Inspired by America’s 250th, the concept revives the original style of the Scout II Spirit of ’76.
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Independence Day may have come and gone, but the celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary rolls on. Many OEMs that were around for America’s bicentennial have unveiled rolling tributes to our country in pickup, sports car, and SUV forms . But one notable holdout that was around then and today—with a long hiatus in between—has been Scout Motors. Though only loosely tied to the original International Harvester brand, the resurrected Scout apparently felt it needed to mark the occasion with the Traveler , its upcoming modern take on the Scout II Traveler. Enter the Spirit of ’26 Concept, which borrows inspiration from a similar model built 50 years ago.
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The Original Spirit of ‘76
Back in 1976, America, its citizens, and the auto industry were all caught up in the excitement of the nation’s 200th anniversary. International Harvester was no exception, introducing three special models for the occasion. The first was a set of 17 1976 Scout Travelers and Traveltops built to support the U.S. Ski Team as it prepared to compete in that year’s Winter Olympic Games.
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These special Scouts came equipped with winches, roof-mounted ski racks, and the 345-cubic-inch V-8, backed by the A727 three-speed automatic and a two-speed transfer case for four-wheel drive. What really set them apart from standard Scouts finished in Winter White, though, were the distinctive red and blue bodyside stripes and U.S. Ski Team logos on the front fenders.
That design ultimately made its way onto the 1976 Scout Spirit of ’76 trucks. They wore the same stripe package on a Winter White body, minus the Ski Team fender logos. The package also included a Wedgwood Blue interior, a matching roll bar, a denim Safari soft top, and Rallye wheels.
Originally, the Spirit of ’76 option was offered only on 100-inch-wheelbase Scouts with a fabric top, but a version eventually expanded to hardtop models with both 100- and 118-inch wheelbases under the Patriot name.
The Spirit of ’26 Is the Modern Rendition
Fifty years later, Scout has decided to revive some of that Americana style with the Traveler Spirit of ’26 Concept. This all-electric Traveler is finished in a modern metallic take on the 1976 Scout’s Winter White paint, called White Cap.
Its bodyside striping blends vintage Rallye and Scout graphics. There is also a nod to Scout’s farm-equipment roots, with a combine harvester motif cutting through a row of blue stripes ahead of the red stripe. Most important, those stripes are finished in red and blue, completing the tribute to the colors of Old Glory.
Sadly, we probably won’t see a production version of the Spirit of ’26 anytime soon. Scout’s production target for the Traveler SUV and Terra pickup remains sometime in 2027, with customer deliveries currently expected to begin in late 2028 for the Traveler and around 2030 for the Terra. Still, here’s hoping that stripe design makes it to the production Scout Traveler as an option, even if it doesn’t arrive as a full red, white, and blue tribute to America’s 250th.
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Having experience in many forms of the automotive industry, Justin Banner has done more than just write about cars. For more than 15 years, he's had experience working as an automotive service technician—including a stint as a Virginia State Inspector—service advisor, parts sales, and aftermarket parts technical advisor (a fancy way of saying he helped you on the phone when you had trouble fitting your brakes over your aftermarket wheels and the like).
Prior to his tenure as a full-time editor, Justin worked as a freelance writer and photographer for various publications and as an automotive content creator on YouTube. He’s also covered multiple forms of motorsports ranging from Formula Drift, drag racing, and time attack, to NASCAR, short course off-roading, and open desert racing. He's best known for breaking down complex technical concepts so a layperson can more easily understand why technologies, repairs, and parts should matter to them. At MotorTrend, Justin is part of the news team covering breaking news and topics while also working as a judge for MotorTrend Of the Year events and other major comparison tests.