IH scout 800

[ktmoutfront]

That impco system you are getting, was designed by my dad in 1973. His was on a 73 k20 2wd with a 454/sm465.

GM gave him the truck. Impco provided parts and fabrication support. Overland motor homes paid his time. They were all afraid the RV market would die when gas hit $1/gallon. Propane was $0.32/gallon.

Ran the truck to 250k miles without an issue. He put gas back on it in combination with the propane. Finally had to do a head gasket. All new factory spec bearings and rings, a cam and lifters went in it. Last I heard, it was at 480k miles.

 

[big dan]

That impco system you are getting, was designed by my dad in 1973. His was on a 73 k20 2wd with a 454/sm465.

GM gave him the truck. Impco provided parts and fabrication support. Overland motor homes paid his time. They were all afraid the RV market would die when gas hit $1/gallon. Propane was $0.32/gallon.

Ran the truck to 250k miles without an issue. He put gas back on it in combination with the propane. Finally had to do a head gasket. All new factory spec bearings and rings, a cam and lifters went in it. Last I heard, it was at 480k miles.

Awesome story. Always cool to hear where stuff came from.

 

[big dan]

Beautiful view!

Thanks, I love the view. Especially on a clear day. One of the things that sold us on the house.

 

[ultraboro]

And your doing all this under a tree in your yard.....now thats dedication!

 

[muddysub]

love it! ive always wanted a Scout 80/800!

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Here's a friend from home's '70 Scout 800. Just a little modified.
http://www.motorlogs.com/garage/347/347

 

[ashman]

I owe a huge thanks to member Ashman for going above and beyond to pull a complete propane setup from his local jy and ship it to me on the cheap. Looks like the scout is gonna run on bbq grill fuel

Since propane is $1.65 a gallon here that should make wheelin trips more frequent plus relieve the issues I had with my old truggy trying to bounce its way up a hill with a carb spitting and sputtering.

Glad it's going into a cool project and not getting scrapped somewhere.

ktmoutfront: That's a cool story man! I come from a family that is not mechanically inclined in the least, so it's cool to hear from people that have connections like yours.

 

[big dan]

And your doing all this under a tree in your yard.....now thats dedication!

yeah no shop yet, been working in the yard or driveway for so long I don't know what I would do in a shop anyways.

AJMBLAZER-your friend has an awesome scout, a lot nicer than mine. Looks like the same cage that I plan on running though.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

It's actually a very nice restomod. Sadly doesn't get used a lot now.

We actually built the roll bar. Bent the tube and everything.
Second time out he gently rolled it over on the cage. Didn't even tweak it.

 

[big dan]

It's actually a very nice restomod. Sadly doesn't get used a lot now.

We actually built the roll bar. Bent the tube and everything.
Second time out he gently rolled it over on the cage. Didn't even tweak it.

Looks very similar to a pre-bent weld in cage built by a place called d&c extreme. Looks nice regardless.

 

[big dan]

Small update for today:

Got steering finished up and bolted in, actually steers easier then I thought with 36s and no power steering

Got brake lines finished up and hooked up, still need to bleed them but I got the master cylinder working good and got all the lines hooked up.

Shortened a stock chevy rear driveshaft and bolted it in to place along with the factory front shaft that is a little bit short and in need of u-joint clearance. I doubt it will flex much so Im gonna see how it works for now.

Found out my radiator has a massive hole in the bottom so Im at a point where I don't know what Im gonna do. I have a sweet fabricated aluminum chevy radiator but it will take lots of modification to the core support to get it to fit. I could patch what I have but it already has lots of patches and doesn't look like it will last to much longer. Or buy a new one for $250. I haven't spent much money yet so a new one wouldn't kill the project but I would rather not spend that kind of money. Ill have to think on this one.

Looks like all I have left before driving is a radiator and bolting on the propane setup. Also have to finish up wiring the lights and gauges but that wont take long and is fairly simple.

Pics to come tomorrow.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Looks very similar to a pre-bent weld in cage built by a place called d&c extreme. Looks nice regardless.

He might have been inspired by them, dunno. I was only there every other weekend for most of the summer he finished it (2009).

It actually bolts to the floor of the tub but he made brackets that connect from the frame to the tub floor. It's 100% removable and you can fit a hard or soft top over it.

 

[big dan]

pics as promised:

drag link hooked up

have some tire rubbing issues

factory driveshaft takes a weird u-joint. same size as a 1310 but uses internal c-clips so I couldn't get an adapter joint to work with my rear end. Decided to cut down a factory half ton driveshaft and use a conversion joint

here's my u-joint removal tool since Im too cheap to buy a vise. plan on getting one but I want a shop first.

factory gauges, they are the same size as most aftermarket gauges

So these bolted right in

Threw in the factory radiator. This scout came with 2, both leaked water faster than I could put it in

so I started cutting

and welding

added in some of the factory core support pieces

and welded it into the factory core support

and now a chevy aluminum radiator fits

removed old leaky 2 barrel

the propane setup Im getting uses a q-jet base plate already, don't want to get the adapters to change it and I may swap to a gm engine in the future so I used a 2bbl/q-jet adapter plate

and threw on a q-jet just for fun

Got the brakes all bled out and working good and decided to see if it would move. Doesn't run very long on just a float bowl full of fuel but I was able to pull it up a few feet and back it into a different position

Still need to finish wiring up lights, fill everything up with new oil, change welded front carrier to an open diff (if you think turning a welded front end sucks, try it with no power steering), and I have to cut out the seat brackets and build some new ones. If you look closely at some of the pics you can tell that the seats are welded to random things, including u-bolt plates, to hold them in, plus they are crappy and I have some less crappy bucket seats from a small car. Also need to weld on shock mounts and add the propane setup. I would really like to take it out for a trail ride in the next two weeks.

 

[Deuling]

Good progress man!

It looks like it will be some fun!

 

[82355]

I do enjoy this build.

Martin

 

[big dan]

small update, got dash wiring finished and gauges hooked up and finished wiring on lights.

spent most of the day on paper work bs. Found out it is actually a 68 not a 69 like I was told and it hasn't been registered since the 70s. The last owner before my brother in law got it which was 5 years ago had it for 15 years and never had a title The person he got it from (who may or may not have had a title) has passed away. This is gonna be fun. Going tomorrow to check on a bonded title for it I guess

But the good news is that this will likely be the cheapest vehicle I have to drive, depends on how much fuel it burns and how often it breaks down but here's some numbers:

Propane is $1.89 a gallon so my fuel cost will be about half of gasoline, again depends on how much it uses.

The assessed value is $0. Looks like I wont have to pay taxes on it.

Its a 68 and original enough to buy antique tags, one time cost of $25

My favorite part though, liability with uninsured and underinsured motorist is $53 a year

 

[big dan]

Dash reinstalled

started on shock mounts

all cleaned up and cut down ford towers

cleanish frame

my super precise ultra scientific way of measurement

all welded up

decided since I had the welder out to fix some sheet metal
this is the battery tray

this is the inner fender under the battery tray

all cut out

cutting new metal

battery tray fitment

welded in place

 

[big dan]

another shot from inside the engine bay

decided to fix these cracks in the hood as well

crappy pic of only one side but you get the idea, I shouldn't do body work

was done for the day but this showed up (thanks again Ashman)

goodbye q-jet

hello propane

since my motivation was rekindled I tackled the thermostat housing. I forgot to get a pic before I started hacking on it but the factory one came out about 5 inches then turned back towards the passenger side. Since Im running a chevy radiator this wasn't going to work unless I found a hose that would circle the entire engine bay

round peg, rectangle hole

smashed to fit

welded together

and shortened

Here it is installed, I even had a good hose that fit it but forgot to grab a pic before I headed in

 

[big dan]

My next major obstacles are the rear shock mounts, built some today but Im a moron so they didn't work out and I refuse to share the pics. Its embarrassing.

Also have to cut out the seats that are in it and build new brackets and add some seat belts.

Then its on to mounting a propane tank and hitting the trail. Cant wait

Oh, and I have to figure out how to make my hood close again without cutting a hole in it. IH engines are tall, so are propane mixers and it doesn't help that I have to run that 1" adapter plate. My hood is about 2" from closing. I can get a shorter air cleaner and possibly cut out the center brace, which is probably what holds the whole thing together and then it might close again.

 

[ashman]

sweet! I'm glad the propane stuff showed up earlier than expected.

can't wait to see it in action.