It's slow and it's heavy, but then again nobody buys a turbodiesel 1980 International Scout II to take it to the races

True International Scout fans aren't afraid of a little rust or homegrown rust repairs - they've probably seen it all by this point, including the liberal application of Vermont chrome (diamond plate steel sheets) on this 1980 International Scout II for sale on Hemmings.com. What makes this Scout worth looking past the rust and repairs is the original Nissan turbodiesel engine still under the hood, an in-demand drivetrain for certain Scout collectors. Yes, there's a laundry list of items to repair, but this rig still gets around and still passes Vermont inspection, so it must still be solid enough to avoid becoming a parts truck. From the seller's description:

Ultra-rare International Scout II with original Nissan turbodiesel motor, plus an additional motor for parts. Only 390 of these vehicles were ever made. This one runs well and starts all year in VT. Someone with vision can turn this into a truly remarkable rig. Perhaps a post-apocalyptic zombie fighter with classic car show appeal?

This Scout is very solid and utilitarian, but it is also very basic. Someone has done some very beefy (but inelegant) bodywork using diamond plate steel. The work was primed hastily and left to develop a patina of rust all over. Inside, the floors are mostly diamond plate as well. The grille is homemade, very tough and rough steel construction with non-original round headlights, which gives it a bit of a different look. I may have the original grille somewhere, but it might have some damage. It has roll bars, which might have been added later. Also there's a sort of "bulkhead" made of diamond plate behind the front seats. The headliner and door liners are gone. There are no back seats, but it looks like there is some residual hardware from a former seat. The rear is currently set up as cargo space, and there is a hole cut where somebody presumably did some work on something under there (maybe they were trying to fix the fuel gauge, but it still doesn't work). The driver has a real shoulder seatbelt, but the passenger just has the original lap belt.

As I said, it works well enough to drive daily around town, but some little things are in need of repair. The radiator leaks, the parking brake doesn't work, and one of the front brake calipers might be sticking. The boost compensator pipe from the turbo is broken, which causes it to be slow starting out from a stop. The factory air conditioning isn't hooked up. It needs new wipers, and I can't find a source. The drivers' seat is ripped, the fuel gauge doesn't work, and about half the dash lights work. There are gaps around the doors and windows, and the removable top rattles loudly. The vehicle has a current VT inspection, valid until December. If you want to imagine what driving this baby is like: it is basically like driving my tractor to town. Slow, tough, rattly. Great four wheel drive- manual hubs, of course! Excellent for mud and snow.

The vehicle also comes with a spare (non working) engine for parts, and a bunch of other stuff such as injection pump bits and something I was told was a "bikini top" (I haven't tried it). Odometer says 30,500, but I'm sure it must have turned over. True mileage unknown.

1980 International Scout II

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