Everywhere I look for info and parts the 3665 car is shown or says light blue or dark blue roof. I have a minuteman missile car with black roof with OB. I aquired in early 60's, but now I cannot find any info on it. Wondering when this model was made? Roof doors have correct model no. 3665-12 and 3665-13. Any help greatly appreciated.
The black roof doors were used on the helicopter reconissance car. Never heard of a 3665 wih a black roof.
Sounds like at some point ( probably before you got it ) someone replaced the roofs for some reason.
Which version of the 3665 do you have? with a small hole above the T on one side or no small hole?
Life's hard, even harder if your stupid John Wayne
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I purchased this car at age 15 (1962) for 6.25 from a retail store, the roof has always been black. There is no small hole above the T. What does the hole tell you, if it were there? Both halves of the roof have the correct part number on them 3665-12 and 3665-13.
But the reconissance car roof has part number 3619-29 and 3619-30 on them. This roof has the 3665-12 and 3665-13 on them, is correct for the minuteman car? The mystery continues. Thanks for the reply
The hole would indicate at the end of the production. As other than heat stamping the car was Identical to the 3419 except the 3419 had the hole for part of the helo launching mechanism from what I read. The 3419 and the 3665 had the exact same roof ( including numbers ) except color the 3419 where black and the 3665 had two different version a dark blue and a light blue. Again it could've been changed because one side got broke at the retail store or the factory and that was what was available to them at the moment. Example the Retail store broke one side somehow and since they had the same number on the inside ordered that number and got the black instead of blue or at the factory some one grabbed the wrong color to make that car. Rare yes but no as there's no paper work from lionel or other authorities that there were a few made that way. As if I twas in the factory I would think there would be more than just the one. I would keep it and enjoy it. If you email Carl Swanson of the magazine here, he might be able to shed a little more info. He is very knowledgeable on stuff like this. I would love to hear his take on it.
Thank you for the insight and I will email Carl Swanson.
3419 is the helicopter flat. I think RTraincollector meant 3619 helicopter reconnaissance car. The 3619 has a bit more than a hole. There is a boss on the inside matching the hole. A piece of bent wire is mounted in the boss / hole. It trips the launch mechanism. I do not know whether the 3665 minuteman cars with the hole have the boss as well. Even if the black roof was a factory error, the roof pieces are too easy to change for the variation to be of significant extra value. That written, I'd hold onto it as a curiousity. The roof pieces have been reproduced in both blue and black.
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