why a Scout?

[garry rudd <grudd@domain.elided>]

Jason wrote:

>A new SUV would easily cost 30,000 bucks to start.  Don't forget good
>ole' Canadian taxes (15 percent in total in Ontario). 

Ah, a topic dear to my heart. We all have different reasons for owning IH
iron and we use them for different purposes. Eight years ago I was looking
for a plow truck. Since I live in the woods in Northern Minnesota spending 4
hours on my tractor clearing my 1/4 mile driveway after a heavy snow was
getting old and cold. There was a Scout in the underground garage at the
apartment in Minneapolis where my parents lived. It was a mess but it had a
plow on it. I knew a beat up used plow would run about $750.00, so I offered
the owner (he also owned the apartment building) $500.00 for the truck and
plow. He said so many tenants had complained about driving by the scow that
I could have it just to get it out of there. Many years of salt, no washing
and then being parked in a damp atmosphere being basked in exhaust pollution
had dissolved most of the truck. The rest was covered with rust except for
the interior; which was perfect with the exception of the carpet. Turned out
that the truck had only 32,000 miles on it, and upon putting in a battery
and fluids it started right up and ran like a watch, albeit a very loud
watch since the exhaust system had rusted off. I spent about $800.00 and a
couple of months getting rid of the worst of the worst. Plowed snow, hauled,
and towed with it for 6 years. Then one day when putting a new brake caliper
on I stuck a screwdriver through a rust bubble I was looking at on the inner
fender; then another and another and many of you know the rest of the story.
I started tearing everything apart and after eighteen months of nights and
weekends and about $5000.00 later it was back together and looking mega
sharp. I replaced, repaired, sandblasted, welded, painted and upgraded
everything. One of the professional Scout rebuilders appraised it between
$12,000.00 and $15,000.00 depending upon the market it was sold in. It will
not be sold! In my opinion it is equal to or exceeds the $30,000 and up rigs
that are everywhere. The Scout is not depreciating as the clock ticks. I now
know how the truck is put together. I can work on it myself without the need
for thousands in specialty tools. I spent $600.00 in the last year for three
parts trucks that were all running. So spare parts are building up. The
truck rides, runs and handles fantastic, i.e. one finger steering, purring
at 75 mph in comfort. It can be done!  Constantly people are walking up
giving me a lot of "WOW", or "do you want to sell the Scout" comments.
Hmmmm, I think we binder nuts are on to something.
 
Regards,


Garry