The Scout: International Harvester's Classic Adaptive 4x4
By: Richard Sachek (SlashGear)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The Scout: International Harvester's Classic Adaptive 4x4
[Featured image by Mr.choppers via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 3.0]
The International Harvester Company was an iconic brand for rural America since 1902, when several smaller companies merged to form the conglomerate. Long associated with commercial trucks and farm equipment like tractors, International also dabbled with light trucks, marketing both a pickup and a Chevy Suburban-style vehicle called the Carryall with moderate success. Buoyed by these efforts, International decided to expand into the passenger car arena in the late-1950s with a design called the Scout, an SUV aimed at stealing some sales from Jeep's CJ lineup which had become popular with service members returning from World War II, where these vehicles were used in combat.
Truth be told, International's creation — launched in 1961 and called the Scout 80 — was considerably more practical than the Jeep CJ, mostly owing to its longer wheelbase. Although the 4x4 version is most often remembered, the Scout was available in both two-wheel and four-wheel drive configurations with hard- and soft-top options. Period advertisements touted the Scout as a "Quick-change artist. In minutes you can make the Scout whatever kind of vehicle you want. Weather tight cab top, doors and windows are easy to take off, even the windshield folds down. It's a station wagon, a convertible, a light-duty hauler, a runabout...like having four vehicles for the price of one!"
The Scout attracted copycats
[Featured image by Jeremy from Sydney, Australia via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY 2.0]
Although the Scout 80 was tough, sporting a stout ladder-style frame with solid axles perched on leaf springs, it sure wasn't going to win any drag races. The only available engine was a 152 cubic inch four-cylinder, which was basically half of an International 304 cubic inch V8 engine. The so-called "4-152 Commanche" put out a thundering 93 hp until turbocharging brought that figure to 111 hp.
In 1966, International gave the SUV a refresh, dubbing it the Scout 800. Under the hood, a larger four-cylinder engine was made available, followed by a six cylinder and finally, a much-needed V8 was made optional. The Scout 800 era is really when the vehicle started to morph into what we might consider a modern SUV, moving beyond its basic utilitarian roots with such niceties as back seats, carpeting, and an improved heating and ventilation system.
The Scout was a fan favorite and far exceeded International's sales expectations. However, there's an old expression that says "imitation is the highest form of flattery" and before too long, Ford launched its Bronco and Chevy its Blazer, both of which bore more than a passing resemblance to International's Scout.
Everything from bare-bones to luxury was available
[Featured image by ScoutZilla via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY 1.0]
No longer competing against only Jeep, International upped the ante for 1971 with a more advanced Scout, appropriately named the Scout II. By now, two different V8 engine options were available in addition to the collection of smaller powerplants. Later in the production cycle, a couple of Nissan-supplied diesel engines were offered, which proved popular with buyers around the world.
While the Scout 800 made concessions for consumers demanding more luxuries in their off-road vehicles, the Scout II really catered to this increasing demographic. Two models called the Terra and Traveler were more spacious, featured upscale interiors, and boasted a hatchback.
There was also the off-road offering known as the Super Scout II, which while popular, it wasn't particularly profitable for International. Other potential negative factors included a limited network of dealerships and ad campaigns that neglected female buyers. As such, the Scout II was killed off following the 1980 model year.
Nowadays, the Scout is as desirable as ever with both collector car enthusiasts and off-roaders alike. According to the valuation website classic.com, the typical price over the prior 12 months is approximately $36,000 to $42,000, depending on year and model.
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This appears to be a timely article for some reason, but before you comment make note that there is to be no politics. Now who can guess the connection this car could have with a well-known classic movie - and what movie would that be?
Fifty year old International Scouts and Jeep Grand Wagoneers have played parts in countless contemporary movies and television shows. Many, if not most, Americans today drive modern AWD versions of these type vehicles as both large and small SUVs. All the classics SUVs seem to be being resurrected. Ford Broncos, Chevy Suburbans and Jeep Wranglers remain top sellers. Jeep even resurrected the behemoth Grand Wagoneer! No wonder there is interest in and talk about resurrecting International Harvester Company ©& ®. I expect offers are on the table for the "International" trademarks and legacy.
Volkswagen is bringing the Scout back, but it will be electric.
I doubt VW EV Scouts will grace movie screens in fifty years!
There is nostalgia and therefore still worth in legacy trademarks that have gone extinct like the American Motors Rambler, Pontiac Sky Chief and Olds Vista Cruiser. Fiat has resurrected the Hudson Hornet name in the new Dodge Hornet SUV. I have been seeing fantasy AI renderings of familiar car names from long ago.
Actually, the question I asked wasn't referring to cars, but names.
Brand names are trademarks which can be bought and sold.
It's a funny thing, but I think a person can get emotionally attached to a name and resent it when someone else usurps it. My father's 1952 Hudson Hornet held a special place in my life experiences, as I related in a previous article, and I actually felt a little resentment about Dodge reusing that name.
Would you rather own a Cadillac CT4 or a Coupe DeVille?
My father drove Coupe de Villes from 1959 until he died 20 years later, and I inherited the one he had then, but I wasn't impressed with driving a big boat unless it was on water so I didn't keep it long. I really don't know anything about the CT4.
The old Cadillac hierarchy of (C,D,E,F) Calais, DeVille, El Dorado and Fleetwood would now roughly be new CT4, CT5, CT6 and CT8...
Don't know anything about the Calais as well, but guess I only knew what is now known as the CT5.
I remember hearing the name "International Harvester" many, many years ago. But IIRC I never heard of them making cars-- or anything similar. I always associated them with making only farm equipment.
They made trucks as well...
For a LONG time...
Case Equipment and International Trucks are the commercial truck, construction and farm equipment divisions of the surviving companies
Two great links, thanks.
Burt Reynolds and a Scout. Cool. What movie was that?
Deliverance! Note the Confederate Flag front plate...
I noticed that
Yeah. I didn't recognize Burt Reynolds, but I took note of the flag plate.
Old Scouts were tough and fun.
They were fairly simple which makes them fairly easy to restore which explains why they are available in good condition for high prices...
So are all of us old guys.
What?
"being avvailable in good condition . . . for high prices?"
The better the condition, the higher the price.
The Scout was as tough as a hungry farm dog.
Would this pass as an NDN pickup?
Isn't it kind of pale?
I thought the same thing-- sort of an unusual color.
Which is why I didn't think it would pass as an NDN pickup.
You missed a movie that had an old IH , grumpy old men , Walter Mathues(spelling) character drove a brown suburban version in that movie. I remember the rotted fish in the back seat scene the most . that model was called the travel all.
What I actually had in mind when I asked what the vehicle and a famous movie had in common, it was the name. Now what movie was that?
grumpy old men and grumpy old men 2 , Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau movies about the 2 grumpy old farts with a life long feud and about women , with Burgess Meredith playing the really old man guffstuson, i really liked the old man with his wit .
" chucks taking the wood to the beaver .... chucks entering the holiest of holies ..... "
Although it was very long ago, I do remember watching Grumpy Old Men, but not the second one. Now that I'm probably around what their age was when they acted in the film I should watch it again - I would probably have a much deeper understanding of what they were depicting.
grumpy old me centered around jack lemmons character and his winning of ann Margarets heart , while grumpy old men 2 , centered around walter matthau s character and his chasing sophia lorens character .
Our tastes do change as we age. I was 14 or so when I watched A Place in the Sun, and fell in love with Elizabeth Taylor, but these days, if we were talking about movie actresses, I'd be happier with Scarlett Johansson.
A bath of pork and beans? I'd prefer this for more than one reason:
Ann-Margret has been in 65 movies, some of them classics, but I only think of her in her very first movie playing the daughter of Bette Davis - she was so whiney in it - Pocketful of Miracles. I once passed by within a couple of feet of her when she was in Toronto a lot of years ago, saw her up close.