I cant beat it... its a goat!
Worked on 'em a lot, so....
....I'm thinking you'll regret it. The Scout Cornbinders that old were a parts nightmare at times in my shop and it's been 8 years since i closed my repair business down. My shop was across the street from the former IH dealer and they sent the Scouts to me fairly often because they din't like working on them.
Gas mileage? You'll be able to pay for something nice with what you'll spend on the Scout with regular use.
I'm sitting here thinking that if i were in the market for a useful 4x4 and din't need a full size PU i'd prolly get another Dodge Dakota...had one in a 2x and it was great....had the longer bed and extended cab....got 26 mpg with the V6 too...yeah, would do that again if i had a need...and in a 4x4 too...if that was part of my needs.
Cheers,
MontanaMoose