Early Scouts are awesome. International Harvester’s attempt at playing the market that previously had belonged completely to Willys with the Jeep wasn’t so much a risk, but the opportunity for a reward, since the market for a small off-roader was still a relatively unexplored section of automobile sales. Developed within 24 months and put on sale in the fall of 1960, the Scout could arguably be considered the predecessor to vehicles like the Chevrolet Blazer, Ford Bronco, and Dodge Ramcharger…slightly bigger than the Jeep, removable hardtop, built more as a small, short pickup than a purpose-built 4×4. Just like a Jeep CJ or an early Bronco, the Scouts are everything you need, nothing you don’t kind of vehicles.

Except for maybe this one. With the IH engine long gone in favor of a fuel-injected Ford 302, this Binder should have a nice bit of thump for the ride, but it’s the extras that catch our budget-shopping eye. Lockers in the axles and an air compressor are nice touches for an off-roader and we’re very glad to see them here, but then there’s two that we are kind of surprised about. The welder certainly isn’t a common cheap-car find but we wouldn’t shut that down. But it’s the hot water shower that takes the “wait, what?!” award here. On the plus side, so long as your tools are in order, there should be no reason short of a piston hanging out of the block that means you can’t return from the trail.

Shame it’s off-road focused…this thing sounds like a killer Power Tour ride, so long as you bring your own tent and sleeping bag!