WORDS: Drew Perlmutter IMAGES: Jeff Stockwell
very Scout® vehicle has a story. Each one is unique, and that’s the beauty of them. The vintage Scout vehicles still rumbling down roads today are full of life and character. They’ve stood the test of time and become extensions of their owners—machines that fit a lifestyle as much as they inspire one. They wear their patina with pride, their dents and scars a record of decades of adventure and stories.
This Scout story travels across the country—from California to Illinois and back. It’s a story about connection, adventure, and how an old truck can bring two lives together.
For Lizzy and Kelli Coghill, their 1976 Scout Traveler™ is more than a vehicle—it’s the common thread that ties their story from the Midwest to the California coast. As Lizzy puts it, “It’s more than a truck. It turns strangers into friends, gets thumbs-ups from just about everyone, and still makes us smile every time we fire it up.”
Lizzy found her Scout Traveler at a pivotal moment in her life. She had just moved back to Chicago from California to help run her family’s golf business. It’s something their family had been doing for nearly a century, Lizzy is a “fourth-generation golfer” and grew up immersed in that world. From managing courses to coaching, marketing too, she had done it all—even working for brands like Adidas® and TaylorMade®.
The reluctant return to the Midwest after years of surfing, golfing, and road-tripping in southern California left Lizzy craving a little piece of that coastal freedom she’d left behind, so she began browsing for something special to help fill that void.
"It’s more than a truck. It turns strangers into friends, gets thumbs-ups from just about everyone, and still makes us smile every time we fire it up."
That’s when she saw it: a baby-blue 1976 Scout Traveler listed online for $5,000. It had a little rust, a lot of character, and more soul than anything she could buy new. Within days she met the seller, Josh—a man with a barn full of Scout rigs—and then drove it home. It became her daily driver for the world’s shortest commute, a five-minute trip to the golf course, but every moment behind the wheel felt like an escape.
At this point, the Scout truck was more than just transportation. It was therapy. It carried Lizzy through a difficult season of life, bringing smiles from strangers and a sense of peace she couldn’t find anywhere else. When she was behind the wheel, windows down and engine rumbling, the world felt lighter. It was a feeling of freedom when she needed it most.
A few years later, Lizzy was back living and working on the west coast. Unfortunately, she had to leave her beloved Scout Traveler behind in Illinois. Lizzy took a job in Baja California Sur, Mexico—an exciting opportunity that would keep her down south of the border for the foreseeable future.
And while she often thought fondly of her ’76 Traveler truck back in the Midwest, the timing still wasn’t right. Now that she was living and working in Baja, Lizzy needed her newer work truck shipped from Los Angeles down to Mexico.
Rather than pay for expensive shipping, Lizzy decided to offer someone an adventure instead—an all-expenses-paid road trip for whoever was willing to make the journey south. Through a mutual friend in the film industry, Kelli, a professional stunt driver,answered the call.
Kelli was living a full-throttle life of her own in California. As a stuntwoman, she was racking up a reel of wildly memorable jobs, racing motorcycles and crashing cars—even doubling Batwoman® and other celebrities on the big screen. Amidst her busy career, Kelli now took on the task of delivery driver.
Lizzy welcomed her with tacos, sun, and sand—a quick introduction to Baja life. The two spent a few days exploring dirt roads, skateboarding and surfing, having an adventure of their own. Soon after, the pandemic hit. The world went quiet, and Lizzy and Kelli found themselves together in a seaside casita—just the two of them, their dog, a pair of dirt bikes, and the open desert. While the rest of the world stood still, they fell in love.
The two were now back in Santa Monica, starting their lives together. Lizzy’s parents finally decided they wanted the Scout Traveler out of their barn, so Kelli insisted that they bring it out west. Kelli even paid to have it shipped to California, although they didn’t yet have a garage to keep it in. Once it arrived, the first thing they did was pull off the top, of course, and the ’76 Scout truck has since been their daily driver.
It was the first time the truck had ever lived outside, and under the Santa Monica sun and salt air it continued to age—but gracefully. Still largely original, from its V8 to its sun-faded patina, the Scout Traveler wears every imperfection proudly. The Traveler truck has been their go-to for countless adventures, big and small.
Naturally, there have been a few mishaps along the way: a runaway throttle on the Pacific Coast Highway, sputtering breakdowns, and the occasional running out of gas—because like any good vintage rig, it leaks. But each quirk and crisis has only deepened their bond with the truck. Every fix becomes a lesson, and every ride is a reminder of why they love it. The Scout vehicle has taught them patience, curiosity, and care. It’s given them an excuse to slow down, to get their hands dirty, and to keep something soulful on the road, because every Scout rig has a story.
Soon after, the Scout Traveler introduced them to Gail, a seventy-something retired mechanic and former Scout vehicle owner who lived nearby. Gail’s brother owned a shop back in the day where she learned the trade, Gail’s Scout IITM was even a matching color to Lizzy and Kelli’s Traveler. She had spotted their truck one day, struck up a conversation, and before long had taken them under her wing. Gail taught them how to change oil, get under the hood, and keep their old truck running strong. What started as a chance encounter turned into a friendship that bridges generations—complete shared afternoons turning wrenches in the driveway.
Today, the Scout Traveler is the heartbeat of their lives in California. It’s how Lizzy and Kelli commute, how they escape, and how they connect. It’s their bridge between city and sand, a link between past and present. Usually, it’s carrying Lizzy’s golf clubs or surfboards and hauling Kelli’s vintage motorcycle on the back. It represents the open road, resilience, and the kind of community that forms around machines built to last. And with every mile, it continues to spark new friendships, lasting memories, and the promise of adventures still ahead.
And the adventures keep coming. Lizzy is continuing exciting work down in Baja and Kelli is back in production. Kelli recently got an old Scout some screen time for a Netflix® show, bringing to set an era-correct Scout 800B for a big scene—sourced from none other than Josh at Windy City Scouts—whom Lizzy bought her Traveler truck from a decade prior.
And the story just keeps writing itself. Lizzy and Kelli want another Scout vehicle, obviously—if you have one, you often have two. They have their eyes on a 1965 Scout 80TM from Josh over at Windy City Scouts—and Gail is already making room in her garage for it.
Disclaimer: Scout Motors celebrates the legacy of Scout vehicles and the passionate community that keeps them alive. However, Scout Motors does not sell, restore, or provide parts or services for vintage Scout vehicles. Any modifications or restorations featured are the work of individual owners or third-party specialists.
