Nearly 24 hours after the incoming Scout Traveller SUV and Terra pickup truck were unveiled, it’s safe to say that the relaunch of the Scout brand has taken the internet by storm. Not only are they great-looking vehicles, they seem impressively capable, and the option of a gasoline range extender should make them seriously usable. Even our own David Tracy has placed a reservation, but given that the first customer examples won’t roll off the line until 2027, the waiting really will be the hardest part. So, if you can’t wait for 2027 but love the look of the new Scout Traveller and Terra, why not buy a classic International Harvester Scout to tide you over?
In 1961, International Harvester branched out into the two-door off-roader market with the Scout, a rugged little thing with four-wheel-drive, a ladder frame, and a removable roof, designed to be more sophisticated than a Jeep. Developed in just 24 months, the Scout was a hit, and it was continually updated through the 1960s, eventually being replaced with a second-generation model called the Scout II in 1971. That second-generation model stayed in production through 1980, and it kept a whole lot of the good of the original while refining the look and experience.
Over the past decade, the collector car market has gone crazy for classic off-roaders. Original Ford Broncos and classic Land Rovers are now worth serious money, not to mention 1960s Toyota Land Cruisers. However, the International Harvester Scout remains a bit of a bargain among its contemporaries. In fact, you can pick up a running, driving example for less than $20,000
This beautifully patinated 1963 Scout 80 has been cosmetically preserved yet mechanically refreshed, with tires, brakes, shocks, the fuel system, the carburetor, and the ignition system all being either rebuilt or updated for the sake of usability. Electronic ignition in particular is a great touch, as fiddling about with ignition points can be a pain for the uninitiated. Perhaps as a result of its patination, this example ended up bringing in $18,000 when it hammered on Bring A Trailer earlier this year, and that’s not a bad price for a turn-key SUV from the early 1960s.
Looking for something with a little more gusto than a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine? Well, something like this 1968 Scout 800 might fit the bill. It features the optional 4.4-liter V8, along with a four-speed manual transmission. Granted, this one is a little bit of a fixer-upper, given that the wipers are said to not move, the reverse lights are said to not work, and the driver’s window is said to not go down. Still, it runs and drives and doesn’t appear rotten, and it brought a hammer price of $18,750 on Bring A Trailer earlier in October.
However, let’s say you want something less patinated but still on a budget. Well, your best bet is likely a Scout II. Built between 1971 and 1980, they featured revised sheetmetal, roomier interiors, updated mechanicals, and a whole host of other changes. This 1973 Scout II looks like just the ticket, sitting pretty in primrose yellow paint. Under the hood, it features a five-liter V8 engine of International’s design, while power steering ought to make things pretty easy at low speeds. This example received an engine rebuild and allegedly a new transmission in 2019, so it should be pretty much ready to go. However, despite the high-dollar work done and the clean appearance of this Texas-based rig, it sold for a reasonable $18,500 on Bring A Trailer just this week.
So, if you want a classic off-roader but can’t stomach what Broncos and Land Cruisers are going for and don’t quite want a Jeep, give the International Harvester Scout a good look. It’s a stout, capable off-roader with the right look and the right equipment to be nothing short of iconic.
(Photo credits: Bring A Trailer)
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Every old Scout or Bronco I’ve seen lately has been trailing giant MAGA flags.
Parents had a 76 Scout II Traveller. Pretty basic rig, 345 IH V8 3 spd auto locking front hubs. Was an okay truck not the best, not the worst in those years. The transfer case blew up once.
That is definitely something for me to be happy about the return of the Scout name plate, interest along with prices have definitely increased since the announcement. Almost makes me want to put the old spit shine on mine and put them on an auction site.
But that Scout does not have a 4.4 liter V8 it has a 266 cu in V8 while the Scout II in question has a 304 cu in V8. Now if it was a 1980 I could forgive the use of 5.0 Liter since there were a few vehicles produced with that sticker, the only time they called out the displacement on a SII.