Re: Just got a Scout

[tsm1@domain.elided (Tom Mandera)]

>Howdy Everyone,
>
>I just bought my first Scout and I was glad to find this listserv.  It

Congratulations!

>years.  After throwing a new battery in it she fired right up!  The body
>is pretty rusty but the engine sounds pretty solid.

Typical..

>My first two questions are:
>
>How can I easily identify the year?  How can I identify what size engine
>and rear/front end?  She said it was a '74 but the owners manual in the
>glove box is for a '72.

One thing to check is your front axle.  Drum or Disc brakes?  Then look on
the passenger side at the spring perch.  Is it sort-a "in" the pumpkin, or a
seperate spring perch?

Seperate perch = Dana 30, integral = Dana 44 (1/2T vs 3/4T)

You should have the Dana 30 w/ drum brakes.

'71 to '74 had the Dana 30 (opt 44), '74 had discs, late '74+ had a Dana 44
w/ discs.

'71 and '72 have horizontal grilles, with two slots.  '71 was body color,
'72 was silver/gray.

'73 (it was 73 and '74, right?) had vertical slots for the grille, seperated
into two sections.. a left piece and a right piece.

Motor:

Sure way is to look on the passenger side, just above the frame rail, around
the oil pump.. should be a little metal tag with the CID on it.

If it's a V8, you *should* have a 304 or 345 (392 wasn't offered in the
Scouts, but it's a bolt-in)

4cyl would the 196-4, while a straight six could be a 232 or 258 AMC motor.

Tranny is either a T18 4spd (non-sync 1st, close ratio), or a T14 3spd (3:1
non-sync 1st), or a TF727 auto ('71 and '72 had a Borg Warner Auto.. so you
may have it..)

Dana 20 was stock '71 to '79 (2:1 low range), optional "chain drive"
transfer case has NO low range, and just a pull-knob on the dash.

Anyone know what year the Dash light "FRONT AXLE ENGAGED" was used?  My ' 72
doesn't have it (or it's been burnt out before I can remember)  My '77 does
have this light.

Oh.. one GREAT place to look.. open the driver or passenger door, and look
on the body tub, inside the "hinge" for the build date.. 

>The floor boards on the drivers side are pretty rusted out...what is the
>best way to fix?

Hmm.. check the body mounts.. they're probably shot, too.  (look under your
outside foot, under the floor, for some L-shaped brackets on the frame that
hold the body up.. mud usually collects on these "arms" and rots 'em
through, then into the tub.  I've also found my drip-ledge on the hardtop of
the '72 (combined with the rotted gaskets) leaks inside the door, instead of
out and over the side of the door.. it all runs to the top of the door, then
down the A-pillar and into the fender.

Anyhow.. you'll need to order new body mounts (do the L and R sides), unbolt
the body mount bolts (8 of 'em), unbolt the fan shroud, the e-brake and fuel
line, and then lift the body off the frame a few inches.

Then cut the old mounts off, replace with new (weld 'em)

Then cut out your rusty floor pan and replace with either a fitted unit from
one of the Scout vendors, or.. being a floor, depending on how much of a
bend you want and where the rust is, just grab some thick sheet metal.

I now plan to tackle this chore on my own on my '72.. it's the floor and
part of the kick panels that needs the welding.. and I plan to do something
like Rhino Lining of the body tub anyhow, so it doesn't have to look pretty
to get some bedliner applied over it..

BTW, everyone says to "REMOVE" the factory rubber floor matting.. or at
least the sound proofing padding underneath it.. that's where the water
likes to collect and just SIT on the floor and rust it out.

Also, pull the cowl apart (the sheet metal under the hood in front of the
slots comes out easy enough) and try to clean the crap out from inside the
fenders.. that'll promote the rust, too.  You can stick your arm down the
sides, or use a shop vac, or remove the fender, or go in through the vents.

BTW, anyone have a trick for getting the vents out?  The passenger vent has
the spring loaded flapper arm that gets caught on the vent hole opening.

Tom Mandera, Helena MT
http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout
'72 and '77 Scout II
Check out my Scout pages for more FAQs