Odd 1963 Boxed Lionel 3662 Milk Car set

[Terry]

I got this interesting milk car set the other day. Box is different and has prewar or early postwar label. The car and platform are brand new and unused. The parts envelope is sealed. The outer box is clean.

It's sad no one ever got to play with this fun car, but the condition makes it easier to understand.

Here's an unboxing of the set:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think this set was put togther by Madison Hardware in late 1963. The box was made in Brooklyn in September 1963. 

I think I have the cardboard peices and the parts in the box correctly. Nothing would be damaged with it packed this way, and the cardboard has marks from the staples and the car rubbing against it.

I'll add a reply with comparison photos to regular car set.

[Terry]

Here's a quick comparison of the odd set with a regular set.

A few quick differences stand out other than the packaging:

• The car in the odd set has no build date and plastic trucks.
• Regular set platform has Lionel information stamped into the metal on the underside. The platform in the odd set does not. 
• The regular parts envelope was stapled shut, has a different font and specifies 3662 car. Odd envelope specifies 3662-70 car, and was glued shut. (I'm not sure staple was put in at factory, we'd have to check some other milk cars.)

 

Here's some comparison photos:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I remember an article about this odd box. Maybe in Classic Toy Trains or in The Atlantic Division Express. That was a while ago and all I remember is the look of the box and maybe it was Madison Hardware.

[early0electric]

Interesting comparison.

[Terry]

Stout Auctions sold a similar car and envelope to the odd set, but with a plain white box in January 2020. The plain white box with rubber stamped number appears similar to the glossy orange box used on the 1964 and later cars, but without the printing. The comparison set in my earlier post is a 1950s set in a classic box.

Here's pictures:

 

 

 

Auction can be seen at:

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/mint-unrun-lionel-postwar-3662-milk-car-and-stand-1089-c-ae248f2bec?objectID=145562008&algIndex=archive_prod&queryID=c560364994d5d3c9adb22a069d2b6754

I found three of the white box sets sold in the last few years. I also found one of the odd boxed sets that sold in August 2023, but without the box inserts and the box had writing on it.

For completness sake, here's a milk car set from the mid 1960s in a glossy orange box. The car platfom and envelope should be the same as the components of the odd boxed set that started this thread.

 

 

[starfire700]

Good call that the odd boxed set is from Madison as it is more likely they would have the 1930's to 40's set box labels on hand in 1963 than Lionel would still have them.