Sometimes, a listing just demands more details than the seller offers. In most cases, it’s because vital details are missing, but in this instance, we just want to know how this project came into existence. This is a genuine Checker Marathon taxi cab that has been mounted atop a BMW 7-Series chassis with a V12 under the hood. It works surprisingly well, with the Checker body looking right at home on the long-wheelbase BMW. The seller reports that the converted taxi cab drives fairly well but that the BMW automatic transmission is slipping. Even so, it’s probably still the fastest Checker Marathon out there at the moment. Find it here on eBay with bids to $6,100 with no reserve.
Honestly, this is one of the more entertaining creations I’ve seen on eBay in quite some time. The Checker Marathon is a well-loved vehicle icon that still resonates with collectors today, even those that have never had the pleasure of hailing one of these livery legends in New York City. The Marathon still makes appearances in films depicting Manhattan in the 80s and 90s, which shows you just how big of an impact this classic cab made on the city’s culture at the time. These days, most Marathons that lived the hard life of a taxicab are holed up in museums or otherwise set aside for future preservation; not here, as this Marathon is clearly embracing the rat rod lifestyle.
The interior is all BMW, with the BMW dash, seats, steering wheel, and center console all accounted for. The original Checker door panels remain installed, but that’s really the only reminder of how basic the original interior was. The seller doesn’t disclose how the various electronics work, such as whether the backlighting on the gauge cluster still comes on when the lights are triggered, or if the HVAC controls have any life left to them after being swapped over. I doubt they do, as this Checker conversion really has the feeling of still being a bit of an unfinished project at the moment.
Now, what I’d like to know is this: did the builder of this BMW-backed Checker have a vision that told him or her that a 2001 BMW 750i chassis would slide right under the Checker Marathon body, or was it purely dumb luck and a desire to find a purpose for a relatively worthless BMW 7-Series beyond just sending it to the scrapyard that led to this concoction? There’s no wrong answer as I love seeing one-offs like this but I always wonder if it’s worth the next owner’s time and money to sort out the various issues and make it into a reliable cruiser. The slipping transmission is a bummer and likely the first issue the next owner will have to address before diving into any other remaining troubleshooting stemming from the body swap. How would you tackle this project?
The perfect ride for Vic Ferrari.
While Some of us will look at this in horror or disgust the rest of us will look on and say “what a cool idea!” Hopefully it’s far enough along on development that it doesn’t languish in someone’s garage for long or worse gets parted out.
“Driver! Follow that car!” Seconds later”ok we caught up to ‘em-now what?”
I was having a not so good morning till I saw this posting. What a hilarious hot rod. Rode in these cabs a lot in my army days. How much fun would this be? Love it. Good luck to new owner and seller. And thanks for changing my mood.
Everyone know how cheap BMW’s are to repair. So this was just a great idea. Probably just needs a fluid change and will be just fine. Yeah there is a gob of sarcasm in the sentences. Not all ideas are good ones. Nobel effort and looks different but?
“Just because you can doesn’t mean you should”.
That being said, you have to admire the illicit substance fueled inspiration that led to this combination. You WILL have the only one at your next Cars and Coffee!
Checker Marathons were not used as taxicabs in NYC, probably not anywhere in fact. Checker Marathons were the civilian versions of the Checker Cab. The Taxi versions of this vintage were A11s.
The name “Marathon” is one of those buzz words for the layperson to describe all Checkers, like Kleenex or Jello.
Rode in these often when I lived in Chicago in the 70s … was surprised at the leg room in them … rumor has it Big Jim Thompson used one for transport for the same reason …
Probably already had a SBC why mess it up..
Or Bondo
Why would anyone waste this find piece of Americana on a EuroTRASH chassis?
The answer to the question that nobody asked.
I’m sorry but a BMW swap isn’t frustrating enough. Why not go for broke and drop in a v-12 Jaguar, w-12 VW Phaeton, w-10 VW TDI…maybe bolt 2 or 3 Mazda rotary’s together?
A junkyard Corvette engine would have been better, bag all 4 corners, maybe 4 front seats out of an Escalade for the front/rear.
It is a full chassis and interior swap, not just an engine swap.
There’s the problem
An engine/trans swap would have been easier.
Doesnt make it any better. The 7 series is one of the most unreliable vehicles ever made.
Took me 3 of them to finally get the message. And no, they wernt high mileage used junk when I got them. They just are.
I wouldn’t ride in this. They cut the unibody off the BMW down to the floorpan and plopped the frameless body of the Checker on top. It’s a deathtrap.
Ok….nobody mentioned the Checker Cab in Escape From New York. ….one of the worst movies ever, IMHO, but I paid to see it. The only upside was Adrienne Barbeau.
The BMW doesn’t have a “chassis”. It’s a unibody car. The engineering and workmanship behind the floor pan swap would need some investigation.
Neat to see something other than an LS swap. I would be afraid of the Gremlins and the slipping tranny issue, but I commend the effort.
There aren’t many Gremlins still on the road, so I don’t think you’d have to worry about them…
This build reminds me of two things. First I rescued a BMW 730 IL from a neighbor who did a very good job of abusing it in every possible way. I had to replace the entire interior from a Donner Car. I rapped it in flat black and sold it. I stole it ,but I don’t think I broke even, when I sold it. I did discover it was fun to drive, I won’t go into detail, but I did receive a picture of it from an adjacent state saying it was taken while the car was moving and they wanted $165 dollars for the picture, if I wanted to come back to their state.
The other thing I think of is, I have never restored a car to be original. Just not my thing. When I start a project there are 3 rules. One stance ,has to sit right. Two tires and wheels, needs to make a statement about the build,. Three finish, whatever paint ,patina , rust or flames, scallops whatever makes the car say what you want. To me the pictures of the finished car did exactly that. It made you want to know what was going on. For me I thought the whole thing was very cool and creative and would be a hoot to drive around. It pegged the fun meter and didn’t cost too much to do it
Is it a Donner car because you cannibalized it?
Perfect question! I was wondering the same thing!
What a change. Checkers were made to be reliable, trouble free, and easy to fix when an occasional repair was needed. Then this happens and totally reverses the nature of the car. If you ever had a BMW you know what I mean.
This “Ratcab” is the answer to the question nobody asked.
this is one of those projects where someone had a Checker cab and a BMW laying around and had nothing else to do one day, what a waste of time and some money.
Now, now.
WHY?????
Ok, that’s out of the way. Let’s ask the real question.
WHY NOT???!!!
he’s a cruel man – ruined 2 cars
/OR/
he made the statement he wanted.
Both can B true.
I call it a checker homage~
Verrrry Interesting , but I’d much rather have the 73 Monte Carlo in the background