Ancient History lession: FJC 2007 vs Scout III 1980

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labartonmd

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Feb 17, 2004
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As I look at the proposed 2007 FJ Cruiser I think once again that the factory designers have taken the wrong boat. How many gray hairs can remember the stillborn Scout III? It came out as a concept vehicle in 1980 as International was in the death throws of its light truck market. A good Idea too late for them but perhaps too early for the buying public. The Scout III was powered by a turbodiesel 6, solid axles, man tranny with a FRP composite body or essentially the same proven chassis of the 1980 Scout II only 800 pounds less. 30 mpg hwy was rumored. Twenty five years later, If Toyota had built an FJ styled "scout III", they'd be taking orders now. And twenty five years from now, most of them would still be in loving service thanks to members of the TLCA.

If I were CEO of Toyota, I'd build a retro styled , composite bodied, Removeable F**king top, solid axle 100" wheel based rig that would out-Hummer Hummer. I'd put in a 3.5 liter Diesel V6, built like a Chevy/Isuzu Duramax but done right so the sleeves stay put in the Aluminum block, and back it up with a wide ratio 6 speed and low range TC. 35" tires would be standard. I'd sell it for between $35k and 40k and laugh all the way to the bank as the poser companies lost market share.

What's that funny smell?.....
 
Labartonmd........
Damn Straight. to me, it seems like these days, when people think of out of the box wheelers. they think of hummer, jeep and landrover, i dont think toyota ever really comes to mind. toyota has plenty of small SUV's for mall cruiser(highlander, 4runnner, Sequioa, 100 series(sorry shotts, but most of the public wouldnt think its as good a wheelie as it really is, sad, but true)) Toyota should build this thing to be what they really say it is. i think labartonmd hit the nail on the head....i just wish toyota would take a hint or two.
 
Scout III

I've got a black and white scan of the Scout I think you're talking about, but I just keep getting a "page not available" image as I try to upload it. Stolen from my 1978 issue of Scout Four Wheel Drive Magazine.

Hell, if somebody remade my old '77 SSII, I'd buy it for sure. I'd undercoat the rear fenders the day I brought it home though.
 
Great ideas. What a rig that would be.
Keep in mind though that us wheelers are the minority. The FJ is designed profitable and functional to the majority despite it leaving us salivating for more.
 
MaddMatt said:
I've got a black and white scan of the Scout I think you're talking about, but I just keep getting a "page not available" image as I try to upload it.
Click to expand...

Is it on the web ? If so gimme the url , and I'll dig it up .


TY
 
If we want ease of manufacture, then we're talking close to the FJ Cruiser as it sits. The IFS is cheaper because thay can make more of them for mall cruisers. I think they missed it with the styling. Hell, put a Scion xB box on it with an FJ styled grill and I'd be trying to convince my wife as we speak.
 
found this:

scout3.gif
 
Looks like an Isuzu Amigo.
 
Thanks for the pics, yooper. Now imagine a Gozzard tub.....
 
I think I remeber reading an article once about how International was struggling to keep their light truck market competitive with the increase in emissions and their low production numbers in a market niche that was populated with Jeep CJs, J10, Cherokee, Wagooners, Ford Broncos, Dodge Rams, Chevy Blazers, GMC Jimmys, Plymouth TrailDusters, and Toyota.

International was experiencing market swelling and they were amongst the underdogs. Easier to capitalize on what they were succeeding in - over-the-road trucks.

Toyota is risk adverse. They know what their meat and potatos are and it isn't niche markets. There was a marketing report I read about a month before the first Scion was to be sold in California and the report talked about the average new car consumer age in the industry. The industry average was somewhere around 41 years old, and Toyota was around 43 or 44. The industry watches this consumer age very closely because Oldsmobile at the time had the oldest age, early 50s, and we've seen what happened to Olds.

The goal of the industry is to establish a younger consumer age, because doing so will create return consumers through out a life cycle.

There was a second report out, after the release of the Scion xB and xA, and Toyota had captured in that market segment an average total consumer age of 39, the lowest in the industry and bringing the industry average down to 40.

Anyway, my point is modern automotive industry has been around for a long time and those talking heads watch trends and numbers.

While it is easy for us to say - 'hey Toyota, look at J**p and their niche market all by themselves..." Let's look at the history of Jeep. Started off with Willys, the Overland, then someone else, then someone else, then AMC, then Chrysler, then Diamler Chyrsler. If I was to look at Jeep, I would have to say that it has plagued every major company that has bought it.

International is talking about making a comeback into the light truck market with something, preferrable a modern Scout. I'd be interested in seeing something. Of course, look what Studebaker decided to re-enter the market with, some behemouth SUV that smacked of Hummer trademarks.
 
that looks like a variation on an AMC spirit 4x4 which is a Gremlin with new body work. Gremlins are actually pretty tough and had a tractor motor i-6 so not a bad basis.
 
Always loved International, but man that thing is scary.



TB
 
Keep in mind it WAS 1980, so looks are, well, not appreciated today. There are two of them in existence one of which never sees the light of day and is owned by the individual who owns the rights to the Scout name. Apparently this person wants to keep all things Scout to himself. When he dies, I suspect his heirs will sell one or both (the rights and/or the Scout). I think the other one is owned by by a fellow in Ohio and it occassionaly shows up at the Scout and IH Nationals in September.
 
labartonmd said:
As I look at the proposed 2007 FJ Cruiser I think once again that the factory designers have taken the wrong boat. How many gray hairs can remember the stillborn Scout III? It came out as a concept vehicle in 1980 as International was in the death throws of its light truck market. A good Idea too late for them but perhaps too early for the buying public. The Scout III was powered by a turbodiesel 6, solid axles, man tranny with a FRP composite body or essentially the same proven chassis of the 1980 Scout II only 800 pounds less. 30 mpg hwy was rumored. Twenty five years later, If Toyota had built an FJ styled "scout III", they'd be taking orders now. And twenty five years from now, most of them would still be in loving service thanks to members of the TLCA.

If I were CEO of Toyota, I'd build a retro styled , composite bodied, Removeable F**king top, solid axle 100" wheel based rig that would out-Hummer Hummer. I'd put in a 3.5 liter Diesel V6, built like a Chevy/Isuzu Duramax but done right so the sleeves stay put in the Aluminum block, and back it up with a wide ratio 6 speed and low range TC. 35" tires would be standard. I'd sell it for between $35k and 40k and laugh all the way to the bank as the poser companies lost market share.

What's that funny smell?.....
Click to expand...
Oh man, did you ever hit a nerve with that one! I remember 1980 when I owned a t*rd brown turbo-diesel Scout, my 5th Scout. It was painfully slow but had killer torque and got as high as 29MPGs and I could not wait for the ScoutIII. Last I heard (8-10 years ago) the prototype, tooling, name and production rights were still theoretically for sale. I do miss my Scouts...........
 
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