Mike Self November 30, 2023 All Feature Vehicles
By now you’re probably saying to yourself, “I’m just so sick and tired of Street Trucks featuring so many International Scouts! Why don’t they just make up a magazine for Scouts, call it ‘Scout Buyer’s Guide’ or something, and get back to featuring Chevys every once in a while?” Yeah, we hear you—we’re sick of them, too! Maybe if you guys stop building so many of them, we’ll stop featuring them!
All joking aside, when is the last time you saw a lowered Scout, let alone one set up for serious performance? Randy Weaver of Weaver Customs is used to being the oddball. From already having built a similarly styled Jeep Wagoneer and a modified Cannonball-style Rolls Royce, “fitting in” isn’t exactly Randy’s MO. And, in fact, this isn’t even Randy’s first custom International, although it’s definitely the shortest!
When Randy decided to reimagine his own ’69 Scout 800, he really took that quality and performance part to heart, incorporating his own interpretation of what those things meant in the 21st century.
Historically, the 1961 International Harvester Scout 80 arrived at a time when the automobile landscape was dominated by bulky behemoths. The Scout was one of the first compact SUVs, setting the stage for the SUV boom that would follow in later decades. It was a breath of fresh air, a nimble and efficient alternative that redefined the very essence of what a truck could be.
Its compact size and four-wheel-drive capability made it perfect for navigating the toughest terrains, and its versatility was unrivaled. Whether you needed a workhorse on the farm, an adventure companion in the wilderness, or a reliable daily driver in the city, the International Scout had you covered. It was a unique entry from a company that was more used to manufacturing mundane agricultural equipment than passenger vehicles, but the ones they did produce made a huge impression. Families, outdoor enthusiasts, and even celebrities fell in love with the Scout, including Steve McQueen and Farrah Fawcett. Their choice of vehicle only solidified the Scout’s reputation as the ultimate go-anywhere machine for those who appreciated quality and performance.
When Randy decided to reimagine his own ’69 Scout 800, he really took that quality and performance part to heart, incorporating his own interpretation of what those things meant in the 21st century. Completely restyled from front to back, Randy’s Scout features custom bodywork on every panel, including 2-inch widebody flares, vented hood, and a cut-down body to turn it into a full-time pickup, finished off in GM Arctic White.
A custom tube chassis built with Ridetech suspension goodies was stuffed underneath, complete with rack-and-pinion steering for precise input. And with a hot-cammed twin turbo LS3 crate engine spinning the rear Lionhart tires by way of a 4L80E automatic, staying in control is absolutely critical. It made sense, then, for Randy to also bolt on beefy 14-inch Wilwood brakes at each corner, right behind the stylish yet very functional 20×8 and 20×12-inch Detroit Steel Wheel Mack wheels.
As you can imagine, the Scout was a major hit during Power Tour, with camera phones pointed at it pretty much the whole time and crowds assembling around it at every stop.
Since Randy planned on debuting his Scout this past Hot Rod Power Tour and actually driving the thing, he needed the interior to be as comfortable and functional as possible. Obviously, that meant that cup holders would be involved, but Randy also needed something to hold the cup holders, so he fabricated a custom center console in addition to a set of door panels, a custom dash, and under-dash panels to finish off the majority of the interior transformation, which was completed with upholstery by Innovation Custom Interiors. And when Randy wouldn’t be listening to the turbos spool up, he’d have the JVC head unit backed by Kicker CS speakers to help the miles melt away.
As you can imagine, the Scout was a major hit during Power Tour, with camera phones pointed at it pretty much the whole time and crowds assembling around it at every stop. Luckily, things went off without a hitch (or a tow truck), so Randy was able to enjoy the Scout and give it a proper shakedown. Randy likes to bring something new to Power Tour every year, so be on the lookout for his next project to debut in the coming months!
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