ChestonScouts 72 Scout.....not really a build thread, build thread

[ChestonScout]

So ever since the big Scout got to big to be streetable, Ive wanted another Scout to keep street legal and as a mild wheeler.


When I first got the big one, it was my daily driver. I bought it in Maryland off of ebay, flew there and drove it home across the country. Good times!! I missed those times.


I have been looking for a few years. Almost bought a few, got jipped out of one the Jacks kid had in Cali, etc. but it didnt work out. Til now! This one came from a FB friend in So Cal. He offered it to me a year ago but the price was a little high I thought so I passed. He contacted me a couple months ago with a MUCH better price. So good I couldnt turn it down. I put my WJ up for sale and worked out a time to get it. He offered to meet me in Mesquite which helped out a ton! After seeing it, the first price was reasonable. I got this thing for a song!

It did/does have a few issues and a few things I want changed but nothing major.

Here it is the first day home.


So its a 72 body on a 76 chassis. Has the 345 motor, TF727 trans, and dana 20 T case. Dana 44 axles and it came with almost new 33 BFG ATs. It has a locker in the back. The biggest issue it has was his kid hopped a curb and ran it into a phone pole. The passenger fender is junk. It also bent the front bumper pretty bad. It came with a Warn 8000 winch.

First thing I did was trade the 8000 for a warn 8274 with a RME member. I thought the 8274 would be cooler and fit the vintage of the Scout better. Since it mounts different I decided to rework the front bumper to fix the dents at the same time

I guess I didnt get a good before pic but if you look close in the last pic posted you can kinda tell whats going on up there.
Pretty sure this is a cheap Jeep bumper but it was there.
I cut either side off and shortened them enough to cut the bent part of the bumper out. Then angled them in a little to help with approach.

The 8274 came with a bumper. I thought about using it but I liked this idea better. As you can see....I just took out the mount for the winch and attached it to the existing bumper,

Next the bender came out. Bent up a piece to tie in the top of the winch mount.

I planned on adding more tube but I kind of liked how it looked like this so.....


I also wound on a new cable and made my own winch controller since it didnt come with one. Its not the best bumper out there but will be plenty stout and it didnt cost me anything but a little time.

 

[rholbrook]

I dubs shot gun on the Relic Run, well, maybe next to Jonah in the back. We can share animal crackers.

 

[ChestonScout]

Next...

Anyone that knows me knows that 33s just arent gonna cut it. My tow rig is on 38.5s.


So I posted the 33s up for trade. Didnt come up with a trade but another member on here contacted me and said he wanted to buy them.

Here is a pic of the 33s


and next came the infamous jack stand wheelin while I looked for new wheels and tires



Since I started wanting a Scout again, I wanted it on 37s. I think they look good proportionally, BUT This Scout is so clean I didnt want to cut the fenders. So while I was looking for a set of 35s.....I found a good set of 37 MTRs for a 15" wheel for a good price. I remembered seeing a set of steel wheels for sale on here forever ago. Looked up the thread and he still had them! So I snagged them and got them mounted up.




They are just a little big. 35s would have been smarter but to late now. The front clears pretty good but the back is pretty close to the front of the quarter panel. It doesnt rub driving around town but Im sure on the trail it will.

I still dont want to cut fenders but I may have to a little. It can be done clean. Just have to put some love into if I have to. The back is a little low so maybe a small block will help.


Thats where its sitting now.

Future plans....

-It needs a new right front fender. Im having NO luck finding one.

-SEATS. it has some tuner seats in it that are horid. They hurt my back and they are sitting to high. Im really thinking about some Superduty seats. Maybe squeeze the whole front bench in??? Have to measure.

-axles. While I think the Dana 44s will hold up for the type of wheeling this rig see... Someone welded a fugly truss on the bottom of the back axle. It would be WAY more work to try to remove it than to replace the axle. The front axle had the knuckles cut and turned for the spring over lift. They are on there and seem to be in the right spot, but again.....the welder monster got ahold of it. The welds are pretty bad. The wife thinks I should do a one ton swap. And I might. Ive considered a 8 lug 3/4 ton swap. This might still happen since I could still use my 15" tires with another set of wheels. But Im half tempted to just get another clean set of Scout axles. There is a set on KSL for a ok price right now. I could swap the locker in and bolt them in place. If some thing needs upgraded I can do that along the way. I am open to discussion on this.

-minor maintenance. The gas tank leaks from the top when full. I suspect the seal for the sending unit. It has a small oil leak. Just minor little things.

-cage. It has the factory roll bar in it. With the floors being in tact and no rust and rot, Its gonna stay. I will add some tube to it and maybe a few gussets. I wont do this till summer tho.

And really thats it!

I just want to be able to do some mild Moab trails and be able to drive it there if the mood hits for some reason.


This will be just a place to document what Ive done on the Scout and to get RMEs input

 

[Cascadia]

Awesome! Always love a Scout.

 

[ChestonScout]

Thanks!

Good luck getting my boy to share a animal cookie Russ! lol


Also....

I forgot to mention in the to do list, PAINT!! Besides the one fender, this thing is really clean and straight. 2 small dents to repair, sand and paint.

Im not sure on what color yet. Wife thinks a dark blue. Im leaning charcoal gray.

 

[Cascadia]

Charcoal gray for sure. I'd paint everything charcoal if I could. My tundra is charcoal and so is my wife's STI.

 

[ChestonScout]

I think it would look good with the black soft top and wheels

 

[flexyfool]

For me, the most important thing when buying an old rig is the quality of the sheet metal, cleanliness, and the amenities like door and window mechanicals and dash controls. Everything else is fun to fix and upgrade. The fender sucks but looks OK in the photos. You did a nice job pounding it out.

I hear you about parts. The quantity and quality of old Scouts has gone down dramatically since the early 2000's here in Boise. There used to be all sorts of decent Scouts, Broncos, Jeeps, and Cruisers for sale and driving around. People kept them up. There used to be 5-10 different Scouts and Travelalls for sale every month. People dumped them in the good years just before the '08 panic. All the old stuff is now just rotting in backyards. It sits or gets put on Craigslist for a while with a price tag way too high. I'll keep an eye out for a good fender though.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

I will keep my eyes open in the morning for a fender, if the inversion isn't too bad I will be hitting a few junkyards.

 

[blznnp]

Those are one of my favorite 4x4 rigs, these and the 68-72 blazers (look similar to me). Can't wait to see this done. Do you think you will get a bug to go just a little bit bigger once you have it built how you want it? I know you have one that is built a lot bigger, but I know thats how I am with my blazer.

 

[Bart]

I love this rig Cheston and it fits you. Great job on the front bumper/winch and it fits the rig well. Can you move the rear axle back at all? If so, I'd that and trim the rear before I'd trim the front of the fender well. Looking forward to the progress of the "non" build.

 

[mesha]

I have always wanted a scout to drive around and do mild wheeling in.

 

[ChestonScout]

That bumper is sharp! I always though Scouts were cool but everyone I had seen, growing up, was notoriously rusty. The northeast will do that.

Yup. When I brought my big one home from Maryland it was a a rusty disaster. the pics on ebay looked good. No rot on the fenders. Well they had rotted out so bad someone replaced them with fiberglass. There were NO rocker panels and there was not much of a floor. I watched the road the whole way home and literally could have flintstoned it. Every bump I wondered if the seat was gonna fall thru. Very excited this one is solid

For me, the most important thing when buying an old rig is the quality of the sheet metal, cleanliness, and the amenities like door and window mechanicals and dash controls. Everything else is fun to fix and upgrade. The fender sucks but looks OK in the photos. You did a nice job pounding it out.

I hear you about parts. The quantity and quality of old Scouts has gone down dramatically since the early 2000's here in Boise. There used to be all sorts of decent Scouts, Broncos, Jeeps, and Cruisers for sale and driving around. People kept them up. There used to be 5-10 different Scouts and Travelalls for sale every month. People dumped them in the good years just before the '08 panic. All the old stuff is now just rotting in backyards. It sits or gets put on Craigslist for a while with a price tag way too high. I'll keep an eye out for a good fender though.

Thanks! The PO actually is the guy that pounded it out. Im sure someone could smooth it out and make it usable again. But I think it will be better in the long run to find a replacement.

I will keep my eyes open in the morning for a fender, if the inversion isn't too bad I will be hitting a few junkyards.

Awesome! I appreciate it!

Those are one of my favorite 4x4 rigs, these and the 68-72 blazers (look similar to me). Can't wait to see this done. Do you think you will get a bug to go just a little bit bigger once you have it built how you want it? I know you have one that is built a lot bigger, but I know thats how I am with my blazer.

Hard to say but I dont think so. Even with one ton axles I really dont want it taller. So a bigger tire would require TONS of cutting. Maybe after I cut a little I wont feel as bad to cut more. If I think it needs to be bigger for wheelin....I think that means its time to take the big one out and remember what this one is for. But at one point in time I said the other one wouldnt get bigger than a 40" tire to......

I love this rig Cheston and it fits you. Great job on the front bumper/winch and it fits the rig well. Can you move the rear axle back at all? If so, I'd that and trim the rear before I'd trim the front of the fender well. Looking forward to the progress of the "non" build.

Exactly what I was thinking. I will get one of the zero rate blocks that have the different positioning center pin holes in it. That will move the axle back a inch and the body up a inch. See what happens from there. Hopefully the driveline wont need extended. It does have aftermarket drivelines on it as well. But I can think of a lot better places to spend 100 bucks than retubing a driveline for a inch.



Thanks for the kind words!

I know these things are ugly. But thats half the fun for me

 

[Cascadia]

Text me @ 801735264 zero. I saw a charcoal one today with a black top and took a pic for you.

 

[LT.]

Cheston-

I believe there is another set of zero rate add a leafs at your house that are left over from Christine. You are welcome to use them on the rear of your Scout to move the rear axle back if it will help the tires clear the fenders.

LT.

 

[ChestonScout]

Cheston-

I believe there is another set of zero rate add a leafs at your house that are left over from Christine. You are welcome to use them on the rear of your Scout to move the rear axle back if it will help the tires clear the fenders.

LT.

Nice!

I was kinda thinking of setting yours in there and see what it looked like. If they work I will replace them! But its to dang cold and smoggy to be working outside. Have to do it when it warms a bit.

Thanks Buddy!

 

[LT.]

Nice!

I was kinda thinking of setting yours in there and see what it looked like. If they work I will replace them! But its to dang cold and smoggy to be working outside. Have to do it when it warms a bit.

Thanks Buddy!

Anytime!

LT.

 

[RustEoldtrux]

OK Cheston, back to work on the Scout II. I've waited long enough for the next update!

 

[ChestonScout]

Havent been working on it. Just driving it!!


We started a new family tradition tho. We loaded up the fam on Christmas eve and went looking for Christmas lights. We had a blast and the wife thinks we should do it every year. Im game!



I did rub the tires finally. caught the rear quater pretty good. As much as I dont want to, Im gonna cut

 

[RustEoldtrux]

Great news. Scouts were intended to be used for family outings. One of my top projects for next year is to get Becca's Scout II back on the road as a daily driver. It even has lockers at both ends and on-board air, so Wyoming winters can be conquered.

Instead of cutting metal, can you just roll the fender lips under more? I used a small Crescent wrench on my Scout 80 to roll the lip under, and that worked great.