1963 Scout 80 resto-mod
 

Pics will be slow at first, as there are customer projects in the shop that need more attention than personal toys.

Plans are:
-Slammed to the ground
-4 corner double adjustable coil overs, bags or ridetech shockwaves
-stock appearing interior/exterior
-custom doors ( no windows, solid top, possibly with later model door jambs and hinges )
-chopped top
-4 corner Wilwood big brakes
-fuel fill behind rear taillight
-Dakota Digital gauges
-full LED lighting
-custom paint, possibly silver on sides and red on top
-both full sized top and small 'truck' style top
-vintage air heat/ac
-LS powered

I'm thinking all red interior, red with painted sides and bed liner on the floors all red, same matched colors.

My seats are already covered in greyish leather. So, I'll match the leather color to the paint, and then spray the outside in that color. The outside, the seats, and the leather on the billet steering wheel will all match.

I don't want anything that sticks out or doesn't look right inside of the scout. Want to keep it looking like it came that way.

Here is a potential rending I drew up to get a visual..

Parts have been coming in from the big brown trucks..

i order coil overs, but as low as it will sit, i think ill need air ride adjustability to get it up enough to turn.

We'll see how it looks with the fender lip at the top of the tire or if it needs to go lower. Maybe i can raise the opening if it will still look good, or if not, air ride it will be.

rear 4-link parts arrived

front S10 chassis portion got dropped off from sand blasting.

old chassis is out being cleaned and the junk parts sold or scrapped.

Maybe by early july this can be a roller..

Cool project!

definitely an interesting build. Keep us updated and good luck with it!

thanks man, will do

Got a carpet sample so i can get some red basecoat matched up to it. It's a bit darker then 'GM' red..

Gonna definitely be cool.

brake parts are coming in

This morning I took a piece of my seats and the carpet sample up to the paint store.

After about 40 mins of going through color books I came up with these two colors.



Theyre not exact matches, so I will have to spray a bigger panel of the colors on lets say an 10 inch by 20 inch piece to see if the variance is noticeable or not.

So we tossed around ideas and finally settled on a gen IV 4.8 single turbo, 4l80e trans, winters quick-change axle for the drivetrain used for this scout build

Looking forward to more updates.

We need to see the actually Scout

hey marty, long time no talk..
to refresh your memory, i contacted you about updating some things in the s10 forum.


It's been hot here in az 114 average, and ive got 3 other vehicles im working on.

so my own personal project(s) get little time.

I hope youre doing well

also have decided chassis and the chassis parts will all be the red of the interior.

I an doing good and getting close to finishing version 2.0 on my Camaro. Family is good and my kids are growing up way to fast and I can't wait to see more pictures of this build.

had to adjust the rendering to better match the color of the leather on the seats

much darker, but it a better representation.

The more i look at it, the darker is sexy.

Now need to figure out a pearl to mix in with it. I think itll need a little pop to sparkle in the sun..

I like it !!!

Updated the color of the rendering to match the leather of the seats.

Also, planning on the entire suspension/chassis to be red powder coated like the interior color.

Got out the sawzall and invited a few friends over..
Removed most of the floor section so we could set the body down on the ground.

Those 16 inch GTA wheels look tiny under there..

And updated the rendering with some of the logos of the companies were using parts from.

Hoping in about 2 weeks the chassis will be tacked together

the new frame material is here

the main components for the air ride is here

waiting on a few replies for double adjustable shocks for front and rear

Have the general idea of the rear back half designed, just need to start cutting metal now.

Depending on Mother Nature, might have the chassis tacked together this weekend.

I prepped my "CAD" table and started building to scale, my rear back-half.

Using a 1:1 scale my chassis is 3x3 and I laid it out how to best be used for the bag on bars suspension and the rest of the parts that need to be inside of it.
IE fuel tank, air tank, compressors, floor bracing ect.

Once I got everything lined up to where and how it should look, fit and work, I made some templates for some CNC cut brackets for the lower 4 link bars, and the upper air bag mounts. Hopefully these are done this week. I used oval holes instead of the normal circles for ‘speed holes’.. I might use this oval theme throughout the build.

I’ll start piecing together the back half and get them all tacked together.
The front ‘s10’ suspension portion/clip/frontend needs to be clearance for the air bags, and then it can be mocked up under the front fenders to see where the frame splicing will occur. I will install the front wheels, upper/lower control arms onto the frame piece to make sure the wheels are centered in the wells. I build them so when they are aired out the wheels are centered. I don’t really care if they’re not centered when driving down the road. It’s sitting, aired out, that matters to me.

Enjoy the pics…

got the two frame rails tacked together..

it was kinda neat attaching the 1963 frame rail to the new 2024 frame rails..the stories that could be told of the last 61 years.

ill next be moving up to splicing the front suspension to the frame rails.

then we'll have a near complete chassis again. I wanted to keep a piece of the original Scout frame, instead of complete new rails from the rear to the front crossmember. Something for a bit of nostalgia for me.

My trans builder has an core 4l80e case for me and i had him take it apart so its just a case. Much easier to move an empty case around when making motor/trans mounts.

Once everything is tacked together I'll smooth everything out, grind down the old scout brackets, plus the ones i have installed for off-roading over the years.

Still have to clearance the front for the air ride.

Then everything will be sent out for powder coating. I think the engine will be painted body color, but not sure yet. I don't want too many other colors being involved.

Nice...

Keep posting the updates as I am looking forward to more posts.

thanks, lots of work still to go..

I will, It'll slow down for this week as I have a another chassis i have to ready for customer to approve and then strip to send out for powder coating.

-you know, customers are always first as they pay the bills

got my brackets

time to weld up some rails..



.

Didnt get as much accomplished today as i wanted, but, tomorrow the main part of the chassis should be completed.

I forgot how much you have to cut to get a 20 inch tire to 'lay frame'..
after spending a couple hours i didnt want to waste i got the front crossmember about 3/4 inch from the ground. So i placed a 1 inch square tube under it, and 1 inch tube under the frame rail i was working on, and proceeded to fit it the front suspension/s10 frame.

I got the passenger rail tacked to whats left of the passenger s10 frame rail section.

Tomorrow sometime ill get the drivers rail fitted up and tack welded as well.

Once i get everything tacked together and a crossmember or two installed, I'll pull out the entire chassis and get it to the welding table.

There i will finish hacking on the s10 frame rail to blend in with the new frame rail and look like it is supposed to be there. Not how it looks now.

then i can flip the chassis over and finish clearancing for the air bags, and final few things needing grinding.

There are a few brackets on the frame rails that need cut off, ground smooth, and all that jazz.

the biggest issue is measuring, checking, moving, remeasuring, etc to get the S10 portion lined up and square with the rest of the vehicle.

It's low, and youre basically working laying down, or on your knees

The question will be, powder coat, or just paint it? Probably easier and cheaper for me to paint the frame.

.....few update pics

frame is a solid chassis now from front bumper mounts to rear bumper mounts.

The frame needs to be removed and finish being welded, but that is after building the 4 link.

Waiting on a few parts i had to order for the air ride...once these arrive i can make the rear 4 link.

not much else at this point.

I wonder how many scouts have a quick-change rear axle?

got out the windshield frame last night, and wanted to get an idea how much of a 'chop' it needed to match the rendering.

turns out about 5 inches needs to come out to match.

im going to round the edges of the new glass, since early scouts are square.
and will be doing 'oversized' glass so they can be glued in and 'flush' mounted.
No more big rubber seal to hold the glass in..

I like it.

thanks, that means alot to me




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4l80 core got dropped off

going to use this to set up the trans and motor mounts, and then the case will be sent out for red powder coating.

Lower link bar 'ends' came in..

now I can set up the rear 4 link and finish the air bag mounts.

should be able to make the vehicle go up and down here real soon...

Exciting!!

Started looking at the dash /board' this came with.
I think maybe the 2 5 inch gauges and nearly nothing else mount to it.

might bend a 90 degree panel underneath to mount the ign key and headlight switch.

It will have the vintage air set up, so i'll need to source some decent looking vents. will they be in the dash or maybe somewhere else? Hmmm

i found a steering wheel i like as well, but I'll have to see if it fits the build.

I dont want too modern of parts, but i know there are areas ill have to just be ok with as this isnt a mega-million dollar build, but a toy for me.

I have wondered how it would work to have the AC vents exit under the dash without a visible vent. Yes, it feels nice to have the cold air blowing right on you from a vent but after a couple minutes of the AC running in a car like yours would the car feel comfortable with the AC dumping out towards your knees?

id probably be very uncomfortable with frozen knees.. :)

I'm sure some simple vents in the dash panel will suffice.

Still something to ponder about

been a little slow on updates this past week.
but the BBq has been good !!

hope you are all doing well...thanks for lookin

I love this build... What part of Arizona are you in? I'm in North Peoria...

lived in phx for 49 years.
never ever heard anyone call it north peoria. :)

im off of union hills in north phx (lol)

i think i recognize your car pick form nancys show at mixteca

New LCAs arrived yesterday.
maybe this coming weekend i can get them on and see how they fit.
then modify them for the lower airbag mount.

They will be red powder coated with everything else once fitted and modified

Removed the windshield frame and drilled out a bunch of spot welds on the side portion. These spot welds hold the ‘brackets’ which mount the door seals.
Since I wont have door windows, no door seals are needed, so off came the brackets.
Then I cut the window frame into 4 pieces and decided that a 4-inch chop was going to be the best for what I'm building.
Some measuring, a few templates to make sure left and right match, and voila’
It’s welded back together, and next is rounding the corners of the windshield frame.