towing a scoutII

[David and Carol Cox <coxfam@domain.elided>]

IH all,

After several messages about towing a scoutII, I just wanted to put in my
$.02 since I just towed my new '77 Arizona scout home this evening. I did
everything that was suggested for towing a 727 auto--I put the hubs in
lock, the T-case in neutral and the tranny in park. It started out just
fine, but when I got on the freeway, the '77 started pushing my '73 scoutII
side to side when I got up over 50 mph. We drove 50 miles down I40 from
Flagstaff to Ash Fork keeping the speed at 45 and 35-40 down the six miles
of 6% downgrade just before we got home. I would strongly suggest that if
anyone is going to tow a scout, that you use a heavier vehicle than the one
being towed.

All of that was really just a ploy to open the door to brag about my
Christmas gift to myself. I found a really clean-bodied '77 with usable
dana 44's, disc brakes, 345V8, and a trashed 727. It has no visible rust
and is in good enough shape to definitely rebuild. I just took my '73 elk
hunting and nearly froze because of the holes in the floorboard and missing
rocker panels. I got my elk, and the scout did a great job getting me in
and out, but next year I want to be warmer. This '77 has everything my '73
doesn't and if I shift the '73's 345 and T-18 into it I may have the truck
I've been looking for. The best part of all this is that I only paid $500
for this rust-free scout. Now I just have to decide whether to move the
body onto the '73 frame or move the engine, tranny, clutch, etc into the
'77. Any of you feel like giving me your two cents worth, it would be much
appreciated.

Dave Cox
'73 scoutII
'77 scoutII as of tonight