New to me '77 SSII

[Dirk Kolnsberg]

I am not sure why I did this but I bought another Scout the other day. It was posted on Craigslist for the last month or two and Hueste had posted up a link to it in another thread here on our forum. Based on Huste's post I had called the owner a few weeks ago to get some details ... original 304, relatively recent tranny rebuild, lots of rust and the door inserts were not original. Based on that I dismissed it as an SSII and posted up as much in the thread mentioned above.

Well I got back from a pre-Christmas vacation trip a few days ago and saw the add was still in Craigslist and the price was reduced. I gave the owner another call and decided to go and take a look first hand since I had that kind of time. I drove past the Scout once and was ready to just keep driving home as it was obvious even from the street how bad of shape it is in. Dents, rust, custom camo paint, more rust, etc. but it had plastic door inserts and they looked to be in good shape so I stopped and took a closer look.

Needless to say after some tire kicking, rust hole poking and an initial offer that was refused but later accepted I am the proud owner of a very rusty 1977 SSII as verified by the VIN number and plate on the passenger kick panel. A big thanks to Fred for letting me use his trailer today and I was able to get it loaded and taken to storage where it will sit to rust some more until I get time to work on it.



Here is a quick run down on what I know that it needs:

• Carb
• Brake work
• Rear axle pinion yoke
• Tailgate
• Hood
• Windshielf cowl
• Two front fenders
• Two rear quarter panels
• Floorboards
• Wheel tubs
• Steering column
• Gauges

I have most of the stuff and a line on some of the other bits so I will slowly collect until the time is ready for a resto-mod. Here are some terrible cell phone pictures for posterity (although they do make the Scout look a little better than it actually is):

[Fred Demmon]

I know it will be a challenge, But I know that it will be looking good when you are through.
Is that going to be before or after the 800?

[sullyscout77]

WOW! Gotta hand it to ya Big Guy, you don't run away from a challenge, (LOL) .
(Remember to update Tetanus Shot before you start the teardown). Also, if you're gonna rebuild that 304, I know where you can get a parts motor free. (Shy a harmonic balancer, but it comes with a gnarly wheeled cart)!!
As always, call when you need help and congratulations on the new addition!

[Dirk Kolnsberg]

Thanks Fred, I like your new Scout too!

I think I will do this one before the 800, a lot less custom work will be needed here where the 800 will be only the Scout body and frame and everything else will be fabricated / added on.

It will be some work but excited to have an SSII as my buddy in high school had one and we cruised the mountains outside Denver in it and that is what got me into Scouts in the first place.

[Hueste]

SWEET!!! I dig the orange paint and the gold rims! Too bad they are both pretty much shot.

Nice grab!

By the way..... if you are looking for a sport top to add to the collection... http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/1522526676.html

[Dirk Kolnsberg]

Originally Posted by Hueste

By the way..... if you are looking for a sport top to add to the collection... http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/1522526676.html

I saw that one and drooled. There was a sport top with the boat tail bumper at Nationals and it was one of the best looking Scouts I have ever seen. Made me want one for sure. Unfortunately with three currently non-running ones taking up space even thinking of another one would have me sleeping on the couch for a long time.

[Bill Hartson]

Dirk it looks pretty good except it seems to be missing the drivers side tail light and the lens for the passenger side turn signal indicator up front. You'll have to get those fixed before you can get that gem to pass inspection.

[Dirk Kolnsberg]

Originally Posted by Bill Hartson

Dirk it looks pretty good except it seems to be missing the drivers side tail light and the lens for the passenger side turn signal indicator up front. You'll have to get those fixed before you can get that gem to pass inspection.

Noted - I will add them to my list

[Dennis Bernth]

And here I didn't think you guys plowed snow and used road salt in Texas....that thing would look right at home in MY backyard, nobody would ever believe that it wasn't an IN/IL/MI/WI/OH plow truck that never got the salt hosed off! I think you should shorten your 'to-do' list on it though, more like 'Pull VIN plate and inserts, put on Scout with better body' LOL. Fo SHO where you're located, I'd be more into looking for a clean tub than doing all that floor/mounts/body work, specially when you have to do rear wheel tubs and all that. My plow Traveler is in better shape than that, and I'm still on strike about doing any body work on it, although I may have to put in some 'fabbed up' inner rockers and body mounts just to have something solid for the seatbelts to bolt to. Right now, my ample girth is restrained by the rusted remains of the floor that haven't pulled through the carpet yet on the outside of the floor

[Dirk Kolnsberg]

The sea salt is what gets you here, that along with the relative humidity almost always above about 85% tends to keeps things nice and damp.

You are right, there is a lot of steel replacement work on this thing so as it sits now I am looking at just getting another tub as after I started doing my figuring for all the new steel pieces, let alone my time, it makes more sense to just take the pieces parts and add them to a good tub.