Why We Love Them: International Harvester Scout
Pretty much anyone you ask will know that the Jeep Wrangler/CJ-series are the direct descendants of the Willys MB military vehicle, even if theyโre not actually familiar with its original name or the finer details of its history. On the contrary, excluding enthusiasts, these days few remember either International Harvester or its hugely influential Scout, despite their key role in the evolution of the modern and all-conquering SUV.
Development began in the late 1950โs, and right from the start management of the Illinois-based company intended for the then-unnamed model to be a CJ competitor. Early design proposals and prototypes followed much the same recipe, with open, slab-sided and entirely function-defined โstyling.โ An interesting turn of events involving Goodyearโs nascent automotive plastics engineering division soon saw the adaptation of a more refined shape, and though ultimately bodied in traditional steel, the earliest 1961 models emerged from the factory just 24 months from the programโs start.
Though over a nearly 20-year production run the model would gain many refinements, even the latest Scout IIโs remain refreshingly straightforward, and while a huge variety of removable tops, wheelbases and drivetrain options means thereโs a Scout to suit most tastes, they all share much the same charmingly tough, unpretentious (some might say โagriculturalโ) character and unmatched orphan brand cool.
Though itโs faded into semi-obscurity since dropping non-commercial vehicles and rebranding as Navistar in 1986, IH was once a household name in North America, especially in the fertile Midwest where its tractors, combine harvesters and other large farm implements sold particularly well. The company was offering light trucks as early as 1907, and by the time Scout development began in the 50โs, they engineered, built and marketed not only a wide variety of heavy farm equipment, but also heavy-duty commercial trucks, consumer market pick-ups, Travelalls, buses, construction equipment, commercial refrigerators and freezers, Cub Cadet lawn tractors and more.
The Travelall dated back to 1953, and followed much the same recipe as Chevyโs Suburban, both of which are also rightfully viewed as precursors to The Modern SUV. The Scout was similar in many ways, offering both two and four-wheel drive and variety of engine options, but with more compact dimensions, several available tops and a fun and functional personality aimed to appeal to a wider cross-section of customers for an equally wide array of reasons. Period advertisements emphasized this versatility, displaying Scouts being used by suburban families for running errands, by sharp-dressed businessmen commuting to the downtown office, by farmers, painters, traveling mechanics, shop owners, handymen, hunters, beachgoers, divers, retirees, students and pretty much any other demographic imaginableโsometimes in a single photo.
Lead IH stylist Ted Ornas is widely considered the father of the Scout, and this fascinating bit of insight is attributed to him by several sources:
โThe market potential for a four-wheel drive recreational vehicle was an unknown quantity in the early 1950โs. The only such vehicle offered in the post-war period was the Willys Jeep, a version of the military jeep produced for World War II. It was a flat-sided bare-bones product, and American military personnel learned to appreciate its ability to maneuver over rough terrain. Sales volume was very low. In early 1958 we were directed to develop a concept proposal to enter this small market of that time. So help me, Mr. Reese, manager of engineering, said โdesign something to replace the horse.โ There was no product definition to use as a guide. It was even proposed to use the defunct Henry J body tooling. Compound body surfaces were considered too far out for this type of vehicle. The military Jeep was thought to have the correct appearance. Our design sketches with the flat-side, no contour look never excited the executive committee. The program began to die.โ
โOne night while sitting at our kitchen table (full of frustration and desperation), I dashed off this rough sketch on a piece of scrap mat board. It had contoured sides and was designed for plastic tooling. The next morning it was shown to a committee member. He reviewed it with controlled enthusiasm, but revived interest in the program. We were off and running. Goodyear produced many plastic parts for WWII and had formed a large plastic engineering group. We entered a program with them, a scale model was vacuum formed to simulate body assembly. This model received executive approval for appearance. By July 1959, Goodyear completed their costing and, because of the high costs, the plastic program was cancelled. By this time the contoured design met with executive approval and a decision was made to convert the body design to steel. Starting in late July 1959 a full size clay model was completed, and in November 1959, it was approved. Looking back, it was a remarkable program with fast paced engineering and manufacturing developments. The total development time of 24 months was an heroic achievement considering the concept was unique and no in-house engine or manufacturing was available or even considered when the program started.โ
The above chart tracks BaT Auctions sales results for all IH Scouts, as found on our BaT Model Page here.
The first-generation Scout 80 featured deceivingly simple styling belying sophisticated proportioning and detailing. Mr. Ornas had a keen interest in all areas of industrial design, and was clearly paying attention to modernist design language taking hold in architecture, consumer goods and emergent business computing worlds, rather than the US auto industry at large. Carefully refined functionality was evident in the harmonious scale and careful placement of things like the 80โs grille, headlights, taillights and minimal badging and ornamentation, underscored by a cheerful color palette and clever advertising.
Very early models had fold-down windshields, removable, sliding door windows and top-mounted, vacuum-operated wipers. Body styles included the topless Roadster, Cab-Top pick-up, Travel-Top station wagon and (especially rare) Panel-Top panel vanโThe Cab-Top was available in both vinyl and steel, as was the Travel-Top. Reads the above ad: โThey all have a sturdy frame and rugged components and a 93 HP four-cylinder engine that gives about 20 MPG, price is $1690.85.โ
Though that last figure must be for a base, topless 2WD model, itโs still cheap even adjusted for inflation, working out to just over $14,000 in 2018 money. Said 152ci Commanche four was essentially a halved corporate 304ci V8, right down to its fairly radical slant angle. It made 137 under-stressed and reliable lb. ft. from fairly low down, but customers would soon call for more. 1965 saw the introduction of the revised Scout 800, which came with improved seating, instrumentation and heating (among others), not to mention a new 196ci four or 232ci straight-six. For its penultimate 1967 model year the 800 finally added V8 power in the form of an available 266ci unit. One of the very first commercially available turbocharged engines was also available in the form of a 111-horse version of the old 152 slant-four.
This early Scout 80 commercial shows a RHD example for the Australian market, a layout also sold to the US Postal Service in small numbers throughout the years. The narrator cites the little truckโs maneuverable 100-inch wheelbase, 1,000-pound bed capacity, rugged build quality and โpassenger car-like handling.โ Even accounting for the primitive suspension and tire technology of the day, that latter statement is something of a stretchโif you like your trucks to drive like trucks than youโll love the way a Scout feels from behind the wheel.
The Scout would continue to evolve along similar lines, adding more refinement, more power and more options as time went on, with the first (and only) major redesign following the late-60โs/early-70โs 800A and 800B. Renamed the Scout II and introduced in late 1971, styling was actually frozen as early as 1967. Again there was a big selection of drivetrain options, including a one-year-only Nissan turbodiesel. Various tops and two wheelbases where available, along with previously-unthinkable niceties like power steering, disc brakes and even air conditioning.
This period ad shows an SSII (Soft-Top Safari) model introduced for early 1977. Fitted with a folding top, soft vinyl โdoorsโ and a big roll bar, it was intendedโonce againโto compete with Jeepโs CJ line of civilian off-roaders. Built from 1976 right until the end in 1980, Traveler and Terra LWB models gained a massive 18โณ aft of the doors, the former equipped with a full and the latter a half fiberglass top.
This is by no means a comprehensive list of all models, options and trim levels and their history, but those interested in learning more have a wealth of available resources to lean on. Fortunately, this also makes owning a long-discontinued, orphan brand off-roader much more accessible than it would sound, as illustrated by the healthy list of forums, discussion boards and parts sources provided below. As for our ideal Scout, itโs probably somewhere between this nicely restored early 80 and this late, rusty, daily-driven II.
Helpful links:
Scout Parts โ parts
IH Parts America โ parts
Anything Scout โ parts
Super Scout Specialists โ parts
Isaโs International โ parts
ihscout.com โ parts
Just IH โ active forum
Binder Planet โ active forum, all things IH with lots of Scout-specific info
Pirate 4ร4 โ active Scout-focused forum
offroad.com โ Scout and IH truck forum
Scouts West โ ownerโs club and forum
image credit: International Harvester
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