1964 Scout 80

[buellpilot]

Perhaps there is a learned mind here that can help me with the Serial number I have on this '64 I bought yesterday; that is until my line ticket comes in. It is as follows : FC66975AAny information or advice is appreciated. Both my tanks are shot; leaking. Motor fires right up with a slop of mid-grade into the single barrel Holley carb. I'll post pics as I take them and thanks for any info.

[guidolyons]

Look for a thread by RIreland here or on BinderPlanet, he's got a big list of VINs. Also there is a post in here by Lowell that has a sheet with the start and end VIN for each year. Hope that helps you.

Now, post pics of the new Scout!

[BamaBinder]

It looks like according to Lowell's scanned page on this link http://www.justih.org/Binder-Bench/a...0&d=1234368892 it would have been manufactured in 63. That I am aware of there is no way to decode a scout like normal cars with the vin. It was just the number in sequence that rolled off the line. Please post pics.

[BioTex]

I think it is a late year 63 production, that was titled (sold) as a 64.

[buellpilot]

Thanks for all the information guys. And thanks Roy for the confirmation on the "off the line" year. Looking forward to getting this thing home and open it up a little to see what mysteries lie within. I found Toby's '63 rebuild thread in earler posts and much that was there (except the kitchen remodel) had me salivating; hard not to drool over a rig like that, though. But just seeing what was accomplished there widens the "pallette of possibles" when one endeavors to engage in a frame-off rebuild.
Too much going on with work to go snatch it this weekend...my boys are dying to put tools on it as bad as I am.

[guidolyons]

Check out Lonnie's "Restoration Mistakes", too.

[buellpilot]

I finally managed to sit down long enough to read Lonnie's thread on restoration mistakes...a sick, sick man. Has anyone set up like, a scoutaholic fund or foundation of some sort?
I was driving across town the other day with my middle son Tanner riding along in the front seat of our Suburban and I get half-way thru a turn at a busy intersection and he says casually "Hey look, dad...cool Scout..."

The bill to re-align the front end after running over the curb was $138.00 (and I know the guy). I could make use of such a fund.
And it was a cool Scout...

[buellpilot]

I finally found the time to get south and pick up my recent aquisition. It gotta fairly bumpy and traffic snarled ride home from it's PO and I got my first thumbs up from a long haired fella in a late 70's Camaro who slowed down and rode even with me for a mile or two and even went to the trouble of dropping back and coming up on the opposite side. This beaut came with a spare windshield in the back and a towbar. The kids are ready to get dirty as dad now has something "greasy and time consuming" for the man cave. Let the wild rumpus begin...

[guidolyons]

Originally Posted by buellpilot

The kids are ready to get dirty as dad now has something "greasy and time consuming" for the man cave. Let the wild rumpus begin...

Aside from the funky camo paint job and the busted windshield it looks to be in pretty good condition.

Your boys are going to love helping Dad work on the Scout

[buellpilot]

The funky camo paint job is one of many PO mods that shall become a memory. I woke up this morning and I had at least two (ages 7 and 12) already outside and under the hood proclaiming dry rot on hoses and various minor leaks. My seven year old also found a broken stud on the passenger front wheel..."Hey dad you only got four lug nuts on that tire; that could be a problem." More pics and expert commentary from the peanut gallery to follow.

[lonnie]

congradulations on your purchase.

a couple of suggestions as you get started on your new adventure that may help as you go along.

1. stop yourself - do not start tearing into it and taking stuff off or apart;
2. take and post pics - especially inside and the engine bay;
3. clean it - pressure wash the underside and inside. do the engine bay but be careful;
4. system test - electrical & mechanical;
5. inventory - make a list of what you have and do not have.

just doing the above will take you some time and get you more familiar with the rig.

best of luck.

[2WD_eighty]

There's a you tube video about installing windshields on Scout 80s. I haven't watched it, but it's probably worth 3 minutes while you sip your coffee.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTI7ITKlrqs

[Albuq. Henry]

Originally Posted by buellpilot

I finally found the time to get south and pick up my recent aquisition. It gotta fairly bumpy and traffic snarled ride home from it's PO and I got my first thumbs up from a long haired fella in a late 70's Camaro who slowed down and rode even with me for a mile or two and even went to the trouble of dropping back and coming up on the opposite side. This beaut came with a spare windshield in the back and a towbar. The kids are ready to get dirty as dad now has something "greasy and time consuming" for the man cave. Let the wild rumpus begin...

Congrats!! way cool on having the kids along for the ride.... the whole ride through the grease pits and back....

If that would have been a Heep CJ no way you would have got the thumbs up.... there are way too many of 'em...

[buellpilot]

Thanks all for the advice (you're not done yet I hope). I poked around, mainly inside the cab and under the hood today getting a look at everything I could and making a short list of things obviously broken or flat not there. Firstly, my 7 year old Simon was absolutely correct; a broken stud on the passenger front wheel.
I went ahead and pulled out the passenger jump seat to check the floor and found it suprisingly solid despite the obvious cancer in the support on the side of it. The driver's side seat is actually up on 2 X 4's!!
(And I found an old rusty clutch pressure plate under it too)
Took the transmission tunnel cover off to get a look-see at everything from the top side (my clutch linkage is gone...rusty pressure plate?). Everything seems to shift into and out of postion like it should with the transmission and Xfer case. Theres a little bondo in the driver's side rear quarter. Front springs pretty flat but the rears still seem to have a good camel back on them.
I took a few pics, so feeback is entirely welcome.
Lonnie: I'm with you...a cautious and well-defined approach beats a hasty disorganized retreat anyday.
I know the brake hydraulics are fubar...lines cut/hanging. I'm going to approach thusly: Engine / Electrical / Minor Mechanical / Safety (brakes, lighting, etc.) before I consider anything cosmetic. It looks pretty decent when I walk a perimeter so, curb appeal aside, I want it safe and streetable before I do anything else. Besides, its got some 47 year old character...don't see that in every driveway.

[buellpilot]

More pics...

[buellpilot]

Transmission tunnel and the stuff underneath the cover...

[lonnie]

pics are great and really help the rest of us know what you have and how we might help. get more shots of engine bay (how things are or not connected)

your approach to work from the inside out is one many of us use. a change you might consider would be to put electrical first, particularly as regards the engine and dash. my favorite place to start is with the ground side of the battery and follow the grounds all the way to the key. every ground should be inspected and cleaned. this takes time but very little money and one can sometimes be amazed what a difference it can make. Next go to the positive side of the battery and do the same. to have a fully functioning electrical system is a milestone for most who use their scouts.

[buellpilot]

Thanks Lonnie, sage advice. I'm wondering how much will need to be done with the motor. I'll probably pull the valve cover off sometime tomorrow and have a look-see and I want to check compression on each cylinder. I plan pulling the motor and transmission at some point during this buildup to get everything cleaned, inspected, rebuilt/replaced and painted and unless anything major mechanical pops up on the horizon, I'll pop it right back in. Looks like all the motor mounts are crumbling so those will need replaced. And I guess its good news that I can turn both manual hub lockers by hand to the locked and unlocked positions?

[guidolyons]

Buellpilot, you have a solid plan... being able to go, stop, and turn (safely)

I agree with Lonnie, getting some of the electrical wiring sorted out will help (and make sure some dangling wire doesn't short out and burn the Scout to the ground)

You have a Spicer/Dana 18 transfercase.

My '65 had the Dana 20, and it had a bent square tube support for the passenger seat that bolted between the transmission hump and the floor (near the door sill) I hadn't seen a sheetmetal support for the passenger side seat before (or if I had, I didn't notice it ) but my driver's seat had the standard sheet metal riser.

Looks like a PO swapped in a later style grille ('66+)

More Pics!!!

[buellpilot]

Originally Posted by 2WD_eighty

There's a you tube video about installing windshields on Scout 80s. I haven't watched it, but it's probably worth 3 minutes while you sip your coffee.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTI7ITKlrqs

Now that is handy stuff to know...thks. Found a plethora of related links on Scouting and soforth....3 minutes? I was on there 2 hours!

[buellpilot]

Buellpilot, you have a solid plan... being able to go, stop, and turn (safely)

I agree with Lonnie, getting some of the electrical wiring sorted out will help (and make sure some dangling wire doesn't short out and burn the Scout to the ground)



Mr. Lyons...I'll make today pic day, I promise! The more I look, the more hard cracked wire insulation I find. Is it common practice to replace as you go thru it, chasing one wore to termination and pulling it and replacing? I'm a Noob at car stuff, other than rebuilding Corvair Flat 6 "pancake" engines...I've done two and I'm working on my third 110. Any and all advice is welcomed and more pics are on the way...

[lonnie]

given your situation i urge you resist the temptation to pull and replace wires unless you have to.

the key is to do only what is necessary to make the rig start, go and stop. Once you can drive it (and hopefully enjoy it some) all other fixes will become obvious.