Re: activity, '74 3/4T 4x4

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided>]

On Sun, 8 Nov 1998, Daniel Nees wrote:

> Someone had better drive out to Helena and check and see if Tom is
> alright. We haven't heard from him all weekend. Either he was out
> wheeling and something terrible happened or he is back in Missoula where
> something even more terrible could happen. I almost wish for the former
> since the later has already almost ruined his life. <g>

<GRIN>  Actually, I was in Helena most of the weekend, doing the latter. 
<VBG> Just made it home an hour ago..

But, IH related, she n' I took her 70s Toy ex-cab on a trip yesterday.. 
drove up to Great Falls to look at a '74 IH 3/4T 4x4 pickup for sale.. 
then went to Havre, MT for all of a half hour (104 miles from GF) then 
back.. ate dinner, saw the Waterboy, drove home.. 

4"+ of snow here!  Time to break out the ski wax...

The Scout was not so much fun this evening driving home from across 
town.. the rear Tracklok had the back end sliding pretty well.. I tried 
locking one front hub and using 3wd.. man, it'll *really* spin donuts now!

Back to IH..

I looked at a '74 3/4T 4x4 pickup.  I can't say if it was a short on 
longbox... ;)

It was in better shape than I expected.. for the sum price of $400!

304V8.. claims it runs, but it wouldn't start (turned slow) when I was 
there.. I'm distressed to see the air filter housing missing.. 2bbl carb.

Dana 44 front/60 rear, 7200(?) GWVR.. 8 lug full floaters... 4spd 
(couldn't drive it to see if it was a T98 or a T19).  Power steering.. 

The interior was in the shape I expected it to be.. bench seat, ripped 
up.. shifter knobs all missing.. generally kinda ugly n' unmaintained 
interior.

All four wheels had half the lug nuts on 'em.. exhaust ends in a muffler 
dangling under the bed.. etc.

The body was surprisingly straight.. not perfect, but straighter than 
most $400 4x4s. :-)

Rust on the box n' other places.. surface rust doesn't bother me..

I tried looking at the cowl.. knowing this is a problem area on the 
pickups.. I couldn't *see* any rust through, but I may not have been in 
the right spot.  I looked where the Scout II front body mounts would be, 
and it looked solid.. Looked in the cab.. there was a big hole to the 
right of the gas pedal.. partway up the firewall.. is this a normal 
rust-through area or.. ??

I left the guy my business card.. and said if it hadn't sold in a while 
(been in the paper 2 weeks) to give me a ring and I'd take it off his 
hands.. 

I'm not actively looking for a pickup.. but for $400... it's worth it if 
I just took the Dana 60/44 and used it on my racer! :-)  Plus a spare 
304.. 

Do I call back and say, "GIMME" tomorrow? :-)  Needs new tires, too..

I'm just loathe to go and buy another cheap IH, get it home, and find out 
the thing is a complete mess.. I already have one frame-off in process...

The owners said it's a good truck.. they'd keep it, but with their kids, 
the Suburban they have is a better rig now.  They haven't had this truck 
on the road.. it was bought for parts and combined with another they 
had.. lost the title in the process of moving (it's lost,but clean.. and 
never registered in their name)

Hmmm.....

Oh.. rig needs new rotors.. it's a '74 with disc Dana 44 front.. those 
spendy hard to find rotors, right?  The ones only a true IH-nut would 
know how to find.... :-)

-Tom Mandera, Helena MT
http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout
'72 and '77 Scout IIs
'77/78 Scout II --> racer
Do I buy a '74 IH 3/4T 4x4 pickup, too?...