Owners may rarely take advantage of their off-road chops, but rugged-looking, trail-friendly SUVs seem to be having their moment. As just a few examples, the Nissan Xterra is finally coming back, as is the body-on-frame Pathfinder, and the iconic Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero is also slated for a modern return. And speaking of legends, Volkswagen is still on track to revive the Scout, too — as a 21st century take on one of the world's first-ever sport-utility vehicles.
Sure, by the 1950s, Jeeps were in civilian production already, and the Chevrolet Suburban had debuted back in 1935. Yet neither of those, nor the 1953 International Harvester (IH) Travelall, had been designed on a unique, clean-sheet chassis dedicated specifically to combining comfort and capability for everyday owners. The Jeep, of course, was first engineered for the military, while Suburban and Travelall rode on frames borrowed from pre-existing trucks.
The Scout was to be created right from the start as a more civilized vehicle, albeit one that was originally conceived as a small pickup in its own right. In fact, the Scout sort of set the template for the Slate truck since both started in pickup configurations but offered bolt-on tops, etc., that could convert the vehicles into SUVs. The Scout had even more of a bare-bones foundation, though, since the entry model had no top, doors, or rear seats at all. Still, in its full-cabin configuration, the Scout was relatively comfy for its era — especially compared to other vehicles of the time with 4X4 off-road capability.
Perhaps more important was the positive reaction of shoppers. Contrary to IH expectations, they actually preferred the Scout SUV bodystyle over the pickup.
The Scout through the years
To be clear, the Scout was noticeably bigger than its Jeep CJ rival, but still fairly compact. For instance, the Scout was 154 inches long — about the size of a Miata — with a wheelbase of 100 inches. The CJ was 15 inches shorter in the former measure and 17 inches shorter in the latter. Under the Scout's hood was a slant-four engine displacing 152 cubic inches and delivering 93 horsepower. It was essentially one side of International's 304-cubic-inch V8. The Scout was a flat-out hit, with International selling 28,031 units in its first year before topping the 100,000 mark before the end of 1964.
No doubt helping matters was the introduction of a removable bulkhead for 1963. Remember, the Scout was originally envisioned first and foremost as a pickup. That meant that models in the first few years had a metal wall behind the front and only seats — although a conversion kit was offered for the 1962 models.
The updated Scout 800 premiered in 1965, highlighted by an optional turbocharger for its original engine. Forced induction bumped the motor's output to 111 horses and 166 pound-feet of torque. Created to be even more comfortable and car-like, the Scout 800 further welcomed new safety equipment to its spec list and a new rival to the marketplace. The Ford Bronco, which was available with the 289 V8, inspired International to offer the Scout's first V8 in 1967. The 200,000th Scout rolled off the production line two years later, and the redesigned Scout II launched in 1971.
The Scout II and the end of the line -- for now
The Scout II — aka the "Wow Wagon" — was a game-changer for both the brand and the marketplace alike. For one thing, despite riding on the same wheelbase, the Scout II was approximately 10 inches longer, opening up more space in the cabin. The cabin itself gained more comfort amenities as well, including air conditioning, and mechanical upgrades like power steering and increased sound insulation created a much quieter, more comfortable driving experience. On the other hand, International made sure the Scout II (mostly) maintained its impressive off-road cred — although the extra length did affect the vehicle's rear departure angle a bit. Things were going well enough that International added extended wheelbase models, the Scout Terra Pickup and Scout Traveler wagon, in 1976.
The mid-1970s, though, weren't a particularly good time to be in the auto industry. Reeling from multiple oil crises and company mismanagement, International would stop production of all light truck models in 1975 in a desperate attempt to save itself by concentrating on Scout. When that didn't work — after five years of trying were halted by a bitter UAW strike that began in 1979 — International was out of the passenger car business entirely in 1980.
In the final analysis, it seems like IH took its corporate eye off the ball. While it cashed in on the nascent demand for family-friendly SUVs, the company was too late to realize customers were also clamoring for the same kind of changes to the pickup segment. Who knows, in an alternate universe somewhere, the latest Scout Terra pickup may be the best-selling vehicle in the United States rather than the F-Series.
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