If you’ve ever been to New York City or some other major metro area, chances are you’ve ridden in a Checker cab at least once. From 1961 to 1982, Checker Motors produced these bulky cars which mostly served as taxicabs. They were built like Sherman tanks but considerably roomier inside. The seller has accumulated two of them from the 1970s, of which one is in somewhat running condition and the other is a parts car. Thanks to a tip from T.J., we bring you this pair in Denver, Colorado, where they are available as a package deal for $8,000 here on craigslist.
Checker was based in Kalamazoo, Michigan where the sturdy automobiles served as police cars in addition to cabs (hard to imagine a Checker in “hot pursuit”). They were popular for moving people because they could haul many passengers, hardly ever wore out, and annual changes were few so many parts were easily interchangeable. The last New York City Check was retired in 1999 and had covered 750,000 miles with just three engine changes. They ran forever.
1977 Checker Marathon
The seller calls this one “Veronica” (perhaps named after the cab company it served). It has an inline-6 engine that was borrowed from the second cab and is likely a Chevy 250. We’re told it runs and drives but needs some work. The seller has owned it for several years and was building it into a daily driver. But times and circumstances change, so perhaps the next owner can pick up where he/she left off. From 1965-on, these cars used GM motors and automatic transmissions, so mechanical parts should not be hard to come by.
1973 Checker Marathon
This one is named “Betty Ford” which may have been a cab company in Wood, Michigan. Its motor now resides in Veronica but has some newer usable items like the exhaust and tires, but this auto is mostly a grab bag of odds and ends. Given the few changes between Checkers from one year to the next, it’s likely that whatever you need for Veronica could be lifted off Betty Ford until she is no more. This second taxi also has a lot of rust. Buy the pair and start your own vintage ride-share service!
I hate all cars/trucks equally work as Mechanic/ Auto tech over 30 years so,I’m going to PO somebody with this,the run for ever because there Chevy’s.
I hate all cars/trucks equally. I worked as a mechanic/auto tech for over 30 years, so I’m going to PO somebody with this – they run forever because they’re Chevys.
I’m interested
they were also balanced and blueprinted engines intended for commercial use. That’s why they ran forever.
Back when I had a daily commute to work, I wanted to buy one of these, replace the bumpers with railroad ties and make my daily drive more interesting. Probably good I never did it.
My Dad had a Checker for a hunting car in the winter or 1972/73. I drove it around the local area while I was home over Christmas vacation. It would easily seat eight 19 and 20 year old kids. There was no radio, but most of my friends are musicians, so somebody always brought a guitar. Live music.
Our favorite trick was to ride around with four people in the back and three in the front, but I sat in the middle of the front seat and drove with my left hand and left foot so it looked like there was no driver. We tried, but the local cops wouldn’t stop us for whatever reason. At least there was no chance I was speeding.
I’d rebuild the engine and put efi on it and throw in an overdrive tranny and AC and drive the snot out of it.
Yep solid, if we could build something cheap rugged like this id buy new. BF quit mucking about and hire TJ full time pronto.
I remember having a neighbor who had a beige “civilian” Checker Wagon. They kept that thing forever up until we moved away. Who knows, they may still have it!
The only thing that killed these cars was rust, they were prone to it. With metal bumpers that look like guardrails, only an idiot would cut you off. If you tangled with one of these, you lose. Drove them countless miles in my youth as a cab driver.
I ran a shop that restored vintage cars as well as provided service for them. In the mid 1980s, with the demise of the Checker dealership, a Checker wagon owner asked me about doing work on his car, and I said sure. Pretty soon word got out around the local Checker owners [surprisingly, there were quite a few], and we ended up servicing a lot of them.
We used to call the spare parts division in Kalamazoo and get parts sent direct from the factory. One time we placed a fairly large parts order to cover work on 3 or 4 cars, and the guy who ran the parts division of Checker sent us an indoor light-up Checker wall sign free!
Thanks for the grammer lesson Mikey, did it upset you,,, I also drink more than type.Cheers
*grammar
I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating…..
My parents had two. A 1967 Marathon in army green with light green interior, 3 on the floor!. My mother managed to total it by hitting a mountain and flipping it several times.
The second Marathon was a 1970 in black with blue interior, auto and a/c! Something I never would have thought My father would order at the Checker dealership in Union, NJ. I didn’t really appreciate them until later in life. Would love to have that ’70 now.