1977 Scout II Project

[Mike Moore]

We've had this one in the shop for several weeks, now. I was waiting until we progressed past the point of "redoing" the previous folks' work before posting anything about it. The work was not really up to par, so we ended up redoing the floors and braces so we felt good about putting our name on it. So, here goes.

The customer called us about his '77 SII project, and we took it on as a time/materials project. When he delivered it, we realized what we were dealing with. The aforementioned floors were bad enough to need to be taken out and redone, the rear half of the bed floor and rear sill were cut out, and there were a lot of missing pieces, rust that had been hidden under blobs of filler, etc. All in all, a sizable project lay ahead.

We immediately started by cleaning it up a little bit and getting the snow plow stuff and hood off, removed the top for access to the rest of it, etc.


It ran after a carb rebuild, and sounded decent...BUT, when we pulled a valve cover...


So while the search is on for a suitable replacement engine, we got to going on the body and chassis. We separated the two, and cleaned and sanded the chassis, and sprayed on some etch primer and Imron semigloss black, then replaced the shocks, brake hoses, spring bushings, calipers, rotors, etc. The chassis is sitting like this today:


While the body got some TLC as well. We're replacing the left quarter and end cap, reattaching the right end cap to the quarter, floors of course, finishing up the rocker welding where the previous folks left off, etc. We have a new gas tank to install, and lots of other new stuff like carpet, A/C, refinished dash, POR-15 on all the inside, undercoating the underside while the body is off, etc, etc, etc.


Patented Scoutco body flipperoo:


Lots more to come on this one, and I hope to be able to keep the thread updated as it goes on. My brother is working in the shop now, so things are happening at a reasonable pace.

[gmbarker78]

Very nice Mike, love the flipperoo! Keep us updated.

[Mike Moore]

Thanks, Gary. The Flipperoo is leftover from Blackie's underbody work. Just angle with a piece of pipe welded in it...one on the rear body mount holes, and one on the back seat hinge holes.

[Carl Wiese]

Originally Posted by Mike Moore

I though for a minute you were going to go with jet propulsion, at least until I saw the next pic.

[Mike Moore]

You've seen those decals that say "kiss this if you don'y like my scout"... well we're taking that to the next level, lol.

[Mike Moore]

The project has been stepped up a notch. We have looked all over for a suitable engine for it, and with the prices and mileages, unknowns, etc...the customer decided he wants to go with a GM 5.3l. We got pick up the 19k mile L59 tomorrow for it. Sorry to all the purists out there.

[IHWILD]

Noooooooo say it isn't so lol

just kidding what you using for trans and transfer
rich

[Mike Moore]

It's got 3.07s, so the overdrive we're thinking may be too much. Gonna adapt it to the 727/D20.

[Mike Moore]

Sooooooo... the adapter is a no-go for the 727.

Gotta decide between 700r4 and a 350 transmission, now. On another note, the engine is pulled from the donor, and waiting at the JY for pickup.

[Mitch Neal]

My vote is 700R4. I would rather have the overdrive and the lower first gear and worst case change the axle ratio at a later date if I didn't like the performance.