Excellent or better condition.
Has a loose page. Complete.
FOUR WHEELER
THE WORLD'S LEADING FOUR WHEEL DRIVE MAGAZINE
78 BONUS:
All New Chevies
and Jeeps!
NOVEMBER 1977 / $1.25
CUSTOM SCOUT
From Modern Motors
48318K
Do-It-Yourself
4x4 MINI TRUCK MODS:
•Independent Suspension Courier
→V-8 Toyota
Turbo Toyota
Extra! Four Wheeler Of The Year Nominees:
Chevy Blazer; Ford Bronco; Dodge Diesel
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er
J-
CONTENTS/NOVEMBER 1977/ VOL. 14, NO. 11
FEATURES
30
INTERNATIONAL'S DIESEL SCOUT- livin' with it
39 THE GO ANYWHERE CAMPER
42
camper for any rig
-
- light weight
WHAT'S NEW FROM JEEP - refinements for 1978
46 NEW CHEVIES FOR '78
52
preview
'78 FOUR WHEELER OF THE YEAR - three
nominees
54 THE FANTASTIC 4x4 MARKET - an in-depth view
58 CUSTOMIZED SCOUT - from Modern Motors
COMPETITION
36 THE MEMORIAL DAY 100 - SCORE's Midwestern
off road race
TECHNICAL
35 AMC CONCEPT 80
-
new from AMC
62 MINI TRUCK SPECIAL: INDEPENDENT COURIER
66 MINI TRUCK SPECIAL: V-8 TOYOTA MINI
69 MINI TRUCK SPECIAL: TURBO TOYOTA
FOUR WHEELER
PAGE 39
Honcho
PAGE 47
DEPARTMENTS
4 FOUR WHEELIN'
-
PAGE 45
Bill Sanders-editorial
6 BROAD VIEW-Jean Calvin
TRAVELIN' LIGHT - V. Lee Oertle
-
14 WHAT'S NEW - new products
16 WRENCH RAPPIN' Mike Anson
20 LETTERS - reader response
22 NEWS BEAT - industry news
Mike Anson
24 TECH LINE
-
26
COVER PHOTO: Our Custom
Scout was photographed in the
Marin (County) Highlands of Ca-
lifornia with the Golden Gate
Bridge and San Francisco in the
background. A rare photo, as this
location is usually shrouded in
fog! Photo by Bill Sanders.
28
78
WORON'S WORLD - Walt Woron
ON THE TRAIL-Russ Leadabrand
CAMPFIRE -club news
84
CALENDAR - coming events
94
FOUR WHEELER DEALERS
98
OFF ROAD PHOTO - caught by the camera
NOVEMBER 1977 FOUR WHEELER / 3
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Wide stance, Pacer-like styling of the
AMC 4WD Concept Van is dramatic.
Fender flares and front air dam are part
of the body styling. The little van
has really been a crowd pleaser.
Mouser
AMC has been taking their six-vehicle
Concept 80 show to major U.S. cities
getting reaction from selected visitors. Re-
cently, we got a look at the Concept 80
show and found two very interesting vehi-
cles. Two of the six are four wheel drive;
one third of the Concept show, which is
supposed to indicate the way AMC is
leaning for the 1980s, is devoted to four
wheel drive vehicles.
AMC CONCEPT VAN
The exhibit grabbing all the looks was the
new little 4WD van. With a wide stance
like the Pacer, molded fender flares and
front air dam, custom wheels, off road
tires, portholes, roof rack and sidepipes,
AMC CONCEPT 80
the AMC Concept Van is a handsome
package. AMC's vice-president of styling.
Dick Teague, was in town to accept an
award for Art Center School for his con-
tributions to automotive styling, and it's
fitting that his van was here at the same
time.
Alas, these were just concept vehicles,
design exercises built over wood body
mockups. The little van had no running
gear and the interior was only finished
Jeep II brings back memories of the original; it's small, lightweight and will probably
be fitted with a 4-cylinder engine. Good looking mini Jeep features a fiberglass body
and full Levi's trim. Interior room is nearly equal to the current CJ-5.
Jeep
down to the belt line. The reaction was
outstanding, but even if they started
today we wouldn't see the unit in produc-
tion until the 1980s. In any case, the
future looks bright.
JEEP II
We have seen Concept Jeep II before, an
exercise in space utilization in which the
interior room of the current CJ-5 has been
retained but the exterior size of the Jeep
has been reduced significantly. Jeep II is
two feet shorter, nine inches lower, and
has a wheelbase eight inches shorter than
the current CJ-5, yet manages to provide
nearly the same amount of legroom and
headroom.
Jeep 11, like the van, is simply a design
project. It has wheels and can be rolled
about, but has no running gear. In fact,
the Jeep engineers are waiting for a go
ahead with the Jeep 11 project; they want
to test themselves and find out if they can
get a four wheel drive powertrain in that
small package.
The concept version of the Jeep II was
fitted with blue Levi's interior and con-
vertible top. The body is constructed of
fiberglass for less weight and to prevent
rust build-up. Fold down windshield fea-
ture of current Jeeps is retained as well. O
NOVEMBER 1977 FOUR WHEELER / 35
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JEEP78
Honcho package is continued again with good looking side tape treatment, 15 x 8-in.
styled steel wheels, 10-15LT tires, rear step bumper and luxury interior.
(Opposite page) Popular Cherokee Chief was left alone but received the same
refinements as the Wagoneer and Jeep trucks-increased leg room for the driver
(2.5-in. more), and air intake system designed to lower underhood temperatures