Sep 16, 2024  •  For Sale  •  33 Comments

Pair of Checker Marathon Taxi Projects

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Before there was Uber or Lyft, there was Yellow Cab which was usually a Checker Marathon in the bigger cities. Technically, the for-hire vehicle was called the Checker Taxi and the Marathon was the version sold to consumers. But most Checkers usually ended up being painted yellow and picking up passengers in the Big Apple, the Windy City, and the like. The seller has two Checkers for sale from 1977 and 1973. The newer one has a low-mileage engine while the older one is a parts car that was used to keep the other one going.

These Checkers were in production from 1961 and 1982 and were rock-solid vehicles. They changed very little over time except to meet safety regulations, like the addition of cow-catcher bumpers. Checker relied on General Motors for propulsion, usually an inline-6 (250 cubic inches) and a 2-speed Powerglide automatic transmission. Occasionally they may have come with a Chevy small block V8. These things were beasts and quite roomy.

We assume the seller has owned both cabs for a while. They may or may not have been in service in NYC, but both have Colorado titles that aren’t encumbered. The engine from the parts car found its way into the ’77 cab and has maybe 1,000 miles on it (a rebuild, no doubt). There is some rust on the taxi thanks to the rock salt used during the Winter in Colorado. And the tires are said to have plenty of rubber left.

No photos of the rusty parts Checker are provided. We’re told that the tires and exhaust are newer on this one and perhaps there is more there that can be harvested. The sale comes with a Checker service manual which itself is worth $200 (per the seller). If you dig these old people-movers, both are available here on craigslist for the package deal lump sum of $5,000. Maybe restore the good one and head to New York to get your medallion? Yet another great tip from “Zappenduster”.

Comments

  1. Todd J. Todd J.Member
    Sep 16, 2024 at 4:21pm

    I love the phone number, should be an easy one to remember.

    Like 1
    • JR
      Sep 17, 2024 at 8:00am

      777-7777 is well known to pre-Uber NYC borough residents as “Dial7” that got us a Town Car. Still going.

      Like 2
  2. Uncle Ed
    Sep 16, 2024 at 5:55pm

    These were built like tanks. I knew someone who owned one that had never been a cab. Indestructible

    Like 2
    • Angel_Cadillac_Diva Angel Cadillac DivaMember
      Sep 17, 2024 at 5:32pm

      @ Uncle Ed

      You are correct, Unk, but if you tried hard enough, you could destroy them. As my mother did in December 1969. We had an army green 1967 Checker Marathon, 3 on the floor. Can’t remember if it was a 6 or 8, but one snowy night in the northern hills of New Jersey she slid on some ice on a winding two lane road, rode about 20-30 feet up the mountain and rolled down back to the road. It landed on its roof, she climbed out the rear window which was no longer there. My father had the car brought to the house. There was not one inch on that car that was not damaged. Even the bumpers were bent.
      She was ok. Not sure if she was ok in the head. She replaced the car with a 1962 Buick Invicta convertible. Who buys a convertible after rolling a hardtop down a mountain?
      In 1970 Dad bought a new 1970 Checker Marathon. This time Mom and I had some say in the ordering of the new car. We got a V-8 with auto trans, am-fm stereo, a/c, full disc hubcaps and white walls. Mom wanted a blue interior as that was her favorite color. I ordered the outside in black, so it looked like a limo. Hey, I was 17! Still got hailed as a taxi when I drove it in New York City.

      Like 2
  3. geezerglide 85
    Sep 16, 2024 at 8:28pm

    I don’t think these ever came with a Power-Glide. When checker 1st started building this body style, in 1956 with the A8, they used a Continental flathead six. Transmissions were a 3sp. manual or a Borg-Warner 3 sp. automatic. When Checker switched over to Chevy power they even made an adapter to continue using the B-W transmission. They even sold adapters to Studebaker when they switched to Chevy power for the ’65-’66 model years. When Checker finally ditched the B-W I think they went to TH350.

    Like 1
  4. geezerglide 85
    Sep 16, 2024 at 8:34pm

    I also gotta say this looks like a pretty good deal, these are getting harder and harder to find. The older Checkers from 30’s thru the early 50’s are near non-existent. Very few of them survived, they were used up and thrown away

    Like 1
  5. Darren Stafford
    Sep 17, 2024 at 12:38am

    I rode in one of these when I was a kid. More than enough room in the back as people mover!

    Like 1
  6. Kenneth Carney
    Sep 17, 2024 at 4:16am

    Almost bought one from a regular customer of mine back in the ’90s.
    Hers was a Marathon model and was
    as austere as it’s taxicab twin. Hers
    Had a 305 V-8/T350 tranny that if I’d
    been able to buy it, yank the 305 and
    drop in a either a 350 or 454 for a bit
    more oomph. The price was right ($650) but it wasn’t to be. Mrs. Erby
    left it to her housekeeper when she
    passed away in ’99 and I’ve always
    wanted one ever since. Would make a really cool Uber car today though.

    Like 2
    • Angel_Cadillac_Diva Angel Cadillac DivaMember
      Sep 17, 2024 at 5:43pm

      @ Kenneth Carney
      Hi Ken! Nice to see you here. Unfortunately Uber has restrictions on the year of your car if you’re going to use it as an Uber. Can’t be more than 8 years old, the last I heard.
      Although most Ubers I’ve been in were very nicely kept cars, I have been in a couple that looked old and maybe they were, quite worn and dirty.
      Maybe they’d make an exception for a newly restored old car.

      Like 0
  7. Howard A Howard A.Member
    Sep 17, 2024 at 4:59am

    While I’m generally displeased with some of the sites viewers, there are posts that make me forget about that. One was the Greyhound, and another is this post. Like Greyhound, just about everybody has an experience with a taxi. I rode in one ONCE, considering all the miles I put on, that’s amazing in itself. It was awful. The cab stunk, the driver, of unknown origin, ran a stoplight in front of a cop and we got pulled over, it was the 1st and last time I rode in a cab. That was 40 years ago. Checker has the designation of being the only US made “generic” car. Aside from power train, they made little changes in the 21 years, and became the standard in taxi cabs, until the Ford Crown Vic took over. Like Greyhound, which dealt more in bulk packages, many taxicab companies took the package from Greyhound to the customer. Checker offered a wide range of vehicles, the most unusual was the Checker Ambulance, that catered to wheelchair and gurney applications. I can’t find anything about a Powerglide either, but if there ever needs to be testament to the durability of a GM motor, the Checker racked up billions of miles. Not much can top that.
    And no Checker post would be complete without mention of the 1976 movie “Taxi Driver”, with a young Robert DeNiro and a VERY young Jodi Foster, that may have inspired the Reagan shooting? The movie had an amazing ending,,,

    Like 7
    • Jack M.
      Sep 17, 2024 at 9:32am

      Everyone will obviously have to put in more effort for you.

      Like 3
    • Wademo
      Sep 17, 2024 at 9:45am

      ‘Taxi Driver’, where I discovered Cybil Shepard. Sigh…

      Like 1
    • JDC
      Sep 17, 2024 at 10:34am

      “Blue Collar” is the real Checker movie. It was shot inside the Checker plant.

      Like 2
      • Angel_Cadillac_Diva Angel Cadillac DivaMember
        Sep 24, 2024 at 11:03pm

        @JDC

        Thanks for the referral. I picked up “Blue Collar” on DVD. Good movie. Damn those guys were young. Love all the old cars.

        Like 0
  8. Lance
    Sep 17, 2024 at 8:55am

    What no reference to the Rev. Ignatowski? I’m……..amazed.

    Like 4
  9. Mike F
    Sep 17, 2024 at 9:40am

    I worked in a repair shop in the early 70s that “maintained” the checker cabs for a local company. Maintenance for the most part meant brake repairs. The cab owner was notoriously cheap and insisted we only replace the most worn shoes, never a full set. Even the replacements were re-lines, not new. Hated working on the fleet cars. They were filthy and needless to say, the owner never tipped.

    Like 1
    • Frog
      Sep 17, 2024 at 11:06am

      Interesting Mike F the cab owner was probably filthy rich.

      Like 0
      • Bub
        Sep 23, 2024 at 3:42pm

        And likely had to work his @ss off for every penny, Frog.

        Like 0
  10. Bill West
    Sep 17, 2024 at 10:34am

    Gotta love a Checker! I lived in the high country of Colorado for years and road salt was used only in intersections in towns. One learned to drive on snow and ice covered roads. Never lost a vehicle to rust living there unlike VT,NH & ME where I lost several before I wised up and moved south.

    Like 0
    • Howard A Howard A.Member
      Sep 18, 2024 at 4:57am

      Hi Bill, it’s a common misconception that Colorado has rust free vehicles because of the lack of salt used. It’s a combination of things really, low humidity, hardly ever rains, and while the main roads are treated with that liquid solution, very few towns use salt, hence, if a vehicle isn’t driven on main roads, it’s entirely possible to be rust free. Sand is used at intersections, and the tree huggers here are concerned the salt will leech into the Arkansas River, so apparently dealing with crumpled fenders is better. Upper Midwset was just the opposite. They dumped so much salt on all roads, you could plow it with the snowplow.

      Like 0
  11. Frog
    Sep 17, 2024 at 11:08am

    Interesting Mike F the cab owner was probably filthy rich.

    Like 0
  12. Frog
    Sep 17, 2024 at 11:10am

    Interesting Mike F the cab owner was probably filthy rich. My guess is he used recycled motor oil.

    Like 0
    • Mike F
      Sep 17, 2024 at 1:22pm

      @Frog
      You are spot on both points.
      I hated having to do half-a***d work. Frequently had to move the rear shoes to the front and the already worn out fronts to the rear. Just stupid since the labor was the same for replacing all four.

      Like 1
      • Frog
        Sep 17, 2024 at 1:33pm

        I had an uncle so cheap when I was a kid helping him with home construction he would have me straighten out bent nails and heaven help me if one ricochet. I would spend hours looking for it. I lost count of the number of times I hit my fingers. Little did I know he counted the nails too.

        Like 1
  13. Frank BarrettMember
    Sep 17, 2024 at 1:48pm

    This is about 30 miles from me, and I remember these cabs on the streets of Denver. I heard that they chose the 7 phone number because it was Denver Bronco quarterback John Elway’s number. Today he looks a little better than this cab but not much.

    A neighbor had Checker’s civilian station wagon version. I never asked for a ride. Must watch some “Taxi” re-runs…

    Like 0
  14. 370zpp 370zpp
    Sep 17, 2024 at 5:34pm

    Before I retired, I repeatedly threatened to buy one of these for my daily commute. Even thought of replacing the bumpers with railroad ties. Probably a good thing I never followed through with that idea.

    Like 0
    • Angel_Cadillac_Diva Angel Cadillac DivaMember
      Sep 17, 2024 at 5:55pm

      @370zpp

      That was a good idea! Because I had the exact same idea. Back in the 60s & 70s when my parents had two Checkers I hated those cars. They were so ugly, boxy and far from the sleek and chromed Cadillacs I love.
      But as an adult I can appreate them. Especially how people drive now-a-days. I wanted a tank, but a Checker with huge wooden bumpers was as close as I could get. Re-enforce the front fenders, beams in the doors, you got yourself a homemade tank!

      Like 0
      • 370zpp 370zpp
        Sep 18, 2024 at 6:09pm

        Yes Angel, Agreed! And parallel parking would be so much fun….

        Like 0
  15. Kenneth Carney
    Sep 18, 2024 at 8:29am

    Hi Angel! Great story about your Mom’s Checker! It just proves how safe these cars really were. They were the American Volvo. On this one, just add 3 point lap belts, air bags, and call it a day. Being the
    optimistic fella that I am, I’d have BOTH cars running, driving, and done up right. I’d use the cab as a ride share vehicle selling ad space on the
    sign boards it has to offset the costs
    of of repairs and upkeep. Then, I’d turn the other car into a really sinister
    looking family sedan complete with a
    rip snortin 454 rat motor mated to a beefed up T-400 tranny and 12 bolt
    posi rear end. And to help manage all
    the torque and ponies that big old rat
    is putting out, I’d use Brute Strength U-joints at each end of the driveshaft
    and mount a loop cross member on
    the frame to keep the driveshaft in it’s place should you break a U joint by
    romping too hard on the go pedal.
    Now we’ve got the go covered, it’s
    time to make it whoa with a set of 4
    wheel Wildwood disc brakes with 6 piston calipers and vented rotors to
    dissipate heat when stopping and keep pedal fade to a minimum. Add
    a set of steelies and dog dishes holding HD radial tires. Then, I’d cover the body in dark blue metallic paint with a grey interior and dark blue carpets. A 10 speaker stereo system would keep you entertained while Vintage air and heat keeps you
    comfortable all year ’round. Could you imagine delivering Door Dash in
    that thing?! Oh my God that would be
    awesome!! I could just see all those
    little rice burners getting out of our
    way as we snake through traffic on the way to pick up or deliver an order.
    That would be priceless! Makes me
    wanna go out and sketch one and then find a way to post it here so that
    you guys could see what I see in these cars. Angel, I’ll have my niece
    or SIL put that messenger Doo Dad
    on my phone or tablet so that we can
    talk. Bye all, time to go to work!

    Like 0
  16. Frog
    Sep 18, 2024 at 9:16am

    Kenneth, I don’t know what you do as a day job but driving a beast like this with the kind of modifications you’re talking about would have you upside down bankrupt in no time. Ever thought about a Ford ecoboost. More power less weight less fuel.

    Like 0
  17. Kenneth Carney
    Sep 18, 2024 at 1:01pm

    Not to worry Frog, just an old man’s
    fantasy. Besides, I don’t think I could get my SIL on board when it comes to driving a neat old car like this. She and my niece like our K5 too much.
    It’s a really nice car for what it is and
    they love all the gizmos and gadgets
    it has. As for me, I like cars like this
    much better than the modern cars of
    today. If it breaks down, getting it fixed is just a wrench and your time to
    repair it away. You don’t have to have
    computerized tools that have to be scanned in order to replace a worn out part. That to me is nonsense.
    Congress should pass a law that would require all automakers to build
    cars that can be repaired by the person who owns it. You can’t even
    change a tire these days without going to an app, scanning both the tire iron and the lug nuts BEFORE you
    can change that flat tire and be on your way. And oil changes? Try $300
    and a half days wait at the service
    center! As for the cab, you can make
    upwards of maybe $1, 200 selling ad
    space on the 3 panels you”ve got.
    The way we deliver everything from
    lawnmowers to condoms, you can bet
    that a lot of folks out there would see
    those signs and make your clients very happy. Yeah, I’d rebuild the second car as time and money permits and no, I wouldn’t go the rat
    motor route with this one, Just a warmed over 350 with headers, a mild cam, and a Holley Sniper fuel injector system. That would be quite enough
    for me. Dunno about the Ecoboost,
    I’ll have to look into that one. But it
    don’t hurt to dream though!

    Like 0
    • Frog
      Sep 18, 2024 at 9:13pm

      I’m with you Kenneth on all points. A few decades ago….(did I just say that?) Repair garages had a riff with auto parts scanning and diagnosing cars and tried to stop them via the court. Screw jobs should come with a 💋and a steak dinner so people don’t feel like a 🪝er.

      Like 0
  18. Frog
    Sep 18, 2024 at 9:17pm

    I’m with you Kenneth on all points. A few decades ago….(did I just say that?) Repair garages had a riff with auto parts scanning and diagnosing cars and tried to stop them via the court. Screw jobs should come with a 💋and a steak dinner so people don’t feel like a 🪝er.

    Like 0

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