Im looking at one in good sound mechanical shape, but the body is another story. I was wondering if any of you bodyshop guys has any tips. There are a few body parts that would be ok, but a lot would need replaced or patched. I know pics would help, but I just did not take any. If I bought it it would be a long project vehicle and not one to send to the body shop and tell the to fix. Ive been looking online at some Scout sites as well. Any info would be appreciated. Its a 1966 Scout 80 i believe. The one like Burt Reynolds drove in Deliverance, LOL.

There's a Scout like that sitting on my parents farm- OK mechanically, body like Swiss cheese. I want to see what kind of advice you get

Is your alls drivable?

Hasn't been tried in at least 15 years. I believe then it needed brakes and linkage work. It came with a property, a couple people have tinkered with it but not alot.

I tip my hat to anyone with the patience to do it. I bought a couple vehicles to restore 40 yrs ago and then sold them for half what I paid for them.

I owned a 1967 Scout. Bought it from an uncle that bought it new and kept great care of it. I never walked so much due to a vehicle since that old beast. LOL
I think it may pay to drive them like a rented donkey and not baby them. I did not drive it hard but used it to trap and get to work. Walked home a good many days from the woods.

Mac

Im slowly restoring a 76 scout II. My dad had it forever and parked it when the rust was too bad to get it inspected around 1995. He bought rockers and quarters from JC whitney back then and it sat till i started on it last year. I had to order some other body parts also. They didnt fit very well, so plan on modifying stuff. I had the body off the frame and replaced or patched alot of stuff. Make a list of parts u think you will need and look them up. Some are not available or very expensive. Like the rear lift gate on mine, they stopped making them in fiberglass and the original ones rusted out. I wish I would have just shopped around to find a fiberglass body laying around and put that on.
But I am not a body shop guy, just a guy with a garage and tools.

There is a Scout specialty shop in Ames iowa. It was featured on dirt every day.

I had a 66 with a 196 4 cyl.
It was a tank but not geared for driving over 50.
Went to a 74 with a 345 v8
Both were great hunting fishing camping off roading machines.
You’d be wise to join a couple Scout specific forums IMO.
Just Google them.

Awesome vehicle. Sure brings back memories of my father's scout.

I bought a '67 with the slant 4 in 1978. I drove it while guiding and took it from Montana to Kansas to California and then drove it for two more summers of guiding in CA towing a drift boat half the time. Never a single engine issue, but had some leaky windows and some salt rust that started in Montana before I bought it.

I had it painted at a cheap place but never had to look for body parts. If you have the time and interest it could be fun.

Mine would go about anywhere.

Good luck.

Pete

Scouts are notorious for terrible rust and rot.

Been there...done that.

I’d locate a good body and swap it out if yours is worth doing it to. It took me 3 D50 trucks and 5 grand to make one solid truck that still runs well today, in the end it saved me a lot of money with no payments or high insurance payments.

Where?

Just Google it Eastwood. Put ....Ames Iowa scout… Up in the bar at the top of your computer screen hit the enter it will probably pop up.

Yeah but any cash vehicle saves you on payments and insurance. If that was your goal you could have just payed the $5k for a runner. I don't think the goal of restorations is to save money...

Let’s see I saved in payments/ insurance and rebuilt the exact vehicle I wanted to restore the way I wanted it done, I’m taking bumper to bumper for $5,000 that starts and runs 8 years later I’ll take that as a win.

Had a 72 with v-8 engine. Mine was a Scout Ii. Parts were from many manufacturers. Chrysler made lots of my parts.

There used to be the scout connection near Ft Madison Iowa. They had several acres of old scouts.

Boy l hadn't seen one of those in decades, same with the little bronco 2's.