Back in the early 60s, off-road-ready SUVs were starting to take the U.S. market by storm. Fueled by the success of more primitive and purpose-built Jeeps, Land Cruiser, and an emerging consumer market for factory-equipped 4x4 trucks, International Harvester offered the Scout for the 1962 model year. Of course, this segment continued to explode with additional entries like the Ford Bronco, Chevrolet Blazer, and Dodge Ramcharger.

International Harvester may have been more known in the construction and agricultural space, but the Scout was hardly their first foray in mass-market automotive. IH had cranked out light-duty trucks since the 40s and created a Suburban-fighting mega SUV in the Travelall in the 50s.

Scout II was first offered for 1971, a revised generation aiming to keep relevance in a fast-evolving segment. They were offered in 4WD and 2WD - this example being the former - and a series of powerplants ranging from I4s to V8s, naturally-aspirated and turbocharged diesels.

The Scout II was a fun and powerful SUV that helped define a generation of big, bold off-roaders that brought the thunder as a challenger to more established manufacturers. What the Scout II lacked in options and customization options, it made up for in special edition packages like the Selective Edition, Shawnee Scout, Spirit of 76, and Midas Edition.

Unfortunately, the last Scout II was produced in October, 1980 as International Harvester strategically withdrew from the mass-market automotive segment to streamline operations and costs, primarily due to a massive strike at the end of 1979. Business units were either closed or sold before rebranding to Navistar International, which focused on producing engines.