The final bid on this plaid-clad ’79 Scout was ludicrous
We knew this truck was special. We knew it would likely sell over our #1 condition value of $48,800, based on the interior alone. But $67,200 after fees? That’s a surprise, to say the least.
This is the third-highest International Scout sale we’ve ever seen at auction, and holds the record for a “stock” example. Stock is framed in quotation marks because most Scouts are modified to some extent—lift kits are especially common—but this 1979 Scout II Midas Edition is much closer to stock than the two previous examples whose final bids surpassed its $67K figure. Both this 1977 International Scout II Traveler at RM Scottsdale 2018 ($128,800) and this 1970 International Scout at Mecum Indy 2020 ($118,250) were full, ground-up restomods with GM crate engines. Originality is what sets this plaid-clad sale apart, which is likely why bidders were willing to look past the rough undercarriage.
Scouts were rarely babied and rust often forced them into early retirement. When you take into account that this truck is fully original and spent its life in the Midwest, the rust is very minimal. Together with the original paint, this example’s relatively clean condition from rails to roof makes it much more desirable than a restored one. The paint is over 40 years old, but you wouldn’t guess that at first glance.
Originality brought the bidders out today, and their demand for a Scout that shows some flaws will likely bring some cleaner examples out from collections. Big sales like this one will continue to propel the Scout II into the upper realm of vintage trucks to sit among the Broncos and Land Cruisers.
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