If you talked to a group of people who own the current Ford Bronco, I think a lot of them would tell you that they or someone they know used to own one of the previous-generation models. Nostalgia and familiarity can be strong purchase motivators — and it helps that Ford still exists and the Bronco is still in production. That connection doesn’t work for dead-brand vehicles such as the Plymouth Trailduster or our Pick of the Day because there are no modern versions of them. Fortunately, someone refreshed this 1972 International Scout II Traveltop 4×4 to keep it on the road. You can find it listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Concord, North Carolina.
International intended to follow up the original Scout (aka Scout 80) with a vehicle it called the “X-Scout.” That model kept getting delayed, although International did work incremental changes into stop-gap models as time went on. Finally, in 1971, it released the Scout’s replacement — with the more logical name of “Scout II.”
International offered the ’72 Scout II with options such as air conditioning, power brakes, and power steering, but it also incorporated comfort features into the Scout’s basic design. Getting in and out was easier thanks to doors that opened farther. The door frames were also on the same level as the cabin floor, so entering the cabin was smooth and simple — “No stepping down into a well or up to get into the back seat,” as International put it in the brochure.
According to Scout Motors (now an EV brand), “The Scout II model debuted with a powertrain lineup that started with the 196ci four, stepped up to the powerful 232ci six, a 304ci V-8, and finally, a big 345ci V-8 that beat Ford and tied GM for maximum cubic inches in the 4×4 SUV realm. Power steering, air conditioning, vastly improved ride quality, sound deadening, on top of a broadened array of styling, comfort and convenience options, put the Scout II model right back in the top tier of the growing SUV market.”
The ’72 Scout II was available with two- or four-wheel drive and in two body styles: the pickup-like Cab Top or the Traveltop, which came with a removable roof. This particular Scout II is equipped with the latter as well as several cosmetic and functional updates. The most obvious of those is the eye-catching bright orange and white two-tone color scheme (that explains why I’m hungry for Whataburger all of a sudden!), which includes the white Traveltop and the matching 15-inch Nomad wheels with 33-inch Mickey Thompson Baja Legend EXP tires. A Rough Country lift gives the rubber more room to work, while Rough Country shocks absorb bumps as the Scout II climbs over, through, and around the great outdoors.
The orange and white theme continues inside, where the padded dash is painted orange and the seats are covered in black vinyl with orange, white, and black fabric inserts. Other updates include a wood-rimmed steering wheel and a retro-look stereo.
Out of the two available V-8s, this Scout II has the smaller of the two, the 193-horsepower 304, which is connected to an Edelbrock two-barrel carburetor. A three-speed manual gearbox, dual-range transfer case, and Dana 44 front and Dana 60 rear axles transfer power to the wheels.
There hasn’t been a new International Scout since 1980, but this 1972 International Scout II combines vintage style with useful updates, all priced at $74,995.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
