When did International Harvester start building Scouts?
In the late 1950s IH began a design plan to produce a vehicle to compete with the Jeep CJ. By late 1960 the first Scout was available. 1961 was the first model year. International has been building Trucks, Pickups and later Travelalls since 1907. The Scout 80 was the designation for the Scout models. Hatching the Scout – Words from Ted Ornas Chief Designer of the Scout (our Kitchen Table Creator!) This rough sketch was the “father” of the International Scout. The market potential for a 4 wheel drive recreational vehicle was an unknown quantity in the early 1950s. The only such vehicle offered in the post-war period was the Willys Jeep, a version of the military jeep produced for World War II. It was a flat-sided bare-bones product, and American military personal learned to appreciate its ability to maneuver over rough terrain. Sales volume was very low. In early 1958 we were directed to develop a concept proposal to enter this small market of that time. So help me, Mr.Reese manager of
