If you had 10k for your Scout

["jeff butler" <butlerjw@domain.elided>]

Hi, all.  Hope you had a good Thanksgiving...

I seek several solutions for my Scout - and I need some help finding
them.  I've got a '70 800a.  It's in really good shape.  No rust, nice
paint.  But it doesn't handle that great off road and could go for some
particular restoration - like a tight window solution, doors that shut
like new, and a tailgate that doesn't jiggle around (it's missing the
spring that holds the latch in place).

I'm looking for a new vehicle out of this I guess.  I'd like a like-new
machine anyway.  The only thing I can find that's close to the Scout -
or at least what I want my Scout to be is a Defender.  28k for a '94
with 68k miles on it just sounds like a lot.  SO I figure, why not spend
10k on my Scout instead?  That's really what I want anyway.  

Thus enters my dilemma - I don't have a garage, couldn't do all the work
myself, and haven't really found a place like http://www.roverland.com/
that specializes in rebuilding Scouts.  Are there more places that
specialize in certain things - like the place that does power
steering/disc brake conversions?  How about interior work?  What about
the exterior seal - like doors and windows...?  Can I get that Scout to
be where I want it to be - and be better off than if I plunked down for
a Defender?

Any thoughts on how to spend 10k on a Scout to make it REALLY nice?  I
suppose we'd all spend our money somehow different, but my engines
pretty good (304) and the axles seem fine.  So where do I start?  Where
would you start?

Thanks for you help - I'm working on a website for it

http://www.cmm2.jmu.edu/scout 

if you're interested.  I need to figure out how much effort I'm willing
to put into this Scout, I guess.  I'm sitting on the fence.  If you
offered me the right amount, I may pass this dilemma on to you...but
that would really leave me feeling empty...
&:-)

jeff 
jeffman@domain.elided
http://www.cmm2.jmu.edu/scout