butt. Is there a half-hatch that allows the tailgate to remain installed? Can the full hatch be cut down to make a half-hatch?

Is there a screen that can go in the rear sliding windows? Keep bugs out, dogs in?

Next question is, where do I put this thing when I'm not using it? We don't have garage space right now (maybe we'll move this year and that problem will be solved) and if I leave it out it'll kill the grass underneath. Yeah, I know, should have thought of all this before bringing it home. One of those "jump on it" opportunities, heh.

So any advice anyone can offer will be much appreciated.

 

[Scoutboy74]

Can't help you much with the alignment issues. There has to be a reason why though.
Yes, you would pretty much have to do the full monty every time you wanted to swap between terra/traveler mode. I don't believe the standard sii rear lift hatch can be easily fitted to the traveler top. This is the issue that all owners of multiple tops are confronted with. Yeah the versatility is great but what in the name of zuess's butthole do I do with the top that isn't being used? Get creative I guess.
As far as a fitted piece of screen for your side sliders, I think you're sol there. I imagine you could fab in some household window screen in somehow if it was that big of a deal. What happens when you drive with your door windows rolled down? Kinda seems like closing the barn door after the horses have already left to me. Besides, bugz iz guud fer ya.

 

[bruss01]

can't help you much with the alignment issues. There has to be a reason why though.
Yes, you would pretty much have to do the full monty every time you wanted to swap between terra/traveler mode. I don't believe the standard sii rear lift hatch can be easily fitted to the traveler top. This is the issue that all owners of multiple tops are confronted with. Yeah the versatility is great but what in the name of zuess's butthole do I do with the top that isn't being used? Get creative I guess.
As far as a fitted piece of screen for your side sliders, I think you're sol there. I imagine you could fab in some household window screen in somehow if it was that big of a deal. what happens when you drive with your door windows rolled down? Kinda seems like closing the barn door after the horses have already left to me. Besides, bugz iz guud fer ya.

Windows are rolled down usually only when driving. I was thinking about things like sleeping overnight in the back (camping). It would be convenient not to have to pitch a tent. Also, those sliders if left open a crack can be slid the rest of the way back by a dog's nose, which isn't true of front windows left open a few inches. We don't want our dogs getting out when we leave them in the truck for a few minutes while running into a store on the way to an outing, but at the same time we need to leave some ventilation in case the store run unexpectedly takes longer than anticipated.

 

[EastTXTraveler]

A lot of folks have cut the original traveler liftgate into 2 seperate pieces, making the lower part a tailgate and the upper part a lift gate. I have a tailgate on my traveler, and if I was to put a hard top back on my Scout, I'd have to do the same.

When removing a full traveler top, I always unbolt and remove the liftgate first, then remove the rest of the top. Trying to remove the whole thing together would be pretty tough, although I've seen pictures of an entire traveler top with liftgate still attached hanging in the top of someone's garage, so I guess it is possible. Might check out some kind of lift like the Jeep guys have.

Depending on your location, if you decide to ditch the traveler top, let me know. I had the same problem as you do; didn't know where I was going to store my hard top when I took it off, so I ended up taking it to the landfill now I wish I hadn't. The soft top I run is nice, but a good solid hard top would be awesome for long trips and highway driving.

 

[towpainter3]

Ok the alignment issue can be fixed but it aint gonna be a great big deal if you have some patience.
Look in both door openings at the top hinge hole. You will notice that inside there is a bolt and nut arrangement. This allows the windshield post to be tilted forward. Also if you look in the manual in the body section it wll show you how to adjust this and the proper way to measure the angles.
Before doing all that , you might want to try to install the front screws first in a snug position and then try to align the rear holes with a small lineup tool. But you must figure this ol truck has settled and tweeked in its old age.

 

[bruss01]

Awesome! Thanks!!