When Barn Finds reader Ted sent us the tip on this 1969 Checker Marathon Station Wagon, he mentioned not remembering ever seeing one before, and I’m not sure I have either, at least not in person. While the company was widely known for producing taxis and fleet autos, the Marathon was marketed more toward the consumer market, with this 1969 station wagon example here on Facebook Marketplace looking like it would make for some fun family travel. This one’s in Dayton, Ohio, with the seller hoping for $30,000 cash. However, he’s open to serious offers, or perhaps a partial trade for a pickup or muscle car. Ted, we appreciate you giving us the heads-up here!
Although the Marathon was in production for more than 20 years, few changes were made to its appearance during the run, making it a prime example of the don’t fix it if it isn’t broken mentality. Opting for the wagon added some additional styling that seemed to make the Marathon look a bit less like a fleet vehicle, and I’m finding myself really liking the body lines here. The seller doesn’t give us much of a background, but he does say this one’s beautiful and lists the number of owners as two. Judging from the photos, the panels and paint seem to be in fine condition, with those wire wheels and spinners providing some more visual appeal to the exterior.
Beginning in the mid-sixties, the Marathon began using Chevrolet engines, both of the six and eight-cylinder varieties. The owner says his wagon is powered by a 327, but if my research is correct, a 350 was in use by 1969, so this may not be the original powerplant. However, things in the engine compartment appear to be in good order, with everything in the bay clean enough to proudly display the Checker with the hood up at car gatherings or for photo shoots. The only information we get regarding the transmission is that it’s automatic.
There’s no mention of whether the interior is original or if it’s been restored, but regardless, I’m not seeing much in here that needs any attention. The overall condition of this cool wagon combined with the fact that these aren’t often seen makes me believe this one’s probably going to find a new home quickly, and I’m curious what our readers have to say about the thirty grand price tag, which I feel may be in the ballpark. What are your thoughts on this 1969 Checker Marathon station wagon? Have you ever seen any of these running around in your area?
I love it !!! …..I think the price is in the ballpark. …
You won’t see another one. ….I would love to have it in my
driveway. Good luck to the new owner
My parents were seriously looking at one of these to carry around my brothers wheelchair. We had a green one for one weekend. Dad ultimately went with an Econoline instead, a lightly used work stripper with no seats or panels or insulation. He yanked a back seat out of a VW bus and used a wooden bench from the family room for extra seating along the side. Guess it never had to get a safety inspection.
Seat belts were never safety inspection item back when dashboards were made of metal. In a van nothing past the front buckets mattered either. Remember bean bag chairs? My brother’s van had four.
Nice wagon! You hardly saw those around when they were new, let alone these days. I think Checker was using Borg-Warner automatic transmissions like Studebaker and AMC, with an adapter to match them up with GM engines.
Tru spokes and mayo and mustard not the right wheel/Tyre combo IMHO.
I seem to remember airport limos sometimes were wagons-memory could be wrong though! Nice example.
You’re correct and many “airporters” were Checker wagons stretched to carry 8 and even a dozen passengers.
Yes, it’s true! I actually owned a Checker 8 door, 16 passenger Marathon wagon for a period of time. I restored it, replacing the Chevrolet V8, reupholstering all the (4) seats, bodywork and paint; then donated it to a nonprofit resort in McCall, Idaho. Last I heard, it was later resold again to a Hotel to be used as an airport shuttle, then ended up in the hands of a private owner. It was quite the machine!
This is a nice-looking wagon, pimp wheels notwithstanding. I remember many years ago a neighbor had a Checker wagon which they kept for years.
I’ve always liked the older Checkers. I’ve only seen wagons in pictures unfortunately. I even went to school with a guy who had a Marathon Limo. ( This may come as a surprise to some of you, but would you believe it was the ONLY ONE in our high school parking lot???) I always thought Checkers were very well built cars, they had to be in order to do the jobs they needed to do, and if a private individual bought one, they got one heck of well built car.
This one looks like a very solid well preserved example. I’d maybe go a different route with the rim and tire combo, but thats me. Otherwise I’d enjoy it as is.
@Driveinstyle
I’ve relayed this story before but a good story is always worth repeating.
My father purchased a used 1967 Checker Marathon in 1968. It had a V-8 & 3 speed on the floor. It was army green and I hated that car. Big, boxy, no style and looked horrible next to my aunts 1968 Sedan de Ville.
My brother got hailed a couple of times when he took it to NYC.
My mother totaled it in December of 1968. Flipped it right on its roof. How do you flip a Checker? You slide on ice on a winding country road, climb a mountain and roll it on the way down.
She replaced that car with a 1962 Buick Invicta convertible. Who buys a convertible after flipping their previous car? My Mom! That’s who. The woman had brass ones.
Pops replaced the ’67 Checker with a brand new, ordered from the Checker dealer in Union, NJ 1970 Marathon. Mom and I had our say in the order. We got the Chevy 350 V8, ps/pb, auto, a/c, wsw, am/fm radio, tinted glass.
Mom wanted a blue interior. I chose a black exterior so it looked like a limo.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
I wasn’t that fond of the ’70 Checker either, but I’d sure love to have one now.
It looks like there are two big yokes that pass under the engine to connect the chassis crosswise.
Is that the case?
Does it allow making other structures lighter?
Does any other vehicle use the design?
Thoughts anyone please.
They sat high and had a flat floor, no transmission tunnel. Neighbor had one when I was in high school. Could fit a lot of kids in it, maybe 12.
The word that comes to mind for Checkers is ‘plebian’. In fact, the design brings to mind the early 70s Jeep Wagoneer, a marginally nicer looking car IMO. This one appears to be in pristine condition which is a plus for an otherwise unimpressive design. Clearly these were well-built vehicles intended to last well beyond Detroit’s normal planned obsolescence. The under carriage is quite sturdy. A cousin of mine in Philadelphia had a rust-bucket version of the sedan. Where I grew up, Checkers were a rare site other than in NYC as hacks, but I did see a few of the wagons around. Not exactly a head-turner.
On June 18, 1923, the first Checker Cab rolls off the line at the Checker Cab Manufacturing Company in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
The Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, (Kalamazoo) Michigan, exhibits Checker cars.
It looks like it’s missing the chrome strip on the back end .It needs one,imo
Marathons were built like TANKS!
Here in Manhattan, It’s amazing that the Nissan NV ‘s that replaced them are able to take the abuse! The NY city streets are in deplorable condition… The potholes are the size of Checker cabs.
I’ve seen cars STUCK in potholes up to their axles (usually a team of bystanders will figure out how to lift them out.)
I wonder how many Nissans/ Honda’s and Toyotas have been
LOST ENTIRELY inside POTHOLES!
@MarkO
It’s a good way to fill NYC potholes, just fill them with Toyotas & Nissans, spread a little blacktop over them, viola! Done!
My history professor in college drove one, I think about the same model year (no extended bumpers). Good to see these still out there.
Well, thanks Mike Stephen’s! I appreciate the shout out! I have been trying to be a bit more discerning of my submissions! This one was too nice not to pass on to BF! It’s always great to hear from your subscribers, as well!
Best regards, Ted
Last time I ever seen a Checker station wagon when I was a kid,..Guy up the block parked one in front of his house if I recall it was dark green color..
According to my own research, both the 327 and 350 were available in 1969. It was the 327s final year, in 2 barrel form only.
You sure that’s a ’69? Side marker lights came out in 1968. The ’68 & ’69 Checkers had 2″ round reflectors front and rear. 1970 the had 3.5″ reflector with lights front and rear.
Our 1967 had no side marker lights, same as this one. Our ’67 also had chrome headlight bezels and small parking lights. Our 1970 had painted headlight bezels & larger parking lights.
heard a plywood or sheet-rock panel will fit in back if seats are flipped down. I’m nick named WagonMan by locals so U no I like it. This comes in right along w/the MB 300TDi (or W123 wagon, mil mi motor in it) @ 1st place for me.
A pair of sedans owned by twins in my lill town, when growin up, but I’m with
Terry #1, 712 pm, stretch the waggy for an airporter limo.
We rode bus to school (out so far they didnt run the school bus to us) in one of the sedans. No 1 up front but driver, bout 6 or 10 kids in the back, some on jump seats pulled up from the floor. Krazy
Hi Angel! It’s been about a year (I think).and it’s still funny. And by the way Sweetheart, how the hell do you flip a Checker anyway? Unless that is you’ve bought it, your mate looks at it
and tells you no happy time until you sell it. And since you didn’t like the way he/she said “Or else”, you go out
and proceed to follow their instructions. And that’s how you flip a
Checker in my world, but still a great and funny story dear– no matter how many times you tell it. And yeah, I’m still challenging my kids too. Now, when I see them in the kitchen, I thank them for working as hard as they do. Then I tell them just how much I appreciate them. And when they wanna call off, I tell Aw come on now, you don’t wanna let the team down do ya’? As for our wagon here,
what a great portable workshop it would make! With Door Dash deliveries trailing off, I gotta start hittin’ some car shows to drum up sales. If anybody out there is interested in prewar stuff, I’ve got a ’35 Buick model 56C on my work bench right now, and a ’37 Packard 160 formal sedan after that. I only hope that my stories are just as good and funny no matter how many times I tell them! See ya’ later Angel! ,💋