Project "Smurf" Expedition Scout/Traveler

[ExpoScout]

Well so after acquiring the diesel traveler about a year and a half ago I am FINALLY getting around to doing something with it. I hadnt touched it since I brought it back from NY...I drove it one day, the brakes were sketchy at best, and I parked it. Now that I need something to drive (and I want to be able to drive this thing around this summer, as well as go on some trips) I am doing something about it. Here are some pics of what it looked like when I picked it up from NY:

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/IMG_0204.jpg

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/IMG_0207.jpg

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/IMG_0205.jpg

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/IMG_0206.jpg

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/IMG_0208.jpg

Well a couple of weeks ago I got laid off from my job, then 9 days ago my girlfriend had her wisdom teeth taken out so I had to stay around the house to watch after her....with all the new found time on my hands and being restricted to the property around the house that was now serving as a recovery room I got the bug to start working on it. Not only did I get the bug to start working on it, but my car is for sale, and my little pickup broke, so Im gonna need something to drive.

In the past 9 days:

Ive done extensive sheet metal "carving," taking out old rusted sheet metal that wasnt doing me any good, and making way for some larger tires that will be on shortly. In this short time Ive also completely redone the brake system with all new hard lines, all new rubber hoses, and I will probably end up putting a new master on before it is all said and done.

The old rusted floors/floor supports/body mounts under the cab have been cut out. New 1 1/2" square tubing serves as my new rockers with 1" tubing being the floor supports.

Fenders have been cut out, rust has been eliminated, and Ive nearly exhausted myself, but I am astounded at the amount of work I've gotten done. Between all the wire brushing, grinding, welding, spraying of primer and truck bed lining, I havent hardly found time to eat or sleep, but at least I'm getting something done and am excited to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I will post some more recent pics of the big change that has taken place as well as update you guys with the progress. The plan is to have the traveler ready in two weeks. Its not gonna be a beauty queen, but it will be leaps and bounds better than it was before.

Here are some plans for the next two weeks:

-get floor pans in
-finish buttoning up the new drum brake hardware in the rear
-get new shocks in
-sand and paint the body and top
-bed line the interior
-install new battery
-wire brush/grind more on the surface rust underneath and put some fresh paint
-change the oil and fuel filters
-make sure all the wiring terminals and connections are clean and that all the lighting works
-get the center console in (.50 cal ammo can converted into center console) with cd player inside wired up
-1 1/2" - 2" lift shackles (havent decided yet)


After these things it will be road worthy (even though not all of them are a neccessity, so some will take priority over others) and Ill finally get to be driving one of my scouts which will be a nice change.

Future plans (next few weeks/months after its running):

-build bumpers/tire carrier
-intercooler
-upgraded fuel lines
-spin on fuel/oil filters
-new axle seals
-new ball joints
-build new tie rod and draglink
-build roof rack
-round gauges in dash (egt will be my first gauge I buy I promise)
-all new u-joints for driveshaft and knuckles
-diff guards
-SSII door inserts/doors/etc (no soft top though, sticking with the fiberglass traveler top)

I have tons more plans for the thing floating around in my head, but that should give you an idea for now....Im really looking forward to getting this thing going so I can do some trips and meets (finallllllly).

Well I will keep you updated, and if you have any questions or even some advice please feel free to let me know

s/f

-Jordan

[ntsqd]

Being an NA diesel anything that you can do to improve it's breathing will be a bonus. I would start with a take-off air box from one of the Late model diesel pick-ups and keep a paper type filter in it. One of those shouldn't be too hard to dig up since most of those guys think they need to have some "AirRaid" or similar filter to make more power. (I do not like nor trust any of the K&N type filters as I've had dirt on the inside of them.)
As the budget allows consider increasing the exhaust tubing size. NA diesels respond particularly well to reducing back-pressure. Note though, that if you go too big that exhaust noise will also rise too.

Should you need some the Scout II door seals are off the shelf Trim-Loc parts. Should be able to search a vendor or find someone local without needing to go to an IH specific parts house.

Lift shackles in the front will decrease your Caster angle unless offset with wedges. Do Not use aluminum wedges, insist on steel. If you can't get them locally Roger Brown (http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/ForSale/Shims.shtml) makes them.
If fabricating new mounts is within your range of abilities then going to other springs can give you the tire clearance you're looking for and a better ride. Specifically I'd look into installing a set of late model GM 1/2t truck rear springs at the rear. They are roughly 63" long and have a superb ride.
Going to a reversed shackle arrangement is supposed to improve ride quality as well though I've no direct experience with that.

BTW you front discs are Ford truck parts and the master cylinder likely is too.
Given that, I would look into swapping over to the later Ford & GM style front wheel hubs. These use a spline-drive locking hub instead of the bolt-on hubs that you currently have. In moderate to heavy use those bolt-ons can be a pain. Nothing known to me will keep those bolts tight. The spline-drive type is a much better design.

Off-road.com used to have a Scout section that listed a bunch of NAPA part numbers for common wear items on Scouts. Would be worth seeing if that is still posted.

[ExpoScout]

thanks for the info ntsqd...you are right about those hub bolts, they dont stay tight....and thats just when its sitting jack stands

as far as the springs go, i will probably do a reverse shackle eventually, but for now i just want to get it on the road

and i like the idea of the rear leaves from the GM you were talking about...i might look into that

oh and i guess i shouldve specified earlier, but its a turbo diesel....ive got new injectors for it as well as a rebuilt turbo with a more efficient exhaust housing, so it should make about 4 psi more boost, spool up quicker, and run like a champ....that coupled with the 3" straight pipe exhaust and the intake im building (and intercooler in the near future) its shouldnt be too much of a slouch....especially since it will be a couple hundred pounds lighter than the last time i drove it :)

as far as the fabrication goes, i have it pretty well under control, its what i do for a living as well

again, thanks for the info!

[silverscout]

Good to see another International Harvester on this site. That Nissan diesel is a great motor and from what I hear, has good longevity. I hope you get to get out and use it soon. Looking forward to more.

[ExpoScout]

So here are the pics as she sits now:

As you can see everything that resembled rust has been cut out...plus I think it looks pretty cool
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/032.jpg

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/039.jpg

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/040.jpg

New floor supports and rockers:
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/033.jpg

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/041.jpg

.50 Cal Ammo can center console with CD player (not finished, it will have speakers mounted in it as well as exterior compartments for drinks/random crap...the thing is gonna be bolted to the floor with locking nuts and is completely lockable:

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/034.jpg

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/035.jpg

More to come....

[ExpoScout]

Good to see another International Harvester on this site. That Nissan diesel is a great motor and from what I hear, has good longevity. I hope you get to get out and use it soon. Looking forward to more.

Thanks, yeah this is my 2nd TD Scout....I love them, most people have never seen them and are astounded when I tell them its a diesel

[4Rescue]

Great old truck. That SD33 Diesel is a great motor.

Cheers

Dave

[ExpoScout]

Great old truck. That SD33 Diesel is a great motor.

Cheers

Dave

thanks dave,

its also getting some upgrades itself (intercooler, rebuilt injectors, rebuilt turbo, electric fan, aluminum radiator, etc) to help it be a little more reliable and maybe a bit more powerful as well

hopefully it will look a little better soon too :P

s/f

Jordan

[preacherman]

great looking truck! sounds like a great build. I love the center console idea!

[ExpoScout]

great looking truck! sounds like a great build. I love the center console idea!

Thanks!...yeah i had it left over from my marine corps days

im actually gonna paint it with some aerosol truck bed coating to give it a bit of texture and keep it from getting scratched up so much...as well as mounting speakers in the front and rear of it, hopefully it turns out like i have imagined

[Trogdor]

You have done a really nice job :clapsmile I can't wait to see what it looks like completed. Post as many pics as you can.

[ExpoScout]

You have done a really nice job :clapsmile I can't wait to see what it looks like completed. Post as many pics as you can.

Heres a few more for ya

Well, been doing a lot of little boring things on the rig until some money comes in so I can purchase the items I need to really get it moving along :P

Got the shifter console parts painted and installed:

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/001.jpg

And got the aluminum covers for where the speakers used to be riveted/sealed in and coated:

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/002-1.jpg


Thats it for now, I will hopefully have a lot to show you by the end of the weeknd...

[silverscout]

Wow, its coming along nicely. I can’t believe how much you’ve accomplished in such a short time. With the wheel wells cut out you can run some serious meats. Whats the plan for this truck, daily driver or weekend camper?

Also, would you mind taking a measurement for me? I’d like to know the difference between a Scout II and a Traveler in terms of interior length. What’s the distance between the front of the rear wheel well to the edge of the lip that drops off into the front floor pan? Looking at a photo you posted you can see where International added the extra metal to extend the interior. Thanks Major.



http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/041.jpg

[ExpoScout]

Wow, its coming along nicely. I can’t believe how much you’ve accomplished in such a short time. With the wheel wells cut out you can run some serious meats. Whats the plan for this truck, daily driver or weekend camper?

Also, would you mind taking a measurement for me? I’d like to know the difference between a Scout II and a Traveler in terms of interior length. What’s the distance between the front of the rear wheel well to the edge of the lip that drops off into the front floor pan? Looking at a photo you posted you can see where International added the extra metal to extend the interior. Thanks Major.


Yeah, I wish I had gotten more done...but I get sidetracked far too easily :P

The plan for the truck is daily driver through this summer, then it will just be a weekend/trip vehicle...Hopefully once all is said and done I will have a reliable truck that I can take on some long off road trips next year. There will be lots to do to get it to that point, but for now Im just trying to get it on the road.

Ill take those measurements for you tonight :beer:

[ntsqd]

Difference in wheelbase is 18" I once examined a Terra and a II at the same time. Wasn't looking specifically at that, but from what I recall they have nearly the same departure angle. I expect that almost all to all of that 18" is between the step and the wheel well.

[Curmudgeon]

Also, would you mind taking a measurement for me? I’d like to know the difference between a Scout II and a Traveler in terms of interior length. What’s the distance between the front of the rear wheel well to the edge of the lip that drops off into the front floor pan?
That measurment is 26 inches in the Traveler.

The extra 18 inches in the Traveler body was added between the door and the rear wheel opening. Sheet metal from the B pillar forward is interchangeable, as is sheetmetal from the front of the wheel opening back. It is only the short section between the wheel opening and the door that differs between the 100" wheelbase Scouts and the 118" Traveler.

Approach and departure angles were not changed.

[silverscout]

Thanks Curmudgeon, ntsqd and Major. Thats what I figured as the Traveler and Scout are almost identical sans the center section. Those extra 18 inches are exactly what I need to make my Scout into a sleeper vehicle. My height forces me to leave the tail gate down when I sleep inside. Plus, as evident in other posts on other forums, the Traveler is more receptive to a Four Wheel Camper top.

[ExpoScout]

Thanks Curmudgeon, ntsqd and Major. Thats what I figured as the Traveler and Scout are almost identical sans the center section. Those extra 18 inches are exactly what I need to make my Scout into a sleeper vehicle. My height forces me to leave the tail gate down when I sleep inside. Plus, as evident in other posts on other forums, the Traveler is more receptive to a Four Wheel Camper top.

Silverscout, thats exactly why I decided to make my traveler into my expedition vehicle as opposed to my scout II....im 6' 4" so it would be much better if i sleep in the bed, not only that the extra stability on the highways and extra room for gear are all pluses to me

[ExpoScout]

Ok well Ive gotten a few more things done....nothing special, but I'll keep you guys up to date:

New(ly redone) Inner fenders:

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/001-1.jpg

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/003-1.jpg


New master cylinder and all the brake lines ready to go:

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/002-2.jpg


A little patchwork (still have to do the passenger side in the same spot)

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/004-1.jpg


new drum brake stuff...should go on tomorrow

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/005-1.jpg

[ExpoScout]

Well, the new drum brake hardware is on....which by the way was a big pain in the butt...i think all drum brakes are, and I havent done a ton of drum brake services, so I think that slowed me down a bit

Got all the new hardware installed for the body mounts...the body mounts under the footwell (#2 body mounts for the IH literate) had been cut out due to rust, but I found a solution that I think will work great. I already got the upper mount welded into the floor supports and tomorrow I will likely have the bottom mounts (ones that attach to the frame) welded in and it will be finished up.

List of things I still have to do and/or buy (just the necessities for now, there will be a ton more to get it expedition ready) :

-Shocks
-Bleed brakes
-Battery/Install
-Floorpans
-Change all fluids
-Radiator hoses (these are old and collapsing)
-leaf spring bushings
-U-bolts
-Misc Metal work
-tidy up wiring/re-loom most of it
-and obviously a little paint and body work

Im sure there are some things I am forgetting but it will all get done here soon...I should have some good pics of progress in the next couple days for you guys

[ExpoScout]

Ok well got some wiring cleaned up in the engine bay....it was bugging me so I worked on it for a little while...im gonna go through all the connections here at some point and either replace them or clean them

Before:

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/001-2.jpg

After:

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/003-2.jpg



And I put on a new steering wheel...well its new to the traveler anyway, its been lying around my shop for a while, so i found it a home. I have the center cap by the way, just havent installed it:

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/002-3.jpg




Going to get metal for the floors tomorrow, and maybe some for the new bumpers too...more to come tomorrow

[Mobryan]

Still running the stock alternator???


Brave man ;)




Matt

[ExpoScout]

Still running the stock alternator???


Brave man ;)




Matt

for a short while, yes....ive only driven this one day since i got it

it will be getting a GM alternator and hydroboost soon enough

[ntsqd]

A note on IH wiring. It's all one color with ink-stamped numbers. You may or may not already know this, but lacquer thinner removes those ink marks.......
Try just hot soapy water for the wires and a vinegar soak for the contacts.

I take it the diesels got a Hitachi alt instead of the Delco's that the gassers got?
Were it me I'd look into one of the 17 series Delcos. Large (!) case, but will live longer at high current levels.

[ExpoScout]

A note on IH wiring. It's all one color with ink-stamped numbers. You may or may not already know this, but lacquer thinner removes those ink marks.......
Try just hot soapy water for the wires and a vinegar soak for the contacts.

cool, thanks for the tip :beer:




I take it the diesels got a Hitachi alt instead of the Delco's that the gassers got?
Were it me I'd look into one of the 17 series Delcos. Large (!) case, but will live longer at high current levels.

Yep, its what creates the vacuum for the brake booster and sucks to say the least

When I go with hydroboost, I will be able to convert to a GM (delco) unit like you were saying

[Mobryan]

A note on IH wiring. It's all one color with ink-stamped numbers. You may or may not already know this, but lacquer thinner removes those ink marks.......
Try just hot soapy water for the wires and a vinegar soak for the contacts.

I take it the diesels got a Hitachi alt instead of the Delco's that the gassers got?
Were it me I'd look into one of the 17 series Delcos. Large (!) case, but will live longer at high current levels.

Hence the first law of IH eletrical trouble shooting.... "The problem is ALWAYS in the green wire." :D :D :D

I dunno about the 17, but I know the 12SI is a good size fit for the diesels. When I was playing with mine, I mocked up a 125A Leese-Neville I had laying around. Decided that was a touch ;) too much alt for my purposes.



Matt

[ExpoScout]

Hence the first law of IH eletrical trouble shooting.... "The problem is ALWAYS in the green wire." :D :D :D

I dunno about the 17, but I know the 12SI is a good size fit for the diesels. When I was playing with mine, I mocked up a 125A Leese-Neville I had laying around. Decided that was a touch ;) too much alt for my purposes.



Matt

haha well yes there certainly seems to be an abundance of green wires on these engines

as far as the alternator goes, im not sure which one im going with, but there have been plenty of people on the BB use various alternators with good success, so ill probably go with one of those....since they have done the R&D for me :P

[ntsqd]

Reason I suggested the 17 is that MISF ("My Infamous Scout Friend") has had fairly good luck with one. He is the proverbial person who CAN and WILL break an anvil playing in a sandbox, i.e. broke his back (long story), in go Titainium pins, Breaks Ti pins (probably from the GTO engine change....), out come the pins.....
Some older pics:
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u196/ntsqd/SippiHole.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u196/ntsqd/Calico/aad2.jpg

[ExpoScout]

ntsqd,

I will have to look into one of the 17s...thanks for the info



Ok, so its been a few days since I updated...I started a new job monday and so i havent had as much time to work on this thing, however, it should be driveable after the weekend

So next week I should be driving it....i cant wait

In the next few pictures youll see I got a Yellow Top Optima battery. Well, I cranked it up for the first time in a year and a half after I put the battery in and it started up with no problems. I let it run and get up to temp and it did great. There was not even a small puff of smoke out of the draft tube.

Here are some pics of what the engine bay looks like now...it seems all thats left is painting the engine...which I will do once I get it driveable so I can pull it out side and pressure wash the engine. I am debating on the color to paint it though. It will be a solid color and I can either do the stock nissan color or black or something like that....not sure yet. The optima sat in there great and is definitely easier to get in there being that its a lot lighter than the group 31 battery that was in there :P

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/002-4.jpg

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/003-3.jpg


Finally got the rear of the bed patched and the entire rear section (behind the seats) bedlined. I used a combination of tack welds, rivets, and 3m window urethane to put the patch in and seal it up before I coated it:

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/004-2.jpg


And heres the most exciting picture....its the first time its started to look like a road-going vehicle in quite some time...just put the wheels on for mock up and to see how it looked:

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/005-2.jpg


Well thats it for now....#2 body mounts, floors, and most of the exterior paint should be done by the end of the weekend or the beginning of the week...will post more pictures when I have them

-Jordan

[ntsqd]

I am a big fan of gray. Much, much easier to see what you're doing than with black when working on things late at night, or even in broad daylight. The desert camo Scout above has it's whole under/behind dash area painted white for this reason.
Also easier to track down where a leak is coming from.

When I worked for Vintage Racing Services we used so much of one particular gray paint that we called it "VRS Gray".....

[ExpoScout]

I am a big fan of gray. Much, much easier to see what you're doing than with black when working on things late at night, or even in broad daylight. The desert camo Scout above has it's whole under/behind dash area painted white for this reason.
Also easier to track down where a leak is coming from.

When I worked for Vintage Racing Services we used so much of one particular gray paint that we called it "VRS Gray".....

When I was building porsche race cars we also painted everything gray...i think we typically used "battleship" gray

Actually I have thought about doing the engine bay that color...but i just didnt want TOO many colors going on...but its a good idea and ill throw the idea around some more

[silverscout]

Very Smurfy Major. Kudos.

[ExpoScout]

thanks silverscout

i actually went back tonight and traded the yellow top for a blue top

i figured for 10 extra bucks might as well have a little more peace of mind

[silverscout]

The peace of mind is worth a million, for sure. Now, not that I've heard anything too negative about the yellow or blue tops. But, Optimas have been getting a lot of bad press on a few forums. I've had dual red tops in my Scout for over five years now and they were a hand me downs (so they are old) but I know folks say they are done with Optima. How did you decide on that brand?

[Funrover]

Man that is sweet, and a diesel to boot!!! Way to go man!:jump:

[ExpoScout]

The peace of mind is worth a million, for sure. Now, not that I've heard anything too negative about the yellow or blue tops. But, Optimas have been getting a lot of bad press on a few forums. I've had dual red tops in my Scout for over five years now and they were a hand me downs (so they are old) but I know folks say they are done with Optima. How did you decide on that brand?

well first of all the OE spec battery for the scout is a group 31, which is HUGE and a fair amount heavier than the blue optima. The CA, CCA, and RC are all at least on par if not better than a group 31. The blue optima has an 18 month warranty which is decent, and they are the only "performance" battery that is regularly available that i know of (you can get them at autozone, advance, etc).

I havent ever experienced anything negative with optimas, except my brother who had a red top and ended up trading it in for a yellow because it died. What I have heard is that if youre going to get an optima at least get a yellow, if not a blue. And especially since its a diesel and all that compression is hard on a battery, i went with the best one i could get. Chances are I will be adding a second battery (i have plans to put a dual battery box under the rear seat) and if two blue optimas cant get me where im going and back, i dont know what will.



Man that is sweet, and a diesel to boot!!! Way to go man!:jump:

thanks...its not done yet, and even after it gets on the road in the next week or so (hopefully) there will still be plenty left to do

:beer:

[02TahoeMD]

I am enjoying watching this build. My vote for the engine bay would be to painting the engine gray, firewall whatever color you intend to do the body in, and then flat black for the wheel wells.

I have a red top Optima in my Tahoe, unfortunately I had something trickle drain the thing the first week I had it. I unplugged any of the potential offenders and then recharged it. It has been fine ever since.

Still, I intend to doing a dual battery conversion this summer as I am adding a winch, and don't like the idea of having a dead truck in the middle of East Nowhere when I am all by myself.

[ExpoScout]

The gray paint for the engine is growing on me...im gonna see what i can find

It wont get painted for a little while yet, but once driveable i can pull it outside and pressure wash it and degrease it


One thing you guys may be able to help me with is that im trying to decide whether or not to use the space under the rear seat floorboard for a drop down box that houses the dual batteries or use it for my air tank for on board air

Im torn, because with such a relatively small tank, the compressor will be running pretty much nonstop anyway. So do I use the tank and compressor together and keep the batteries in the engine bay....or just run a compressor with no tank and use the space under the floor for the batteries which will free up space in the engine bay?


Also, im looking at AC power inverters to mount to the back of my center console and dont really know where to start looking.....i know of someone that used a powersine inverter with good success, but i found a nice one (seemingly) thats made by Richmond, but havent found any info on them

[ntsqd]

If you have the room on the engine I'd go with the York A/C compressor type of OBA. Those will run nearly continous duty w/o a tank. I'm now including a blow nozzle in my air kit for blowing the dust out. Could've really used that on my last trip.
For more volume in a shallow space you might see what you can find in used truck air brake tanks. I've seen some (in use) that were about 8" OD that might work for you. A couple of those would offer a fair amount of volume.

MISF is running into problems with the front clip of his Scout tearing up the fender mounting tabs. I suspect this is due to all of the weight hanging on the inner fenders that didn't come from IH. Dual batteries being one of the major things.

Perahps a battery and an air tank on each side?

Search the Aux. Power section (http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=48) here, I think you'll find more than you ever wanted to know about inverters and related equipment.

[ExpoScout]

I have the York compressors out of both of my scouts sitting in my shop, so I have those handy. Here is a pic of my air brake tank that Ive been planning to use for quite some time:

http://thumb5.webshots.net/t/14/14/8/89/96/275588996uJVRVJ_th.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1275588996065855545uJVRVJ)

The weight issue up front makes a lot of sense though...and Ive lost some rigidity up there since ive hacked at at it with the sawzall :P

The batteries are definitely going to be the heaviest, so perhaps they would be best under the rear seats.

So is it your opinion that one of the yorks and the tank would be the best combo?

[ntsqd]

It is, if it can be made to work and you have more than the occasional OBA need. Otherwise there are easier solutions.
There is a compressor out there that has the potential to be better than a York, but I've yet to get one operational so it's all conjecture at this point.

[ExpoScout]

Ok cool, thanks for all the input, it is really appreciated :elkgrin:

[02TahoeMD]

Reading the thread about vintage expedition vehicles got me wondering about this project. Maj Payne, any update?

[ExpoScout]

Reading the thread about vintage expedition vehicles got me wondering about this project. Maj Payne, any update?

Hey, sorry I havent gotten back to you guys...things have slowed over the past month or so since Ive been so busy with work and all.

However, the passenger side floor is in, the driver side is ready to go in...most everything has been taped off for priming and painting...and im still trying to figure out a wiring problem with my headlights and turn signals

I should have some good updates with pictures soon :beer:

[02TahoeMD]

bump for an update.....reading about that airport limo International reminded me of this build.

[ExpoScout]

Hey, Im still around....just havent made much progress except for little stuff that would be boring to put into pictures.

Im 9 weeks into a 28 week Police Academy and my time is pretty scarce. I do have plans in a couple weeks to pick up the rest of the sheet metal that I need to finish the floors and all.

Once the floors are done, the seats will be bolted in and it should be driveable at least!

Ill keep you guys updated, thanks for the continued interest, even though Im dragging this out :P

[ExpoScout]

Big updates inbound soon....look for it in the next couple days! Its about on the road!

[silverscout]

Big updates inbound soon....look for it in the next couple days! Its about on the road!

Duuuuuuude, where you at?

[vhram]

I love those scouts I had a orange / white scout II that would go anywhere, scary power steering though:bike_rider:

[ExpoScout]

Duuuuuuude, where you at?

haha, im here...ill get some new pics up tonight :ylsmoke:

[ExpoScout]

ok so i didnt get them up last night....i took a night off and had a few beers instead :P

new floors in:

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/5-30-09003.jpg
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/5-30-09004.jpg
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/5-30-09005.jpg

seats and center console all in (interior is done for now):
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/5-30-09006.jpg
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/5-30-09007.jpg

new air intake and engine bay is done for now:
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/5-30-09009.jpg
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/5-30-09008.jpg

[ExpoScout]

Here is after the spray paint job...and Ive been driving it a little:

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/traveler001.jpg
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/traveler002.jpg

Still have some small loose ends to tie up here and there. And of course the bumpers, tire carrier, and roof rack that Ill be building soon.

Im thinking its probably going to get an actual paint job sometime soon, either in the same dark blue type color, or OD green with the gallon of military humvee paint I have lying around.

[02TahoeMD]

Starting to come together very nicely. Good work. You going to run it without the doors?

[ExpoScout]

Starting to come together very nicely. Good work. You going to run it without the doors?

Thanks, I have been running it without doors lately, partly because its been so freaking hot here and partly out of necessity.

The doors that came on it are severely rusted in the bottoms, so until I either get those back to good shape, or put the set of doors from my other scout on and spray them to match for the time being, its going to stay without doors.

I am contemplating making some frames to fit and getting them covered by a local convertible top shop. So I will have one of the three options completed at some point.

Its actually really nice driving it without the doors...the noise isnt so bad, and since its been so hot its been perfect. The safety is the only issue that even slightly concerns me.

Another option is to make some tube doors that bolt to the stock door hinges and latch on the stock door hinge. It has been done and adds a factor of saftey.

There are a lot of little things to take care of on the scout still, since its driveable Ill be taking care of them one at a time, little by little.

[ExpoScout]

Alright guys, so bear with me on this one...

I got to thinking about room inside the scout and where equipment would go, etc, etc and I had an idea.

Plenty of people have taken the fiberglass tops (like the one on my traveler 118" wheelbase) and shortened them to fit the scout II wheelbase models. It ends up looking pretty cool with the slanted back hatch as compared to the scout IIs squared-off top.

What Im thinking of doing is sort of a variation/reversal of that. Im thinking of taking a scout II top (which is steel and much easier to alter than the fiberglass, for me at least...id rather weld than do fiberglass work) and shortening it and making a double-cab sized top for the traveler, leaving me a short truck bed behind it.

Here is a crappy pic I worked up in MS Paint to illustrate what Im talking about:

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/proto5.jpg

There would be a bulkhead built into the back of the traveler separate the inside from the mini truck bed. I would also incorporate a hinged cover over top of the bed for a tire to mount (though it might impede my rear-view a bit...but Ill cross that bridge when I come to it.

The beauty and advantages of this setup are that I could still fit 4-5 people in the traveler, a rollbar could still be mounted inside (unlike with a short cab top), the rear seat can fold forward for storage inside the cab, equipment/fuel/compressor/air tank can be put in the bed safely without being IN the cab area, the top would be lighter and therefore easier to take off than a full-sized top like I have now, and it would just be something different and cool that I really havent seen before.

The actual shortening of the top would be easy enough and they are pretty easy to find and usually really cheap.

Let me know what you think.

[02TahoeMD]

First, about the doors - running doorless is seriously cool, but I will definitely fab up some kind of open frame / bar or whatnot to give a bit of structure to your side in the event of a collision. I remember driving my 73 Bronco once without the doors and while it was fun....I felt a bit paranoid being that exposed. Alas, that was MANY years ago.


Second, your design is a pretty neat idea. The only detriment it could be for you is that it would limit your ability to carry large cargo when the need arises. But, if you already have a pickup or large van then that is a moot point. Would definitely be a unique look! And that is a good thing. :smiley_drive:

[ExpoScout]

First, about the doors - running doorless is seriously cool, but I will definitely fab up some kind of open frame / bar or whatnot to give a bit of structure to your side in the event of a collision. I remember driving my 73 Bronco once without the doors and while it was fun....I felt a bit paranoid being that exposed. Alas, that was MANY years ago.


Second, your design is a pretty neat idea. The only detriment it could be for you is that it would limit your ability to carry large cargo when the need arises. But, if you already have a pickup or large van then that is a moot point. Would definitely be a unique look! And that is a good thing. :smiley_drive:

Yeah, I am picking a set of doors up from a friend in a few weekends that will be going on for the time being. Also, Its likely I will make a set of tube doors as well to use if I take the doors off in the summers.

Eventually I want to have super scout II door inserts added that use soft doors, like this (though I will retain the hard top):

http://www.thejeep.com/stc/images/supsctlg.jpg


And I will put reinforcements similar to this under the door inserts:

http://www.eggmanih.com/scout2/FL000017.jpg


As far as the cargo area is concerned, yes I have a pickup, this is just a secondary vehicle for me. Also, I have plans for a trailer down the road a bit, but I dont think I should have problems. I can always add a roof rack, not to mention the long top that is on it now will be able to be put back on whenever I want...so I will have options.

[ntsqd]

Do the Travelers have the regular Scout tailgate mounting points, and can that hardware be bolted in place and still allow the Traveler hatch to function?

[ExpoScout]

Do the Travelers have the regular Scout tailgate mounting points, and can that hardware be bolted in place and still allow the Traveler hatch to function?

Yes, the travelers have the same mounting points, so a Scout II tailgate will bolt right up.

As far as the hatch working in conjunction with the tailgate, Id either have to cut the hatch in half so it would mate up with the tailgate, or simply take the tailgate off if I wanted to put the traveler top back on.

Actually, I found someone that did something similar to what I want to do. The only difference is they used a different style top than I would be using:

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z99/morcor03/100_0497.jpg

[ntsqd]

They stretched a Scout II 1/2 cab. Aren't those fairly rare? I know the Terra's short cab is more like the Traveler than the Scout II's roof.

I don't recall the details of the Scout II hinge and latches. I was thinking more about being able to leave them in place than the whole tailgate.

[ExpoScout]

They stretched a Scout II 1/2 cab. Aren't those fairly rare? I know the Terra's short cab is more like the Traveler than the Scout II's roof.

I don't recall the details of the Scout II hinge and latches. I was thinking more about being able to leave them in place than the whole tailgate.

Yeah the half cabs are just about as rare as the terra tops, but are basically the same other than the terra having a slightly more sloped back and being made out of fiberglass as opposed to steel.

The scout II has the tailgate like a truck, and the hatch is basically the same as a camper top for a truck:

http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_images/2/4919/3941/24796970002_large.jpg

The traveler has a full length hatch:

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n123/majorpayne83/IMG_0206.jpg

What I think youre saying is that I could leave the tailgate from the Scout II and just put the traveler top on, which is correct...it just wouldnt be completely enclosed unless I cut the traveler hatch in half so it would meet up with the tailgate

But chances are once I get the smaller modified cab on the scout, Ill rarely put the traveler top back on, unless I really needed to to haul something out of the elements. But then again there will be a rear bulkhead separating the passenger compartment from the mini truck bed in the back, so it will limit the size of what I could fit back there.

[silverscout]

Coming along nicely Major. Dont lose your steam!

[ExpoScout]

Coming along nicely Major. Dont lose your steam!

Thanks!

Now that Ive actually been driving it its not going to be so easy to neglect :sombrero:

[El Guapo]

[QUOTE=ntsqd;208703]If you have the room on the engine I'd go with the York A/C compressor type of OBA. Those will run nearly continous duty w/o a tank. QUOTE]

1-what rpm range does this diesel engine have? (i.e. vs. a gasser, Diesels typically run a lot slower than a IC engine; thus i would watch out for RPM rate dependent components such as anything that is driven by a belt.

2- someone posted that "all the compression of the Diesel engine is hard on a battery". Care to explain? as far as i know the Diesels actually have almost to no load on a battery (the combustion / iginition is generated by compression of the fuel/air mix). Unless you are referring only to start up cranking with the electrical starter? - then that does make all the sense, and don't they have properly geared starters for Diesels?????

great build by the way! watching it closely...how hard is it to get parts for that engine????

[ntsqd]

Diesel idle speeds aren't significantly different from, specifically, the IH gasser engine's idle speed. The Compressor will just work a little slower at a reduced idle, but it's not a big deal as it won't cause any damage.
Setting up a higher idle speed for those times when it might be needed isn't a big project, but may not be needed enough to justify the effort.

Typical gasser static compression ratio ranges from ~7.5:1 (turbo/supercharged engines) to 9.75:1 for the upper end of street performance engines. Hot rods and race engines run up to ~13:1 for gasoline and ~16:1 for alcohol.

The typical diesel static compression ratio is 18:1 and they go as high as ~22:1.

In a diesel engine what is supposed to be the ignition source of the fuel is the air that was super-heated by the compression. This isn't always true in reality, but it is the text book description.

The diesel engine's poor compression braking performance stems from the lack of a throttle on the intake, not the lack of compression ratio.

[ExpoScout]

great build by the way! watching it closely...how hard is it to get parts for that engine????

Thanks! They are relatively hard to find parts for...just have to know where to look :sombrero:

[ExpoScout]

Diesel idle speeds aren't significantly different from, specifically, the IH gasser engine's idle speed. The Compressor will just work a little slower at a reduced idle, but it's not a big deal as it won't cause any damage.
Setting up a higher idle speed for those times when it might be needed isn't a big project, but may not be needed enough to justify the effort.

Typical gasser static compression ratio ranges from ~7.5:1 (turbo/supercharged engines) to 9.75:1 for the upper end of street performance engines. Hot rods and race engines run up to ~13:1 for gasoline and ~16:1 for alcohol.

The typical diesel static compression ratio is 18:1 and they go as high as ~22:1.

In a diesel engine what is supposed to be the ignition source of the fuel is the air that was super-heated by the compression. This isn't always true in reality, but it is the text book description.

The diesel engine's poor compression braking performance stems from the lack of a throttle on the intake, not the lack of compression ratio.

Yeah, I believe these engines are closer to 22:1 IIRC

[JAFJO]

Nice to see someone using a great platform for a build. I'll have to follow along on your build now. At times I miss my last Traveler, here is a pic of it before I painted it then sold it. Someone in Indiana bought it.
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s155/1980traveler/site_size.jpg

A friend of mine dumped a 4BT into his and made an extended cab Terra top for it. That motor and a 5spd is a very nice combo. Good luck.

Edit: I see you already found it.

[JAFJO]

Yes, the travelers have the same mounting points, so a Scout II tailgate will bolt right up.

As far as the hatch working in conjunction with the tailgate, Id either have to cut the hatch in half so it would mate up with the tailgate, or simply take the tailgate off if I wanted to put the traveler top back on.

Actually, I found someone that did something similar to what I want to do. The only difference is they used a different style top than I would be using:

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z99/morcor03/100_0497.jpg

Thats Cory's rig. It's a very nice ride. He used a factory steel half cab, not the fiberglass terra top and then started chopping.

[silverscout]

[QUOTE=JAFJO;508840]
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s155/1980traveler/site_size.jpg
QUOTE]

I remember when your Scout was for sale. I had to do some real soul searching to avoid purchasing it. We actually PM'd a bit back and forth. Great build.

Major, any progress on your Scout?

[roostercruiser]

nice biuld so far. its seeing another IH.

[bailey5071]

Please Help!

I recently just bought my grandfathers 1979 scout II traveler and got it staged in Dallas. I am just starting what will be an all out restoration and am trying to locate some parts. I have currently looked online for a hinge assembly for the travelers top. One of the hinges is damaged and needs to be replaced so that the hatchback will function properly. Do you know of a parts supplier that would have a replacment in stock?

[ExpoScout]

[QUOTE=JAFJO;508840]
Major, any progress on your Scout?

Nothing to speak of....I drove the crap out of it this summer and Ive just been too busy to mess with it lately. I'll be back in the saddle soon enough and you guys will be the first ones to know about any updates.


nice biuld so far. its seeing another IH.

Thanks...yeah we are few and far between these days it seems.

[ExpoScout]

Please Help!

I recently just bought my grandfathers 1979 scout II traveler and got it staged in Dallas. I am just starting what will be an all out restoration and am trying to locate some parts. I have currently looked online for a hinge assembly for the travelers top. One of the hinges is damaged and needs to be replaced so that the hatchback will function properly. Do you know of a parts supplier that would have a replacment in stock?

Hmm, some of the other guys in this thread may be more help than I am...but theres super scout specialists, scout parts, etc etc...

[Mr. Moore]

Another is IH Only.... I know there are a few more...just can't remember. I too love seeing the IH's...it makes me sad...I miss my Scout II...... I would love to have it back now that I found this site! so many Ideas!!!!!! alas my Ram will have to do....Good luck on the build! Oh and check out the " Binder Bulletin" ....ot is a forum website like this for IH...lots of good stuff there

[chencho]

Please Help!

I recently just bought my grandfathers 1979 scout II traveler and got it staged in Dallas. I am just starting what will be an all out restoration and am trying to locate some parts. I have currently looked online for a hinge assembly for the travelers top. One of the hinges is damaged and needs to be replaced so that the hatchback will function properly. Do you know of a parts supplier that would have a replacment in stock?

I'm in Dallas. I have leads on Scout parts, maybe I can help source some liftgate hinges here in the DFW area. Send me a PM or email.

junfan57@hotmail.com

[JAFJO]

Not sure but I think I have one in a bucket down stairs. Look at Just IH as well. I know those guys and know they will be able to help. I'll take a look and PM you if I do so as not to keep the hijack going.

[ExpoScout]

Ok, so its been a while since Ive worked on the Scout. After it started to get cold I parked it in the garage since it doesnt have any doors.

But I have some plans coming up in the near future for the scout, hopefully enough that I will be able to enjoy it year round.

First, Im going to be ditching the aluminum wheels for some black steel wheels and going with some different tires.

Second, Ive got a little metal work to finish to tie up some loose ends. Then it will be going to the body shop to get a little work done here and there as well as new paint. I'll be going with either a desert tan or olive drab.

After the body shop it will be going to the line-x shop where the entire interior is getting a nice thick coat, as well as the underbelly and fenderwells. I'm contemplating doing the top in line-x as well. Yes, its going to be a pretty penny I'll be spending on line-x.

Ive got a lead on some SSII door inserts. If I do indeed buy them off the guy then I will have the inserts line-x'd as well. By the time the line-x and paint are done it should be pretty dang rust proof, not to mention easier to clean.

There are some other little things here and there Ill be doing throughout all this, but that is the majority of everything for now.

Hopefully I'll have some good updates with pictures for you guys soon.

[ExpoScout]

Sorry for the long absence. Work has been a bit crazy, got married, did some traveling...so I didn't get as much done this summer on the Traveler as I wanted.

The lead on the SSII door inserts fell through, but I have a new plan of action. The old doors are getting cut and reshaped, glass/window cranks are getting removed. Soft windows are in the works after I get the doors finished.

I'll document the progress...It's parked in the shop now and ready for some more metal work. I'm hoping to have the doors and bumpers done in a month or two...If I can scrounge the time.

[beast1210]

good to hear bud , keep us posted

[ExpoScout]

The scout is still in the shop. Its running strong as usual. It gets driven in the summers due to STILL not having doors on. Getting ready to do some serious rehab and get it year round usable. Life, among other things, seems to get in the way of my hobbies sometimes...as you can probably tell by the large time gaps in posting.

Just to fill you guys in on things more, getting the house ready to sell has been a big time suck, decided that moving out West is likely going to happen if things go smoothly...probably within a year. Work is crazy as usual.

The wife and I did a week and a half trip through WY in Sept, scouting locations for the move, meeting some friends, and doing a good bit of camping/hiking/fishing along the way. We drove 1900 miles around WY and tried to soak in as much of the state as possible. To be honest, I didnt want to come home.

I'll update this more soon. Ive got a lot to do to get the ol gal where I want her to be.

[casioqv]

I saw you mention scouts in another thread, and found this. I've always wanted one of these but could never find one for sale. Awesome project, I'll be watching for updates.