Scout Work

We are still here in California working on year end business.  Rick is also working on the Scout.  It is the perfect utility vehicle for the ranch, but it is also 48 years old.  As a person of this same vintage, I can attest that a little maintenance is necessary to keep things working well.   

He took off the springs and replaced them with the ones from the “parts” Scout along with new lift shackles. 

He sanded and cleaned the old springs. 

A few coats of rustoleum enamel not only make it look nicer, it protects it from rust.  Not a big problem in California since it doesn’t rain here, but it is a concern in Washington.  96 inches of rain per year can cause a lot of rust!

He has also changed the wheels and tires.  Here are the wheels and tires it came with.  

Here are the new ones.

Rick says this is only so it will have better clearance and get better traction – but I think he just liked the more rugged look. 

You could poke your finger through the inside of the original tailgate – it was rusted through.  

So we had the old tailgate from the “parts” Scout welded up and re-painted to put on this one.   It does help to have two old ones to make one whole one.

As good as new.

Now he’s working on replacing the engine.  He got the old one out. 

Rick had the old engine from the “parts” Scout re-built so it is ready to go in this one.   

Rick has also done a few other repairs.  He put in a new gas spout – the old one leaked all the gas out if you put more than 2 gallons of gas in it.  This was not only annoying, but expensive and definitely dangerous. 

He also has plans to put in a new headlight switch.  The old one works most of the time – unless you go over a bump.  Then the lights go out.  A bit of a problem driving at night.  He is even talking about putting on a windshield wiper on the passenger side.  Currently there is only one on the driver side.   It may be so fancy we won’t want to use it.