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The history of International Harvester goes back 185 years to when Cyrus McCormick patented his horse-drawn reaper. His product sold well, and J. P. Morgan financed mergers with several other agricultural makers to form what became International Harvester Corp. (IH). In 1907, IH began producing light-duty trucks and continued until 1977. One of the most popular models was the IH Travelall, which was a Chevy Suburban-type vehicle. The Travelall was their bestselling vehicle until the IH Scout came along.
In 1958, IH started developing a vehicle to compete with Jeep. Up until this time, Jeep was just the military-look vehicles, and the Jeep CJ (“Civilian Jeep”) models were pretty basic as far comfort and features were concerned. IH announced that their new Scout 80 was designed “to replace the horse.” The first Scout was introduced in 1960 and included models with side doors and windows and various top options, all with a pickup bed. IH sold more than 100,000 Scouts in the first five years.
The second generation was called the Scout 800, built from 1965 through 1971. This model was an upgrade from the previous 80 model, with bucket seats; improved heating and instrumentation; a redesigned interior; and in 1967 a V8 engine offered for the first time. In that first decade of the IH Scout, IH outsold Jeep, making it the 4×4 of the 1960s.
If IH was the leading producer of farm tractors and equipment, and the Scout, Travelall and truck sales were good, what happened to IH? The story goes that costs were too high and profit margins were too thin, so a new CEO was hired. Archie McCardell cut costs by eliminating unprofitable models and cut production. IH profits soared, but cash reserves were low. McCardell was grinding the UAW union for changes in their contract, then got paid a bonus of $1.8 million in 1979 (close to $6.3 million in today’s dollars).
The changes, the layoffs and the bonus didn’t sit well with the UAW, and a strike happened. In addition, the economy was in a downturn. The result was a six-month strike that cost IH about $2 billion in today’s dollars, forcing the company to sell off its agricultural division along with the International Harvester name and IH symbol as well as closing some plants. This was a strike that nobody won. The truck and engine division was maintained and renamed Navistar International and today is building medium- and heavy-duty trucks and engines, but no Scouts.
Clint Madison, a Lafayette resident, has owned this edition’s 1967 International Harvester Scout for about three years. The previous owner had purchased the vehicle from an older man who had a gold mine in Copperopolis and was the original owner. He paid $11,000 for it.
“I had seen IH Scouts my entire life and just loved them from the time I was a kid. I love its simplicity. Cars today are trying to do the driving for you. This Scout isn’t doing anything for you. It’s just as basic as it can be, and that’s what I like about it,” Madison said. “I haven’t had to do much to it other than make sure the exhaust doesn’t come in through the firewall.”
This Scout has a 60-pound factory hardtop that is made of fiberglass and takes at least two people to install or remove. Equipped with the IH 196-cubic-inch four-cylinder engine rated at 93.4 horsepower, it burns regular gas but with the click of a switch can also use propane gas. A barbecue on the tailgate could be attached for a picnic.
There are three transmission shift leavers in the Scout. The longest one is for the normal three-speed transmission. To the right of that are two shorter gears; the first is to shift the Scout from rear-wheel drive to four-wheel drive. The second shifter is to put the vehicle in low-range four-wheel drive for heavy towing or very rough terrain. Madison’s go-anywhere vehicle is also equipped with Warn Hubs, a mechanical device attached to the front wheels that allows freewheeling instead of turning the front axle.
The Scout has a heater and radio, but nothing else. It doesn’t have power steering or brakes, and the driver needs to provide an abundance of power not only to steer this vehicle but to press on the brakes and the clutch. Madison is not an off-road kind of guy, though.
“It was always just going to be something that would be super-fun to go get groceries with and sort of a mobile man-cave.”
So far it has not been a family-fun vehicle. Madison’s wife, Colleen, won’t ride or let their kids ride in this man-cave until seat belts and a roll bar are installed. I predict those changes are forthcoming.
Have an interesting vehicle? Contact David Krumboltz at MOBopoly@yahoo.com. To view more photos of this and other issues’ vehicles, search for “David Krumboltz” at mercurynews.com.
