VTG 1968 FISHER PRICE FIRE TRUCK ENGINE #720 ~ WOODEN HEAD ~ 8” w/ BELL ~ LOOK!

Description

VTG 1968 FISHER PRICE FIRE TRUCK ENGINE #720 ~ WOODEN HEAD ~ 8” w/ BELL ~ LOOK!
This week on Ebay we are offering up this cute, charming, original, first version of the iconic Fisher Price #420 Fire Engine Truck from 1968.
This is an authentic early version of the truck with the Red grille and cab, red 2-piece extension ladder and wooden headed driver. This is made of a wood with additional plastic attachments.
This is a very nice condition, for an original. It would make a great addition to your collection, or a great fun gift for that fireman in your life.
It looks and displays great, has the wooden Little People driver, who bounces around as it rolls, and the original clicker and bell-ringing mechanism still works just fine. The size of this toy is approximately 8.5” long, 4” wide and just under 4” tall, not including the extendable ladder.
~~~
The truck is made of wood with red paper lithographs attached to the sides. The front cab and grill, top ladder & bell area, extension ladder and rear end are made of plastic. The driver is wooden.
The front grill, pivoting ladder base and 2-piece removable extension ladder are made of RED plastic. The ladder is often missing, but this one is nice and complete and works fine. No significant marks, stains, scuffs, or scratches. The top deck and back of the fire truck is made of WHITE plastic. The very back has a peg "seat" for the 2nd Fireman, who is sadly missing in action.
This is the first version of this iconic #420 Firetruck first released in late 1968, early 1969. The first versions had the red front grill, red ladder and wooden Little People fireman. The version with the white ladder, although the litho still says 1968, was released in 1972. The driver’s head was switched to plastic in 1976 and the red ladder returned. Original first edition 1968/69 Fire Engines had red grilles, red ladders and wooden firemen. Original 1968 versions are hard to find in good working condition like this.
This has the original cute charming driver with a wooden head and red plastic helmet. He is not removable and his head bounces excitedly and he looks from side to side as the engine rolls along.
The original 12" long red and yellow shoestring fire hose is still attached and still has its white plastic tape ‘nozzle’ end. These are often cut, excessively frayed, missing their ‘tip’, or missing completely.
The fire engine has a metal bell on the back that clangs and rings as the engine rolls. The bell is in slightly oxidized condition, but still quite nice with no rust or dents.
The 2-piece red extension ladder is complete, and swivels and extends just fine. All the little tabs that keep the 2 parts of the ladder are here and complete.
The wheels are fine, show a little tread wear, but roll smoothly with no wobble. Axles are straight and rust free.
~~~
This original early 1968/69 version of the #420 Firetruck had 4 different paper lithographs attached:
One side is marked "720" and "F.P. FIRE ENGINE" in blue with a white background. The area between wheels includes a yellow shield marked "1" and "F.D." in black text.
The other side is also marked "F.P. FIRE ENGINE" in blue text with a white background and the area between the wheels shows an axe and a yellow fire extinguisher.
There is a Dashboard litho around the driver and a yellow litho with the white 60s Fisher Price logo in the area behind the bell. 4 different lithograph labels are all in quite good condition with minimal fading and wear.
All the paper lithographs are in decent condition with bold, non-faded colors. The side panels, which often are scratched and scuffed, are in nice condition. They do have some age-related wear and foxing but that’s ‘normal’ for this toy. They still look good.
~~~
CONDITION: Overall this fun little Firetruck looks and displays great. Everything is original and still works fine. Rolls nicely with no wobble. No pull string.
The colors are still bright and vibrant, red and white. The red color on these toys often faded if left exposed to light and he white plastic got stained and discolored easily. The condition and color of the paper lithos is quite nice also.
The second, loose, Little People fireman, who sits on the peg at the back is unfortunately missing in action. The 2nd fireman is often missing on this toy. Loose pieces and children just didn’t work out well together back in the day.
The only other issue I could find is that the top left corner of the front cab is cracked where the horizontal and vertical parts meet. It’s not a big issue and I didn’t even notice it at first. The ‘tension’ of the plastic molding keeps the cab corner ‘square’ and the ‘break’ is only noticeable on close inspection. I gave photos of it sitting naturally and a close-up of the crack purposely separated. It’s really not a big deal in this otherwise beautiful Fire Engine, but it deserves mentioning.
Like any old toy, it could use a good ‘deep’ cleaning, but it looks fine and displays great just the way it is.
~~~
A wonderful classic childhood toy and memory. This would make a great gift for a collector of firefighter memorabilia, that firefighter person in your life, or just a great item for any toy collection.
~~~
SHORT HISTORY OF FISHER PRICE TOYS
For Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers, the name Fisher-Price is synonymous with childhood. Fisher-Price is an American company that produced colorful, well-built, educational toys for children.
Their fundamental toy-making principles centered on intrinsic play value, ingenuity, strong construction, good value for the money, and action.
The Company was founded in 1930 during the Great Depression in East Aurora, New York.
In 1931 Fisher-Price showed their toys at the American International Toy Fair in New York City and due to their delightful design and bright colors, they instantly became a hit.
Fisher-Price toys had to meet the firm’s “five-point creed.” A toy had to have intrinsic play value, ingenuity, strong construction, good value, and action. The early toys were made of steel and wood and were known for their durability. The first Fisher-Price toy ever sold was "Dr. Doodle" in 1931. Some of their most popular toys, the 1960s Play Family or Little People, have become one of their most collectible toys over the years.
By the 1950s, Fisher-Price realized that newly developed plastics had bright colors, durability and were easily molded. By the mid-50’s they redesigned many of their toys to incorporate plastic parts.
Many generations of children have played with one of these Fisher Price Fire Truck toys, thus making it one of the most popular toys that Fisher-Price has ever made.
Please look at all the photos of this great vintage toy as they are part of the description and they show the condition and details better than I can put into words.
Such a charming, cute, charismatic toy, reminiscent of a carefree, simpler time and a period when children’s toys were built to last.
~~~
Shipping cost within the lower 48 states is .00 on this item. If you would like insurance, or anything faster than Economy Mail, please let me know and I can arrange it for you. I’ll work with you to make sure you’re happy!
All items are packaged with sturdy cardboard mailers and filler pads. I take pride in my packaging and shipping and pack my items as if I were sending them to myself. I refuse to use cheap flimsy packaging material when sending my items. I treat them as if they were my own and mail them the same way.
I'm a 0ne-man operation, this is a hobby, not my job. I do this for fun. I do this because I love collecting and want others to share in that same experience. I take my time researching, grading, listing and packaging. I will NOT sell any items that I personally would not want in my collection.
My grading is fair and honest and I will ALWAYS refund you for anything you’re not happy with. I have had over 3,100 happy and satisfied EBay customers over the years and I have been buying/selling on Ebay for over 20 years, so please bid with confidence!
All orders are processed and shipped within 2 business days of receipt. We package and ship our items with the greatest care, using extra-thick packaging to ensure that your rare and collectible treasures arrive in pristine condition.
Payments can be made by any of the multiple new options that Ebay offers.
I will be happy to exchange feedback with anyone I complete a transaction with. If you would like to get feedback, I ask that you let me know we've completed the transaction by leaving feedback for me after you receive your item, at which time I will do the same for you!