In March of 1961 it appears that Willys Motors released a 4-page brochure that compared the jeeps vs. the International Harvester Scout. The IH Scout made it’s debut in late 1960, so Willys didn’t waste much time in producing the document in response to the Scout’s release.
In turn, IH didn’t waste time in publishing it’s own comparison with a technical booklet over 40 pages long. I’m not entirely sure for whom this document was intended, engineers? Sales force? Management? For Marketing so it could distill the information for the sales force?
There was intense competition at the introduction of the International SCOUT. International Harvester set it’s target on capturing, or at least sharing a piece of the 4 wheel drive market held by Jeep. As a child in the 1960’s, I can remember the first time I viewed a Scout. I was on my way to St. Mary’s Church in Passaic, NJ on a Sunday morning with Uncle Joe, I stopped to look at it parked at a gas station. So as not to be late for Church, we hurried along and went back after mass to check to check it out. Uncle Joe asked my opinion, and being the loyal fan I was of Willly Jeep, I pointed out the pros and cons. Sixty years later, no doubt about who won this competitive market.
P/S We traveled to St. Mary’s in Passaic from Clifton, because they had a half hour Mass, well worth the trip. If you sat near the back, firt ones out the door, 25 minutes.
Little known is that the U.S. Marine Corps ordered a large fleet of these first gen Scout 80 when they first came out. At the time, they were trying out different vehicles including the AMC Mighty Mite, the Ford M151 and a resurrected contract for the Willys M38A1. I saw all of these start to be released in the early to mid 70s for auction . Many model 80s had an extended career transferred to other branches and served duty at base fire departments and such. As a footnote for the M38A1, it’s interesting that the military battery box was removed from the cowl after the USMC contract of ’63 though reputable sources show the production into the early 70s as an export product (M606A2, A3 ff).
I really enjoy the detail in this bulletin, I have my own copy (haven’t ever seen a second copy, good job.)
It is obviously biased toward the Scout, but it probably has better detailed photos of ’60’s era Jeeps than anything Kaiser-Willys used in its brochures. My favorite selling feature for the Scout is the dished steering wheel so that during an accident you won’t smash “the driver’s chest at one concentrated point” on the center column of the steering wheel like found in the Jeep (obviously a safety feature before seat belts were deemed necessary.)
As a footnote to the above statements, the post office placed a large order for right hand, 2 wheel drive Scouts, a low bid by International Harvester in the late 1960’s, knocked out the Postal Jeep from top spot. IH was serious about gaining market share. Just to show you how serious they were, they went after the “Pizza Jeep” segment of the market place. I kid you not. Teddy’s Pizza in Paterson, NJ had a fleet of “Pizza Scouts”. Now if that doesn’t give you pause to reflect, I don’t know what will. (Some of you will not understand a NJ sense of humor)
Dave, have you ever dropped your hot cigarette ashes onto your jeep gas tank while you were driving?
I wonder if Ford produced one for the Bronco?
Surprised by no snow plow comparisons. I wonder if anybody has compared which one rusted out more quickly on salted, winter roads
While I’m a true ‘jeep’ guy, when I was a toddler my dad had a ’63 Scout 80 with the slant 4 cyl. I remember the sharp ticking noise of the overhead vaccum wipers on a rainy day. Dad also used it to pull an old sickle mower through our field driven by my cousin. He traded it for a ’74 Jeepster Commando. I must say, I preferred the Scout…but what did I know at that age!
Can’t find any Scouts of that vintage anywhere…certainly rarer than a CJ5.
Steve, more times than I can count .. once, with two cigarettes in both hands, I dropped all four. I barely escaped with my life … (yes, that is sarcasm … I’ve never smoked) 🙂
Craig: I still see scouts in the intermountain west and western states and they are pretty good prices usually. But, yes, they are a bit rarer than jeeps.
Mark: I looked just now on eBay and could not find any comparison literature between the Jeep and the Bronco. But, Ford did produce some nice looked early brochures starting with the Bronco’s launch in 1966. There’s also a good 1966 article describing how the Bronco reflected marketing research that included discussions with hundreds of offroaders (presumably mostly jeep owners). I’d argue the Bronco filled the gap between the ride/comfort of the Wagoneer/Gladiators with the offroad utility of the CJ-5.
Note: Coming in a couple days is the relaunch of the Bronco brand: https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/future-cars/a31079/new-ford-bronco-ranger-details/
I read this with great interest. My dad was a fleet salesman for IH in the 50s and 60s and my first ride in a Scout was in 1960 in the back of a half-cab on the Southern California beaches with the adults up front. My dad always touted the Scout over Jeeps and Broncos and I bet he was informed by this gem of a report.
But like Craig, I wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for my love of Jeeps, especially my ’63 CJ-3B.
My thanks for eWillys, which I read every day.
Doug
Doug, thanks for the great story! Glad you enjoy the site!
– Dave