While I have more experience with the Scout 800 series, the Scout II is no less of a desirable machine. International Harvester’s small-truck lines aren’t well known and useable examples are rarer still, it seems…blame rust, which ate at these things brutally. Every last Scout II or Terra I’ve ever looked at had major sheetmetal cancer somewhere on the body, the kind where you try to figure out if it’s worth the hassle or not. Could be worse…could be like the bee-filled one we found a few years back. I love Scouts, but the rust is too much. And that’s why this eBay find is all the better.
From the listing: “This is a 1980 Scout that came off the assembly line as a Turbo Diesel, and has now been transformed into a beautiful SSII (clone). For you non scout aficionados, International never made a SSII in 1980, hence the SSII clone designation. I’ve owned 2 original SSIIs throughout the years but I wanted to have one that wasn’t original so I wouldn’t be accused of “destroying” a true SSII by modifying it. What you see in the pictures is the final results. The only original pieces from the 1980 vehicle are the frame and bare axle housings along with the transmission and transfer case housings!!
After the frame and drivetrain component housings were sandblasted, epoxy primed and coated with Por-15, the transformation began. A complete fiberglass body, fenders, & hood were added next. The plan was to change this vehicle from a boring, stinky, s-l-o-w running diesel, into a kick-ass 4×4 street and dune runner SSII that could still be a DAILY driver!”
I don’t know how quick an IH 345ci V8 can actually be, nor how much power a built one can actually make, but a fully fiberglass last-year Scout II has to be a riot to mess around with. This one looks like summertime fun and not exactly winter prepared, but even still, imagine the fun you could have. Just be sure to dress warmly for the occasion…
BMT…nice pick.
That’s a mighty strange looking carb on that engine – or is it fuel injection?
If you look at the Epay listing under engine, all secrets will be revealed
(Ø Hamilton Fuel Injection w/ Modified Distributor)
ENGINE/DRIVETRAIN:
Ø 345 cu.in. (rebuilt with all new components)
Ø Fully Balanced Rotating Assembly
Ø Port Matching
Ø Chevy Valve Springs and Retainers
Ø Schneider Cam #2
Ø Hamilton Fuel Injection w/ Modified Distributor
Ø Cast Aluminum, Finned Valve Covers (very rare)
Ø 105 Amp Alternator with dual belts
Ø Stan’s Headers
Ø Custom Exhaust with air ratio Sensor and Gauge
Ø Close Ratio 4-speed
Ø Twin Stick Dana 300 Transfer Case
Ø New Driveshafts and HD U-Joints
Ø Cold Air Induction W/ Washable Filter
Ø 3 Core Aluminum Radiator
Awesome , I dig those vintage v8 truck engines , I know they were gas hogs but with fuel injection it should be better , way cooler than the all over the place Cummins swap .
Okay so where do I get a fiberglass body for my K5? Got to be cheaper than all the gas and welding wire.