Need help with Lionel 3665 Minuteman Missile Launching Car

[4kitties]

Hi all,

I just obtained one of these neat cars. The trigger disk and the dashpot portion of the mechanism work fine, but the missile won't stay cocked even if I hold the trigger wire up underneath. I'd like to have the car operate as well as it looks, but right now the missile wants to launch into the side of the car as soon as I let go of it. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Joel

[wrmcclellan]

Hi Joel,

This is a neat car. I have had one since I received it as a child for Christmas.

The wire that hangs underneath is what triggers the rocket to launch. When the launch rail rises, the trip wire hits its limit by snagging on the car frame and thus releases the spring to launch the rocket.

Inside the launch rail is a long piece of spring wire (runs from about 1 1/4 inch from the front inside the bottom of the assembly to the rear) that has a 90 drgree bend in it to act as the "catch" for the ratchet teeth on the spring loaded metal launcher. When you pull the spring loaded metal launcher back, you should hear the sound of the ratchet teeth "clicking". You can see this wire if you look up into the launch rail assembly from the bottom of the car. If this wire is not there or if it is damaged, the spring loaded metal launcher will not catch. So check the condition of this wire.

The other catch mechanism to raise the launcher is actually a cam (hard to see from above with the body on, so remove the end srcrew and carefully remove the body) that pivots back and forth depending on the position of the launch rail. This cam is latched over the magnetically activated plunger under the car.

When the plunger is pulled down, it releases the cam. The cam receives it's "spring" from the dashpot.

So you also need to make sure the cam is working smoothly. A small amount of light oil or dry lubricant should do it. Also make sure the cam is engaging the elevating bracket (which is actuated by the dashpot) properly. There is a tab on the elevating bracket that should fit down between the two fingers on the cam.

Here is a link to Olsen's with a copy of the appropriate page from the repair manual.
http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/cd/opcar/oc3665p1.pdf

Here is a link to the picture and the parts list.
http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/searchcd31.htm?itm=547

Unfortunately the Olsen files do not show the internal components of the launch rail as this part was apparently sold as a complete assembly. The plastic launch rail assembly can be removed by pinching the bottom where it uses eyelets as bushings. I would be quite careful doing this, particularly if the parts are original as this level of stress on a 40 year old part may break it.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

Regards,
Roy