Mystery Marx Flatcar Expertise Required

I dunno about the relationship to Marx, but I found images of the small Tonka trucks by doing a search on vintage Tonka trucks.

From what I've read, Louie Marx liked to do things in house using and reusing scraps, cutoffs and blemished materials.  This may just be someone's clever handy work.

Rusty

Rusty

I believe the trucks are referred to as mini-Tonka.  I have a couple different variations.  The trailer I think; but with out my reference book that could be dangerous, came with a plastic panel van and a plastic car.  I'll check that tonight whenever I get home.  It does make an interesting combination, nice find!

i'm going to second this opinion, but what a great load/ fit!

The 5545 GB&Q flat with the double ended clip would carry a pair trailers. The color and name would vary, but white Burlington is the most common. The flat with no clip attached would carry a Erie girder bridge panel. Marx had it's own line of mini trucks very similar to the Tonka mini's so I cannot imagine them using Tonka products. The Marx mini's never came as a load, but do look & work well.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintag...;hash=item2c6ca55229

Steve

Rusty

I followed your lead ( thanks) and according to what I could find on the internet ( subject to verification) is that the 5545 was only made for one year which is 1957.

Whether this is true or not, I don't know. According to another source on Tonka trucks, both trucks are #535 trucks made in 1970 as part of a Tonka #822 Construction set.

It looks to be what you thought it was, creativity on the part of the former owner (probably is), but Marx ( as far as I know was still active in 1970 )and so it may have been an overstock of unsold product matched with trucks..though it seems extremely unlikely. Thanks for the search tip. I hadn't thought of that.

Thanks guys..appreciate the help.

Bruce

I second the motions that this is somebody being creative....John Fox of Chicago would

know, if you can catch him at York or Wheaton.  I don't think he gets on the computer

but THINK his wife does....check the York booklet for the Marx Meet time and place and

show up with it, it would, I think, generate a room full of discussion in what is primarily

a show-and-tell...(bring it and show it).

To amplify the previous comments, it seems that the trucks have suffered far more damage than the car.  They do fit nicely though, and will look great when restored.

Marx and mini-Tonka, an interesting combination. I have a somewhat similar Marx flatcar, but it's shorter with a different roadname. It has a clip for a missing load. I had researched what the original load was, but now forget what it was! Some day I may find something to complement it.

The Erie with a single clip on the end normally carried a single tractor & trailer.

Steve

the unnumbered Erie flat with the single offset clip is designed to hold a tractor trailer with cab.

the rear axle of the trailer clips to the flat and hold the trailer and cab fairly solidly.

those small Tonkas are prety common. They do make a good looking load. Thanks for a great idea.

I could not believe they fit so perfectly on the flatcar. I have a spare flat so now I am searching for another toy load, so it inspired me as well to go further. The dump trucks have been disassembled for stripping and repaint and will be finished when the reproduction labels get here. A fun project that didn't cost an arm and a leg.

I sorta remember that the flat with the double clip held a pair of tractors with the drivers, they were plastic. Kinda cold riding a flat car to the delivery area, I would think. 

Flats for the farm tractors are easy to pick out. The clips rise up kinda like a hi rise bike handlebar.

Steve

Here's one I used as a load for another brand's flatcar. I used a pair of rubber ties to hold it in place (which worked amazingly well):

J White

That's an interesting coincidence ... I recently acquired a 9121 Lionel flatcar with loads, which need some patch-up work.

I decided to honor the Lionel paint scheme..still needs a bit of touch up but the mysterioso flatcar is  ready to roll.

looks great! I'll hafta pick up some of those myself.

Nice job, those look great!

It was a fun project

Bruce

Those trucks turned out great Bruce!

J White

Thanks for the compliment. The only setback I was not able to resolve was the odd effect of rust on one of the truck's windshields that seemingly permanently stained it. I tried soaking it overnight in bleach in desperation as I knew anything that would really remove it directly would melt it, or fog up the plastic in a worse way. Never found a solution literally that worked. I never knew rust could also ruin plastic.