New Project

"jminer" (jminer)
04/25/2016 at 13:03 • Filed to: None

Greetings Oppo!

I bought a new project last week. I got it to the house Friday night and had a couple of other obligations so it just taunted me until Sunday afternoon when I was able to finally get started.

It being pulled out of its previous climate controller slumber.

I bought a 79 International Harvester Scout II Traveler. It has a 345 V8, 727 Auto transmission, and is 4WD.

The Traveler and Terra models are different that the typical Scout II because they have an 18" longer wheelbase. The Traveler (above) has a full top and had an option for a 3rd row seat. The Terra was the same body, but had a half cab and no rear seats.

International ceased making passenger vehicles in 1980, and from there continued only with medium and heavy duty trucks. They also were the source of many of the diesel engines used in Ford trucks.

The V8's used by International (304, 345, and 392) were all built for industrial purposes and are nearly identical to those they used in medium and heavy duty applications. They weren’t designed to make a ton of power, or be terribly efficient, but to run forever with minimal maintenance. For example, these V8's didn’t use a timing chain or belt, but a timing gear. That’s right a timing chain was deemed not reliable enough for International’s use.

Well back to the project, I bought it from a man who had purchased it about 5 years ago running and driving. He licensed it and drove it around town for a while. Then the radiator started leaking and he parked it. He then decided to tear it apart with the intention of fixing it. As is often the case, he got over his head and it sat. Time passed and rodents took up habitat in the scout, it got more and more in the way (he lived in a 1 car garage), and eventually it had to go.

He put it up on CL and I gave him a call, he wanted it to go to a good home. One that would love it, and get it back on the road. I was able to convince him that is my intention and a deal was struck.

All in all, the truck is solid, with intact floorboards (only needing a few patches) and what appears to be a solid driveline.

Most of the engine bay had been disassembled and the wiring disconnected as well. That’s going to be my next step. Reconnect everything in the engine bay and see what happens. Then I’ll know what needs to be ordered.

The first thing I did Sunday afternoon was to clear all of the stuff out of the back, take inventory, and then hose it all down. There was a good deal of mouse activity in the truck, I was hopeful that most of the rodents fled during the trip to the house though. I sneezed most of the afternoon and my wife wouldn’t let me in the house until I took the hose to myself ;)

Somehow, even with all of the rodent activity, the original seats are in nearly perfect shape. I am just in love with that pattern!

From before everything was washed. I apparently didn’t take any pics from after I cleaned them.

At any rate, there is a fair amount of body work that needs to be done. I’ll need to source sheet metal and bust out the grinder and welder. I am not great at it, but this should give me plenty of practice...

Wish me luck, I already had too many projects... On the plus side I did tget the Goldwing running and take it for a short ride for the first time Sunday. It’s not charging, but I ordered a new rectifier and that should fix it.

Well enjoy a few more pics

From before I cleaned out the back

The doors even have that lovely pattern

International!

An old Carter ThermoQuad

DISCUSSION (33)

Noah - Now with more boost. > jminer
04/25/2016 at 13:12

exciting! what a cool project, I’ll be on the lookout for updates

Urambo Tauro > jminer
04/25/2016 at 13:15

What’s the goal?

General road-worthiness? Restoration? Resto-mod?

jminer > Urambo Tauro
04/25/2016 at 13:20

I’m definitely not planning on restoring it right now. My plan is to get it into solid driveable shape and then drive it. I’m thinking of combining it with my motorcycles and driving it when the weather doesn’t allow 2 wheeled transportation.

That’s basically what I do with my motorcycles, fix them and ride them with scratched and dented tanks, rusted forks, and missing side covers.

If you’re looking for a full on restoration, I’m afraid you’ll be dissapointed.

jminer > Noah - Now with more boost.
04/25/2016 at 13:20

Thanks! I’ll try to take pics and update as I go. Sometimes I just get excited though and just work through it all.

Party-vi > jminer
04/25/2016 at 13:21

Boat-anchor engine with lots of torque. Don’t expect it to get-up-and-go too much. I think 150hp, 265lb-ft? They were made to run forever.

jminer > Party-vi
04/25/2016 at 13:26

Those numbers look about right, not quick at all.

I’ve driven heavier vehicles with less hp though. I’m not planning on going anywhere fast. I had an 83 Suburban with the 6.2 diesel (naturally aspirated), that thing weighed over 6k pounds and that engine put out 130hp 25 years before I owned it.

Party-vi > jminer
04/25/2016 at 13:26

Ah good - you’re used to going nowhere fast while being loud.

jminer > Party-vi
04/25/2016 at 13:29

Oh yeah, atleast this guy won’t try to shake my fillings out at a stoplight like that old diesel.

Overall the 6.2 is alright just so underpowered. It would get to highway speed on its own in a reasonable time frame, but not if you were hauling anything. Why else would you have a Suburban?!

shop-teacher > jminer
04/25/2016 at 13:30

This is all kinds of cool! I also love that fabric pattern.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > jminer
04/25/2016 at 13:30

ahhh back to feet per gallon for you then! Hahaha, kickass looking project good luck with it and keep us posted!

shop-teacher > jminer
04/25/2016 at 13:32

Are you at least going to fix the rocker panels?

jminer > shop-teacher
04/25/2016 at 13:33

Thanks, my wife digs it too.

jminer > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
04/25/2016 at 13:34

Yeah, according to the scout forums, it should get about 10 city and 15 hwy is top running form. So not bad by late 70's standards.

jminer > shop-teacher
04/25/2016 at 13:36

Eventually. The floor pan is solid as is the frame and body mounts so it’s not critical. The driver side has the worst rust and it’ll eventually get new rockers, front fender patched, and rear quarter panel patched as well.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > jminer
04/25/2016 at 13:37

Yeah that’s actually not bad at all, overdrive on that trans?

my 68 Montego is definitely in feet per gallon. That 4 barrel swap ruined the mileage.

jminer > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
04/25/2016 at 13:39

No overdrive. It’s a dodge 727 torque flight (like their trucks used through the 8o’s). It’s lighter than it looks (4500 lbs) and the stock thermo quad was a efficient carb in its day. I think I’ll probably end up swapping it for another 4 bbl as they’re not fun to tune.

shop-teacher > jminer
04/25/2016 at 13:40

Cool! That’s remarkable rust free for an International :)

jminer > shop-teacher
04/25/2016 at 13:42

Oh yeah! Especially around here (st louis) most internationals returned to the earth long ago. I honestly got pretty lucky on it. We’ll see if I’m still playing that tune in a few months though...

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > jminer
04/25/2016 at 13:43

That’s surprisingly good then. I have a pretty small Holley 4 on mine which is around 400 cfm I believe. compared to the stock 2 barrel I may as well be pouring it on the ground as I go...

shop-teacher > jminer
04/25/2016 at 13:44

I’m in the Chicago area, and I can’t remember the last time I saw an International on the road. I’m honestly not sure if I’ve seen one in the last decade.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > shop-teacher
04/25/2016 at 13:47

Haha. I’m in Milwaukee and I’m right there with you. I think I’ve only ever seen 2 or 3 Scouts on the roads around here, and 1 of them is owned by a friend of mine.

jminer > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
04/25/2016 at 13:49

Yeah, mileage can be pretty brutal on these old beasts if you don’t have everything dialed in perfectly (points, plug gap, timing, air mixture and so on).

It’s also pretty low cfm as it isn’t very high revving. I believe it clocks around 390 cfm as it only has a 4200 rpm redline.

jminer > shop-teacher
04/25/2016 at 13:51

I’m with you, I see first Gen broncos occasionally, but they made a lot more of them. For most years International only made 15-20k road vehicles.

shop-teacher > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
04/25/2016 at 13:52

When I was in college in Champaign (~15 years ago now), there was a little repair shop that had a bunch of Scouts sitting next to it, and they were all rusty piles. I think one was decent and used to move some.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > jminer
04/25/2016 at 14:10

Another Oppo hero.

jminer > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
04/25/2016 at 14:12

While I’m not sure what that title entails, I’ll take the designation with honor and much reverence

Noah - Now with more boost. > jminer
04/25/2016 at 14:13

Oh I totally understand, I’m not at my most motivated to take pictures when my hands are filthy and I’m stressing over a project haha

jminer > Noah - Now with more boost.
04/25/2016 at 14:16

Yeah, I’m always covered in grease and I won’t let my DSLR anywhere near a project, my phone is the best I will do. If I’m wearning mechanic gloves I won’t take any because I’m too lazy to take off the glove to snap a pic. Nitrile gloves are nice, because they’ll still work on the touch screen, give me some nice dexterity, and keep me clean.

I wore the thick gloves pulling rusty, mouse dropping covered parts out of the back of the Scout though...

Noah - Now with more boost. > jminer
04/25/2016 at 14:22

Exactly, smartphone/DSLR + grease = no deal. I need some gloves... I always end up with paint/bondo/grease all over my hands on Sunday evening - I had to trim my nails last night because it was so bad lol.

jminer > Noah - Now with more boost.
04/25/2016 at 14:30

Lol! I started wearing nitrile gloves years ago. They’re medical grade so they’ll hold up to anything but brake cleaner. My wife won’t let me touch her with greasy hands so that was an easy call ;)

They're just a few bucks a box (for the unpowdered ones) and are wonderful. I've never looked back. I do still get into trouble when one tears when I'm working, or if I'm just going to check a couple things real quick... When the latter happens I'm also usually wearing work clothes and not garage approved ones, I've lost more pants that way than I care to think about...

Noah - Now with more boost. > jminer
04/25/2016 at 15:33

Yeah I will add the gloves to my “next auto store trip” list, enough is enough haha

razorbeamteam > shop-teacher
04/25/2016 at 16:27

I live in Lincoln park and saw one yesterday! It was beautifully restored and was sporting Blackhawks magnets on the doors. Parked out on the street sans top.

shop-teacher > razorbeamteam
04/25/2016 at 16:29

Wow! That’s a regular unicorn around here!