This Scout was and I hope remains in excellent condition. It had 64,200 miles on it when I sold it.  In the photos below, you will see a roll bar that I fabricated for both the front and back seat. The real goal of this effort was to install three-point seat belts for all four passengers.  If you would like additional information about this Scout, see the article below the pictures. I put this together from various sources as the description I used on ebay when I sold this truck.


It is missed.

 

International Harvester

Scout Traveler - ’80 Diesel

1980 Diesel International Harvester Scout Traveler With only 6,497 Scouts produced with the SD33T Nissan Turbo Diesel, this truck is rare by production numbers, but even more rare with respect to condition (very good) and mileage (very low). I bought the truck roughly a year and a half ago. The previous owner bought the truck from the original owner about 18 months before that. It had 52,000 miles on it when the second owner picked it up in Iowa; it had roughly 62,000 mi when I bought it and it now has 64,200mi. I was told by the second owner that the first owner got the truck for free with a purchase of International Harvester farm equipment in 1980 and stored it in his barn, driving it a meager 2,000 miles per year on average as a backup vehicle. When the second owner got the truck everything was original including the tires, although he replaced the tires and rims and got rid of them, so they are no longer available. The second owner stored the Scout in his garage. When I bought the truck, I believed the odometer reading and garage storage statements based on interior wear, pedal wear, the sound of the motor, the condition of the frame, underbelly, body, lack of paint fade, etc., and I still do. I have been driving older diesels for years, some as daily drivers, others more for fun, and all of them have been unique and enjoyable, including this Scout. I am biased toward diesels because of their higher mpg, generally lower maintenance, long life, ability to run biodiesel, WVO (non-petroleum products) or blended fuels, and with limited or no engine runtime electronics, diesels can generally deal with much deeper road water conditions and fording than gasoline vehicles. All of that said, I have upgraded to a newer, more family friendly 4-door Diesel Ram, and I can’t keep all of older classics and the newer Ram. I just sold my VW Diesel Rabbit, with 100% Viton lines for running biodiesel and now I’m selling this Diesel Scout Traveler. I may sell my Diesel BJ42 Toyota Land Cruiser after this, but I hope not. I had every intention of keeping the Scout pretty much forever, but as you see above, that has changed. It has been garage kept the entire time that I owned it. I also built custom roll bars so I could install 3-point seat belts in the front and rear seats. I am only selling this as my wife really wanted us in something newer. I have also bought and installed a tailgate and a custom, newly upholstered interior. Additionally, I have included three factory service manuals in the auction:  Truck Service Manual, Light Duty, Engine Model SD33T, 1980  Truck Service Manual, Scout II XLC Series, Volume 1, 1978 - 1980  Truck Service Manual, Scout II XLC Series, Volume 2, 1978 - 1980 Please come and see the truck, there is nothing like seeing it live, appreciating the condition of the truck with you own eyes and ears. I have done my best to be clear and descriptive, but nothing substitutes for driving and seeing this Scout firsthand. I should also mention that I have not had any problem getting parts for the truck: many are available at your local parts stores, while others are available from multiple suppliers, including Jesco, Super Scout, etc. While this is not a new or perfect truck, it is likely one of the most original, low mileage, mechanically sound, cancer-free Diesel Scout Traveler s out there. Primary Vehicle Characteristics:  Excellent mechanical condition  No cancer/rust through anywhere  6 Cyl. Nissan SD33T Turbo Diesel  3rd owner  64,200 miles  3 Doors  1 ton T19 Transmission  Dana 300 Transfer Case, 2.62:1 low – I believe the lowest gearing of any factory production transfer case.  Dana 44 front and rear axles  4-Wheel Drive  Convertible hardtop  3-door, with rear liftgate  Clear Title Upgrades / Repairs:  Rhino Liner throughout interior  Chip Guard along rockers and quarter bottoms  New water pump  New glow plugs  Front and rear brakes replaced, drums and rotors resurfaced  Front/rear shocks replaced  All leaf spring packs re arched and extra leaf added  New alternator  K&N air filter  Changed all fluids including front and rear diffs, transmission, transfer case, radiator and brake fluid  Inspected and repacked front/rear wheel bearings  Inspected and re-greased locking hubs  Oil pan heater  New ball joints  New front brake lines More Details Engine This engine starts and runs great, with no leaks, overheating, or oil consumption. International Harvester used the Nissan SD33T turbo diesel in the Scout. This motor is a true truck diesel and holds 12 quarts of oil. The engine runs like new with only 64,200 miles. In warm weather it starts perfectly with almost no smoke; in cold weather you need to hold the glow plug button longer (as the owner manual confirms) and it starts right up, but as typical for a diesel, it takes a bit longer to come to a smooth idle and produces normal cold temperature startup smoke. With 101 hp at 3800 rpm and 175 ft.-lbs @ 2200 rpm these engines are not fast but they are very reliable and are known to exceed 400,000 miles between motor rebuilds. The gents at Jesco engines can ground you with their thoughts on the motors as well. Transmission The 1980 Scout Diesel came with a heavy duty Borg-Warner 1-ton T-19. The T19 is renown, heavy-duty truck transmissions, designed for and used in ½, 3/4 and 1+ ton trucks. They are found in Ford, Jeep and IH trucks. The T19 was improved over it predecessor, with the addition of helically cut gears, resulting in noticeably quieter operation. This transmission and tranny drive well, but either the tranny or transfer has a small leak. The transmission generally shifts great, but occasionally it is difficult to get into first gear and reverse: I took it to a transmission shop to double check things and they told me that this is pretty standard for this tranny and that is may also be aggravated by the fact that the truck is driven so little, allowing the clutch will stick to the flywheel after not being run for so long. Front/Rear Differentials Both front and rear differentials are Dana 44s. The fluids have been changed in the axles and they do not leak. Transfer Case The Dana 300 Transfer case is one of the most respected transfer cases and is highly regarded by casual off-roaders and enthusiasts. The Dana 300 is found in the 1980 to 1986 CJ5, CJ6 & CJ7, and in the 1980 IH Scout. The Dana 300 benefits from Dana’s experienced with the 300's predecessors, the Dana 18 and Dana 20. The 300 is similar in size, duty and ease of manufacture to the popular Dana 20, but also includes helical gears, in lieu of the straight cut gears, again for quieter operation. The Dana 300 has 2wd + 4wd High and 4wd Low. The high range is direct drive (1:1) and the low range is 2.62:1. Ride, Handling, Steering, Suspension, Brakes The Scout drives, handles, and brakes well, with no shakes or shimmies and does not pull to either side and there is no play in the steering. With the re-sprung and added leaf spring, the Scout rides at a great height with a clean, firm ride, not as if it were lifted, but more like a new truck stance. Keeping very close to factor stance also means no potential problems with sharp driveline angles, alignment, and center of gravity that you might encounter with a lifted vehicle. The truck currently has 31 x 10.50 BFG mud terrain tires. Interior One of the primary causes of rust in older vehicles is trapping water between the floor mat/carpet and the steel floor. To prevent this, the floor and interior walls have been lined with Rhino lining, and the carpet was removed and is no longer available. The glass is factory condition. All the electrical components function as originally designed, including wipers, all lights inside and out, speedometer, gauges, heater, and defroster. The interior is in very good condition. There are NO cracks on the dash or steering wheel. The seats are in very good condition, except for one small tear on the vinyl sidewall of the drivers seat. I have the original rear seat in the truck, but it is not installed, nor does it include all of the necessary hardware for final installation. The Scout came with factory AC, but the previous owner removed it to make room for a veggie oil system, but I still have the AC components. They are included in the auction should you want to reinstall them. He also never got to the veggie system installed. Body and undercarriage The body is in excellent shape for its age, the original paint is still shiny from being garaged its whole life. The lift gate is fiberglass and has lost some of its sheen. The side doors shut and align well, while the rear lift gate could be better aligned. The body does have some scratches, nicks, and minor dents, but nothing major. There are no rust spots, holes, or cancer on this truck. I have also had the lower portions of the quarter panels and rocker panels sprayed with chip / rock guard. The frame, mounts, and spring hangers are solid. The winning bidder could do the minor bodywork to make this a collectors item or show quality piece, or you could just drive it as is for many years and miles to come. Additional thoughts: The truck has a 2” x 2” receiver / tow hitch, but I’m not sure of the rating. There is also trailer light wiring, but no trailer brake setup. The stock tires were 235/75/15's on 15x6 wheels; it now has 15x7 in. wheels with 31/10.50/15 BFG Mud Terrains. For additional Scout information, here are several good additional sources.
 http://www.superscoutspecialists.com/store/t-faq.aspx http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Harvester_Scout 1980 Factory Turbo Diesel Specs: Make International Harvester Model Scout Traveler Year 1980 Engine SD33T by Nissan Type 4-cycle Diesel Configuration Inline 6-cylinder Displacement 198 cu. in. (3.2 litres) Bore & Stroke 3.27 x 3.94 in. Compression Ratio 21:1 Carburetion Direct fuel injection Aspiration Turbocharged (max boost 6.5 PSI) SAE Net Horsepower 101 @ 3100 RPM SAE Net Torque (lb/ft) 175 @ 2200 RPM MPG City: 18/19 Highway: 19/20 Transmission Four-speed manual Gear Ratios 1st....4.02:1 2nd....2.41:1 3rd....1.41:1 4th....1.00:1 Final Drive 3.73:1 Transfer Case Dana 300 two-speed Gear Ratios 4L.....2.62:1 4H.....1.00:1 Brakes Disc/Drum, power assisted Suspension Live axles, leaf springs, single cks Steering Power assisted Tire & Wheel size 30", 15 x 8, BFGoodrich, Mud-Terrain’s Ground Clearance 7.6 in. Fuel Capacity 19 gal. http://www.superscoutspecialists.com/store/t-faq.aspxhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Harvester_Scoutshapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1

Copyright, Paul Fuertsch, 2002 - Present