International ScoutOwners' Club
Victorian Division Inc.
International ScoutOwners' Club
Victorian Division Inc.
The International Scout Owners’ Club was formed in Sydney in 1988 and the Victorian Division Inc was formed in 1991.
The Two main focal points are:
There are also contact people in other states who help supply parts/info re Scouts and with whom we enjoy getting-together to see/talk/experience all things SCOUT.
With a Family type feel to us & regular bi-monthly meetings / outings / get togethers you might be forgiven for thinking that we're all related. Truth is we all look out for each other & ensure that everyone, be it a first timer / potential member to a seasoned TRAVELER, has a great time & enjoys themselves & our company.
We're these days rather like a Four wheel drive social club with interests in caravaning, camping & touring; though we still enjoy some off-roading & scenic bush drives. etc. No-one in this club sets out to damage their vehicles & we remain a family friendly club.
No. Currently we have members who do not own a Scout. Owners of all International equipment are welcome and it is surprising what some members have stored away!
The Victorian Division Inc. newsletter includes meeting info, technical info, news of our own activities as well as articles from members and other sources.
Club members are encouraged to have input so that we can cater for as wide a range of activities and destinations as possible.
Trips of varying duration to places such as vehicle / machinery displays and swap meets are undertaken.
Members have often organised 2WD and 4WD touring trips of their local areas that have been very successful.
No. Our activities vary in nature and type of driving encountered. Alternate routes are usually available for anyone not wanting to tackle 4WD tracks. Most of our members have restored and unique vehicles, not all of them 4WDs. We are not in the business of trying to destroy them.
Vehicles and members at Club outings are required to conform to all statutory requirements and members should have a minimum of 3rd Party Property insurance.
The Victorian Club is incorporated and has its own Public Liability insurance policy
Meetings are held bi-monthly (generally on a Sunday morning) and have been held at various locations in Victoria often in conjunction with a weekend trip. This allows ‘farflung’ members to at least have the opportunity to be present at one or two meetings if they wish to do so. However one does not have to attend for the whole weekend; you can come just for the meeting if that is your wish.
Non-members are also welcome to come along and meet with us.
Membership gives owners of Inters access to parts held by other branches and, in some cases, parts are often sourced through affiliated groups in the USA.
There are also comprehensive parts and repair manuals available - photocopies of the relevant pages can be obtained on a cost per sheet basis.
Members regularly discuss the adaptability of parts from other vehicles and various ways to solve problems encountered.
There are no two identical International Scouts so owners can genuinely feel that they have what is a truly unique vehicle.
In 1961 the first 80 Series Scout was produced and the last Scout II in 1980 therefore all our vehicles are over 25 years of age. For some of our members this is their primary reason for belonging to our club, as a source of parts and technical information for what is a classic vehicle.
First designed with a four cylinder engine which was literally a V8 cut in half, in USA there were range of factory engine options that included three sizes of V8s, and a diesel, however in Australia the four cylinder in the original 80 Series and the 345A V8 (5.7ltr) in the later models were the most common. They have a cast iron engine block and heads, which gives them good front end weight to provide excellent traction as well as being in effect a truck engine, making them very reliable and a good tow vehicle.
The Series 80 had a 3 speed manual gearbox while the automatic versions use the Chrysler Torque Flite 727 transmissions, the manual versions used a 4 speed synchromesh box. In fact the entire vehicle is a “composite” also using parts from other major manufacturers, eg, Dana, Jeep, GM, Ford.
In keeping with growing environmental awareness, in USA in 1978, buyers were requested and encouraged by the International Harvester Company to sign a pledge in regard to protecting the environment, the motto they used was “Take a Stand for the Land”.
The company provided an informative booklet that gave specific instructions in how to operate the vehicle, minimizing any impact on the country side in a wide range of situations, even to the extent of how to clean up any oil spills in the bush including the list of equipment to be carried to do so. We encourage members to continue that awareness.
The first ISOC group was created in NSW in 1988, as a National Club, and in 1991 the Victorian Branch was formed. To cater for changing requirements of Scout owners the ISOC Vic. has “reinvented” itself several times since its inception, currently holding meetings in various parts of the State including Melbourne, approximately every two months to give members an opportunity to attend at some time during the year.
We welcome you to look around the website / please contact us for any further information.
