Bed Area

[sambown]

I was just looking through the suggestions and did not see anything for the bed area behind the rear seat for the scout.

I have a buddy who has a new bronco and I was talking with him this weekend about the forum, and how I saw Harris005 had started the debate on a drop-down tailgate or a swing-out tailgate, and I thought that was a really good question. He said he likes his swing-out, but he said scouts were always more of a truck than a bronco was, and that a scout should have a drop-down tailgate like the originals, since they were used like a truck so often.

I emphatically agreed with this. My old 79 scout I used as a truck very often. I would fold the back seat up and tuck it behind the front seats, and have the bed open most of the time. I ripped out the original carpet, and had the back Line-X'd. It was only when 3+ people would ride with me that I would fold the rear seat back down. The back of a scout II was so useful, and could be used like a truck bed so easily. I plan to put animals, camping gear, landscaping equipment, farming equipment, etc. in the back of my future Scout Motors scout, and would like it if it were durable enough to hold up to these conditions.

The new bronco offers the carpet-delete option, which I think is a must for the new scout (not only for the bed but the rest of the interior too). And I hope whatever rubberized material Scout motors chooses to replace the carpet is very durable to a lot of abuse in the bed of the scout. Because I will buy the SUV for the design and it will make me feel like driving my old 79, but I will use it the same as the Scout Motors truck version, with a lot of junk piled in the back of that SUV.

If it is a similar material to current throw-in bed-liners (the rubber ones) across the floor and walls of the bed of the scout, I think that would be more than sufficient. And if the back seats can fold down (flat, without a lip at the bend) making for a larger cargo area in the back, that would be awesome. Maybe take a page from the old Hummer H3 book with the hard-surface material on the back of the rear seats, making them extra durable when they become a part of the bed when folded down.

 

[Albal]

Having a tough utility interior is a good idea. I'd like to be able to put plywood in the back. Flat.

In fact, if I were designing a SUV, I'd start with that requirement then design outwards to end up with the smallest sized vehicle that could load up the back with plywood. (That'd also ensure that it would be great for EV camping.) If you're going to claim to have more utility than the typical SUV, then you need to ace the functionality aspect. I think a "function first" design would be better than a "style to look cool then try to squeeze in function" approach, and it'd probably end up looking better too. Maybe I'm just old and grumpy, but I see a lot of cars now with "empty styling" - just makes them look like cheap toys. And it's even worse when they echo a functional design but without the function, like "brake cooling ducts" that just go in a few inches and stop.

 

[TaconicBear]

I was just looking through the suggestions and did not see anything for the bed area behind the rear seat for the scout.

I have a buddy who has a new bronco and I was talking with him this weekend about the forum, and how I saw Harris005 had started the debate on a drop-down tailgate or a swing-out tailgate, and I thought that was a really good question. He said he likes his swing-out, but he said scouts were always more of a truck than a bronco was, and that a scout should have a drop-down tailgate like the originals, since they were used like a truck so often.

I emphatically agreed with this. My old 79 scout I used as a truck very often. I would fold the back seat up and tuck it behind the front seats, and have the bed open most of the time. I ripped out the original carpet, and had the back Line-X'd. It was only when 3+ people would ride with me that I would fold the rear seat back down. The back of a scout II was so useful, and could be used like a truck bed so easily. I plan to put animals, camping gear, landscaping equipment, farming equipment, etc. in the back of my future Scout Motors scout, and would like it if it were durable enough to hold up to these conditions.

The new bronco offers the carpet-delete option, which I think is a must for the new scout (not only for the bed but the rest of the interior too). And I hope whatever rubberized material Scout motors chooses to replace the carpet is very durable to a lot of abuse in the bed of the scout. Because I will buy the SUV for the design and it will make me feel like driving my old 79, but I will use it the same as the Scout Motors truck version, with a lot of junk piled in the back of that SUV.

If it is a similar material to current throw-in bed-liners (the rubber ones) across the floor and walls of the bed of the scout, I think that would be more than sufficient. And if the back seats can fold down (flat, without a lip at the bend) making for a larger cargo area in the back, that would be awesome. Maybe take a page from the old Hummer H3 book with the hard-surface material on the back of the rear seats, making them extra durable when they become a part of the bed when folded down.

All good thoughts. It seems that the ability to carry a sheet of plywood drives the designers of that space. The Scout designers need be wary of that concept permeating their thinking. Scout isn't a pickup, it's smaller for a good reason. Think like Ted Ornas did: two bales of hay and a sack of feed.

The spare tire weighs heavily in the swing vs. drop-down tailgate discussion. I own Scout 80s and 800s and they have the usual tailgate mounted spare. in the down position it gets perilously close to the road, and it you are doing the tailgate party thing it hits lots of knees and shins. Pushing the spare under on a drop-down chain defeats the high clearance of the battery floor. Inside is a space robber. Maybe in the frunk? Can a swing-away tire with drop-down tailgate work? This issue should stretch the imagination of the designers. However SM decides to do it, that spare needs to be full size for anyone taking a Scout anywhere except to the mall.

 

[Bodie]

Can a swing-away tire with drop-down tailgate work?

Absolutely! My 1971 Bronco did this. The spare swung out from the quarter panel. There are also aftermarket bumpers with swing out tire carriers.

 

[sambown]

Absolutely! My 1971 Bronco did this. The spare swung out from the quarter panel. There are also aftermarket bumpers with swing out tire carriers.

Yes I love the bumper mounted swing outs.

 

[Harris005]

Yes I love the bumper mounted swing outs.

My take would still be the swing out tire mount should be an aftermarket option for those who want larger wheels. I could see myself buying one and adding it on. I just think that most people do not want a three step process (swing tire out, glass hatch goes up, tailgate goes down) just to access the bed area every time the wife and daughter go department store hopping. This is a two step process with Jeeps and Broncos due to the tire being mounted on the swing gate itself. Even this can seem like an extra step when all you want to do is lift the hatch and throw in something. I, like most, really want to see them use the tailgate like the original.

 

[Bodie]

My take would still be the swing out tire mount should be an aftermarket option for those who want larger wheels. I could see myself buying one and adding it on. I just think that most people do not want a three step process (swing tire out, glass hatch goes up, tailgate goes down) just to access the bed area every time the wife and daughter go department store hopping. This is a two step process with Jeeps and Broncos due to the tire being mounted on the swing gate itself. Even this can seem like an extra step when all you want to do is lift the hatch and throw in something. I, like most, really want to see them use the tailgate like the original.

I agree it's an extra step but where else would you put the tire if you want a tailgate (like me)?
I don't want to sacrifice interior space and I doubt you could fit a 33" much less a 35" inside. Even a 31" is a pretty big tire. That's what fit inside the Scout II but it took up a chunk of space. I think underneath will be all battery so no more than a donut would fit there. If you stick it on the back without a swingout tire carrier, you have to have a swing gate - not a tailgate.
I would also like the rear window to roll into the tailgate, then you can have one step access - just roll down the back window and put your stuff in without messing with the tire.

 

[sambown]

I agree it's an extra step but where else would you put the tire if you want a tailgate (like me)?
I don't want to sacrifice interior space and I doubt you could fit a 33" much less a 35" inside. Even a 31" is a pretty big tire. That's what fit inside the Scout II but it took up a chunk of space. I think underneath will be all battery so no more than a donut would fit there. If you stick it on the back without a swingout tire carrier, you have to have a swing gate - not a tailgate.
I would also like the rear window to roll into the tailgate, then you can have one step access - just roll down the back window and put your stuff in without messing with the tire.

The roll-down option for the rear window would be nice, but would be hard to accomplish with the angle that the scout roofs have unless the glass was made of a flexible material. I think 35" tires will be an option, if they are going to make this competitive. I want a true tailgate, like the originals. I was talking with my wife this morning about the department store comment from Harris005, and she said she would not expect to be driving my scout very often (I love my wife). But I can see if this would be your only car how this would get frustrating. I think that the reason a lot of us used the bed area on the original scouts is because there was no backseat doors, so getting groceries out of the bed was easier than reaching back into the back seat. With the new backseat doors, groceries and shopping items could easily go in that second row. Or in the frunk, which is an even better option that the jeeps and broncos do not have. I would probably never use the bed area for groceries and shopping when the frunk is available. I think having a drop-down tailgate with a swing-out carrier causes the least issues and solves the most problems, while keeping it classic.

 

[Harris005]

I agree it's an extra step but where else would you put the tire if you want a tailgate (like me)?
I don't want to sacrifice interior space and I doubt you could fit a 33" much less a 35" inside. Even a 31" is a pretty big tire. That's what fit inside the Scout II but it took up a chunk of space. I think underneath will be all battery so no more than a donut would fit there. If you stick it on the back without a swingout tire carrier, you have to have a swing gate - not a tailgate.
I would also like the rear window to roll into the tailgate, then you can have one step access - just roll down the back window and put your stuff in without messing with the tire.

Minute marker 6:00 - 6:30 shows it being a possibility with an EV at least. https://scoutmotors.community.forum/threads/tailgate-and-or-tailgating.98/post-2592 I believe a lot of the EV frunks have this same option underneath the floor.

Keeps it out of the way and does not take up any interior space, which I agree the original Scout II spare tire location in the back would not be desirable.

 

[lefty]

My take would still be the swing out tire mount should be an aftermarket option for those who want larger wheels. I could see myself buying one and adding it on. I just think that most people do not want a three step process (swing tire out, glass hatch goes up, tailgate goes down) just to access the bed area every time the wife and daughter go department store hopping. This is a two step process with Jeeps and Broncos due to the tire being mounted on the swing gate itself. Even this can seem like an extra step when all you want to do is lift the hatch and throw in something. I, like most, really want to see them use the tailgate like the original.

I think you are spot-on. I have been whining about not having a tire on the gate since I joined this forum. I thought EVs are supposed to save a ton of space compared to ICE vehicles? I am sure Scout Motors can figure out a solution that works.