I remember riding in Checker Taxis with the jump seats in the back. When I was young I thought they were 1959s cars that they kept running. Checkers kick butt.
Jay, I would say that this car is the classic example of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!". Checker used this basic design for so many years emphasizing on function over styling.
The copper colored show car is an incredible example of these beautiful under appreciated classics. Can't believe how perfect that hood is. Impressive craftsmanship and dedication to perfection
As a New Yorker, I often take yellow cabs in Manhattan, the only borough where they are allowed to cruise. I'm 65, so I'm well old enough to remember when it seemed like most NYC cabs were Checkers. I miss them terribly 😔 especially when I have to cram my 6' frame into the rear seat of the pathetic vehicles, which now prowl the streets of Manhattan as Taxis. The Checkers had so much room in the back that there were even jump seats, at least on some models. Even the Ford stretch Crown Vics, which lasted for a few years, were better than anything referred to as a "Taxi" now..
When Checkers were a common cab, I would regularly see people pass up a cab that had already pulled over to the curb in preference for an approaching Checker. I did it, too (I'm 6'3" so that definitely influenced my choice). They were nice and roomy.
A friend of mine owned a 1975 Checker Marathon and I rode in it many times, it was white and had all kinds of legroom being a car used as a taxi cab and built like a tank and powered by an inline 6 Chevy engine.
This baby's in GREAT shape! My favorite Checkers were the 1939 sedan with the bizarre front end design as well as the Aerobus from the 60's and 70's. If I lived near the Gilmore site, I'd show up for every cruise and sell fuzzy dice.
Checker made some really cool cabs in the early 30s there’s a building at the Gilmore auto museum that we haven’t gone in yet that there was a checker cab in 3 more of those episodes coming
I have had personal experience with the Checker station wagon. Back in the 60s my father owned an auto parts store and he wound up with the oddest vehicles to use for delivering parts. When a repair garage or shop did not have cash to pay their bill we received yet another weirdball vehicle. At one point we had a 1964 Checker Marathon wagon with a Chevy 283 ci engine and three on the tree. Not exactly the kind of vehicle a teenage boy wanted to be seen driving. It was a tank and served its purpose.
But it was a step up from the bicycle I used to deliver parts when I started at age 11. My father believed that work built character so I got a shitload of character.
My dad used to have a Humber Super Snipe wagon, (OK, Estate for those from the UK) in the 60s. Very similar styling. Actually he had 3 or 4 Humbers from that period used as Taxis/Limousines. The looks compared to the Checker cab was something I hadn't considered up til now.
Truly tough vehicles, that could likely last a lifetime for a private individual with proper care. I always think of Ed Cole, and what could have been for Checker had he lived. Thanks as always for sharing - rare beast in this video. ~ Chuck. P.S. - the 3 door Suburban (cool design) and Queen.
I remember Checkers very well, they seemed to be the taxi company’s go to vehicle. I do remember seeing a few that were privately owned. Very informative video…I had no idea the company was that old.
Yeah I didn’t get to do the glove box test on this one there was a lot of people at the car show it’s a different kind of environment when you do it at a car show
That Borg Warner transmission was better known as the Ford FMX cast iron transmission. Unknown why Checker used Chevrolet engines and Ford transmissions.
7:24 That "Frostemp" logo suggests aftermarket AC; I wonder if that was the only option on Checkers. 2:30 As the ad shows, the sedan has the rear seat much further back than the wagon (7:41) , for even better legroom and just enough space for a couple of tiny round jump seats, despite the same 120 inch wheelbase, with the seat placement explaining the sedan's surprisingly small 14.3 cubic foot trunk. The 129" wheelbase "limousine" model actually had room for full-sized jump seats, but a similarly small trunk.
Thanks for shooting my car and posting some love for the Checkers. They are the forgotten automobile that stood the test of time by transporting millions of people all over the world in there iconic taxis. This wagon is ultra rare with only about 4000 wagons were produced from 1960 through 1974. There are very few survivors and this car is a Golden 50th Anniversary model. It was a dealer advertised upgrade for the year and only 40 sedans and 5 wagons were produced. 2 sedans and my wagon still exist. This car is rich in Checker history and its employees. My father and I and the last 2 owners have a total of about 100 years seniority at Checker Motors Corporation. I am proud to show it; proud to own it! My father worked on the cab line and may have put the glass in it or primed it. He worked there my whole life and this car is special to me. I worked there when we just made stampings and assemblies for the Big 3. We had some of the largest stamping presses around and were well known for our abilities at that plant. There are alot of cars out there with great stories...this is part of my mine. 🏁🚖❤️
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to showcase your car I was really hoping that you would find this video on here so you could put in some information that I couldn’t find. This one was harder to get information for than I thought and I wasn’t sure how many big bill I figured for the 50th anniversary they wanted to build 50 of them but they only came out with 45 thank you so much for adding all of the information that you brought. =) I plan on going back to the Gilmore auto museum sometime this year I definitely want to cover at least another checker this year. And go more in depth about the taxis that they made Random question do you know anybody with an aerobus I would love to cover that =)
Ventura highway would have been a good one. I didn’t know that song came out and 72 I looked at the billboard top 100 and then when I saw precious and few I figured that would be the perfect song because there are/were so few of these made
I remember there was two of these wagons in the checker cab yard in riverside ca. in 1974. The yard was abandoned in 1975. All the cars were moved to where I never found out.
Hey Jay, Watched this Late Last Night, Those Checkers were something Else,Built like tanks and old fashioned styling ,Like cabs ,styling doesn’t Change .
The Travel All of course! My MoM had a blue one with the "Woody" paneling, front to back. Us kids had plenty of space & fun inside it & was awesome on those long trips North to Vermont.
My New York cousins told me that when they called for a taxi they would always specify a Checker; the Plymouths and Chevys just didn't have the room they wanted.
1) GMC 2) Queen Never knew Checker made a wagon! Learn something new everyday! I love the 70's cop shows based in NYC, all you see are lines and lines of Checkers! Whenever I think of Checkers though, it's from Escape From New York and the bridge scene...
Didn't know they ever made a wagon. I've seen one that was stretched. I think it was an airport shuttle maybe. A grandma in Cherokee NC that had a dozen or more grandkids owned it in the 70s-80s. I'd have the Suburban and listen to all three bands. I bet the Imperial has a 413 in it. Looking forward to that one.
@@tedium37 Hiya Tedium - They called those stretch models The Areobus... They were available with six or eight doors. My brother and I had one in High School... The ultimate party vehicle!
Fitting color for this iconic gem. I've never been in one, but I've always appreciated their unique and solid looking design, and always assumed their durability, given the popular use as taxi cabs. I don't think I've ever seen the wagon version, it's totally awesome! If it was this particular auto featured, I'd choose it, otherwise the Suburban would be the first choice. All of those great groups and others would be piping out the speakers 😊😎 Precious ànd Few by Climax ;
Graduations you got the name of the band and the song unfortunately somebody beat you for title I have never seen one of these in person and I’ve never knew that one existed until seeing one in person it was super cool the owner let me do this. =)
Hi Jay!: Neat video about a NEAT car! Now that car is really a UTILITY vehicle. Bullet proof engine, if the tranny is NOT a Turbo-Hydramatic, it is SUHWEET! America needs a car like that today! All these suv road lumps just don't do it. We need a road lump like the Checker! It has CHROME by god! Making it hard for me with the WYR, because I like IHC stuff. But being so rare I would have to go with the Checker.
An old guy in the town I grew up and had a Checker Marathon sedan, and I was always fascinated by it. They’re just so big. First round goes to the International Travelall. My grandfather had two of those. The first one was a mid 60s two tone aqua and white, and the last one was a 72 in metallic blue. Second round goes to Glenn Miller 😂
Good guess Glenn Miller was on the episode of Gilmore auto museum that nobody could get it was in the mood but it was cut in the middle of the song the song part of the song that probably nobody knows. Hence no one got it. Thanks for sharing that awesome memory of a car that you once knew
Good production Jay, I had no idea what a great car it looks. Also International all the way. I love Inter, being an old truck driver. Led Zeppelin. Jimmy Page is a genius Good to hear an Allman Brothers cover in the background A 62 imperial is in my dream garage. Can't wait! Thanks Jay you make my day 😮
The imperial episode is going to be awesome the only thing that I don’t like about it is the dash videos because of the way the steering wheel was I had to shoot it through the horn ring so some of it I wish I had a cleaner shot of the instrument panel but I didn’t want to turn the wheel or anything so it was kind of just stuck. Glad you dig this episode going to hit checker again being through isn’t any information anywhere and it seems like that is a company that a lot of people care about.
I would love to do a deep dive on checker cab one day I would love to feature some of the early stuff to like the Gilmore auto museum had some awesome checker cabs in their collection that wasn’t yellow the earlier cars are very interesting
My guess for the song is "Precious and Few" by Climax from the year 1972. I am surprised that no one has picked that song as this feature was posted a full week ago.
@@What.its.like. Scrolling down a ways I did find a few others who got that song right shortly after the video had been posted. I thought that clip was too easy to have stumped everyone. Oh well. One of these days though I will get my name pinned to the top as long as I keep trying.
Checker used lots of GM parts, mostly Chevy. You can easily tell the Chevy 350 engine, Frigidaire A/, GM steering column, and my favorite the 72 Impala steering wheel with the missing "Impala" lettering missing. Uber rare wagon example with more airport limos surviving than station wagons. They were cheap, reliable, easy to maintain, and spacious.
Glad you found one of my favorite unique cars the Checker and the rare wagon version. There is supposed to be a 61 Checker wagon black with a red roof powered with a Continental 6 cylinder, three on the tree owned from new by one family recently donated to the Gilmore museum. I watched the youtube video of it being donated to the Gilmore museum by the father that owned it and his son at a Gilmore car show. I am just as excited you've found an Imperial, my favorite luxury car next to Packard, the 55 to 68's are the Imperials I like, even though I own a Cadillac, I take the handbuilt quality of an Imperial any day over Cadillac and Lincoln, and to me compares to a Rolls Royce in quality and as a classic cheaper and easier to maintain than a Rolls. Looking forward to the Imperial video. Hope you find a 67-68 Imperial coupe with the mobile director desk in back with the reversible front passenger seat, you will love that one .
I’d be up for doing an episode on that model i’m going to try to go back to the Gilmore auto museum in September. Maybe could set something up =) and make that happen
WYR: I remember a seven-hundred mile geology department field trip in a seventies Travelall. The wagon was pretty well worn and not the most pleasant ride. I wished I'd had the option of taking my "Green Latrine" Studebaker Commander, but it was out of action that week. I'll take the Checker, cranking out "Whiter Shade Of Pale" and "Repent Walpurgis" and "Conquistador" and "A Salty Dog" and "An Old English Dream." PROCOL HARUM!
I wish someone would make a Checker Cab model car kit in 1/25th scale. I know there were a few die-cast metal cars, but a customizable plastic kit would be nice.
Always wanted to put '55 Chevy emblems on a 2 door Checker and take it to car shows and see if anyone notices the difference... asks about the dual headlights...
@@BuzzLOLOL The dual headlights were one of the few design changes. Think they came out in '61, the year they changed the name from Superba to Marathon.
I've not read all of the comments however between 5:03 and 5:15 I noticed that the "side strip" on one side of the car is just barely touching the top of the mudguard mold yet on the other side it appears to be no more than 2" above the mold line. How come? Still, it's a lovely car with nostalgia to far better times. Thank you for sharing and take care.
I would go with the GMC Suburban... mostly because parts would be easier to come by. And, knowing me, I would probably listen to Queen. I remember Checker cabs being driven all over during the sixties. I was in one only once when I probably was seven. I remember how HUGE it seemed...and very utilitarian. I guess if they continued one more year they would have had those ginormous bumpers they started to mandate in '73.
Suburban and Zeppelin. Also, if I recall correctly, checker was very busy during the second world war. Pretty much making body components for everybody and everything.
A labor of love to restore this rare car. The engine bay could have had work on the visual presentation. The walk around and interior are beautiful. 7:12 unknown knob is perhaps a manual choke?
It very well could be I couldn’t find a dash board map for this car. That explains all the button switches and knobs sometimes I refer to it just make sure I’m telling the right information some of the dashboards very like they only had a Speedometer this one had every gauge that you could get
I was a Taxi driver yrs a go the only thing was a Checker Cab! The only Best cab in the world was a good Ole Checker. They had room two jump seat's room for packages it's a shame there no longer around. They were built like tank's....❤
Although the Checker was not so stylish in its time, Would still be proud to drive it to an antique car show. The Checker was not sold on the Canadian market, but there were some taxicab companies ordering them from Kalimazoo. It was very seldom that I saw a Checker in Canada that wasn't a taxi. As for choosing a favourite I would go with International Travelall, and BeeGees.
For some reason the aero bus didn’t make it into this episode it was in the notes I must’ve had a problem with that part of the video and it got cut out for some reason I’m gonna look for one
I noticed when the presenter opened the driver side door to look at the instrument panel, and he skipped over the far left where the was a chrome knob and red indicator light next to it. He didn't know what it was. That was an emergency 4 way flasher light. the knob would be pulled, and the light would flash in the interior to indicate the signal lamps would be flashing. Push the know back, and the flashing stops. Rudimentary, but it worked. I installed a similar one in a 57 Pontiac, and it worked well and the design was the same.
When I was growing up friends had a Checker, with a Chevy Inline 6! and the guy playing guitar in the Allman Bros One Way Out cover, blowing you monetization away, is playing in the wrong key... Dang, 90's GM pedals! 72 Checker Older, Grateful Dead...
Name that tune was precious and few by climax the band was actually really good they played different songs they played a Harry Nilsson everybody’s Talkin but it was more of a country tune it was actually really good cover of that song Hopefully this won’t get copyright blocked because of the music I went and shot two amazing cars yesterday at a car show and I couldn’t talk during the video because the DJ was right there and you could hear everything so I will have to write scripts for those the one is a 62 imperial the other one’s going to come probably next week it’s another Dodge but it’s really cool.
It is very true that they are hard to tell the year by the car! I've seen several non-taxi versions here in town and the only one I knew for sure was because the owner saw me admiring one and told me! There used to be a brown sedan version where I grew up owned by the neighbors that lived behind us! Every so often we would call out "taxi!" as the mother drove by but not so loud she could easily hear it! Haha!
If I recall correctly, the cab version had a much larger rear seat and some jump seats that folded down behind the front seat. I think the rear seat was about a foot further back. I didn't know the mileage was sooooo bad. They might have had it geared for acceleration as opposed to economy.😎
I’m amazed - great shape- in nyc they were a staple Of Taxi life/ In deniros Taxi driver this was His Cab- Sadly the owner was Killed in a plane crash-
It wasn’t uncommon to see Checker Executives Driving some real “blinged” up Checkers. Colors, special chrome, wheels, custom grille, custom fit and finish, custom interiors. Checker would have been great to still have astound. Galvanized one side steel would make them last, they could get some special low domestic production homeland security breaks on emissions and safety. All drivers have to be on social security and not drive more than 20 hours per week. You get one when you are 65 and they bury you in it. I’d take it, have my kid put an LS motor in it with a 10 speed automatic and I’m off to Woodward Ave. I think it could bust into the 13s with sticky tires.
Checker and Bee Gees. These were oddities, perfect for someone who wanted a new 1955 car in the 60's and 70's and beyond. Looks very similar to the 55 Chevrolet. Flat floors you could wisk broom clean. Used the exact same hubcaps as the later Studebaker's. The revived Avanti almost became a Checker, but the old President thought it was an ugly car. Go figure? Didn't stop the Avanti from outlasting AMC, Checker, every Independent.
Yeah I guess this car appealed to people that still wanted a 50s car but wanted a more modern engine is the only thing that I didn’t like about this car was the dashboard
I would like to have a Checker very much. Not onown to many is the fact that Nate Altman, savior of the Studebaker Avanti, first approached Checker to have them continue production after Stude went belly up, but Morris Markim, head of Checker, said the Avanti is too ugly to sell.
I'd like to drive a checker one time 🤔 We repaired one at the shop it looked like a 55 Chevy chassis and suspension in size and length 🤔.. Not a popular car in Texas ??✌️
There was a part in this video the featured that mentioned both of those vehicles I don’t know what happened to it I don’t know if it got caught because I had a couple issues editing this video not sure but next time we cover a checker which I’m pretty sure we will. Definitely include that unless I can find one of those. If you know anybody that has an airbus I will totally review it
Now that Ford has stopped making the Crown Vic, it seems a car such as Checker could be successful for taxis and police car use. The Checker was famous for a roomy back seat.
That would be a splendid idea, just as long as checker retained its quality features from the past. Also give it more aerodynamic and modern styling , or else it won't sell.
I've always loved those Checker passenger cars! But I think that if they would have stayed with the same quality of interior trim they used on the Superba up into the 1960s, they probably wouldn't have folded so soon. Although they were still well built and pretty bulletproof in the early Seventies, the crap they trimmed them out with made them look goofy inside (and out, because half of the civilian cars had the HIDEOUS plate steel bumpers on them)... But the five tone interior was really the worst. If a car was ordered with a green interior, they'd throw a black steering wheel, brown carpet and grey sun visors in it... It almost seems as if they had Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder working the trim department. Something else that I never cared for about the early Seventies and newer Marathon Superbas, was the WHEEL OFFSET. They just stick out too far. On the earlier models, I guess they used shallower rims and they just looked better, in my opinion.
In 1965 a co-worker of my dad's bought a new Checker Marathon wagon and drove it over to our house to show it to us. He was very proud of it, but as a kid I thought it weird to buy such an ugly car. Today I would love to own a Checker, it looks pretty good compared to today's cars.
that was a quality car built for rough use and ease of maintenance on the other hand, Volvo had about the same phylosophy for the 100 / 200 series so I've chosen the Volvo because it was a better car for the use intended. If I remember well, Checker had other power plant choices.
Yeah there was a ton of engine choices and there was a lot of conflicting information so I just went with the engine that was in this car information on this very spotty I reached out to the checker club and they told me to check with the Gilmore auto museum lol
I remember riding in Checker Taxis with the jump seats in the back. When I was young I thought they were 1959s cars that they kept running. Checkers kick butt.
Great memory thank you so much for sharing
I had a 71 Marathon wagon for a few years. It was a beast and I loved it
Awesome why did you get rid of it
@@What.its.like. I was poor and couldn’t maintain it and the cost of fuel was too much.
Jay, I would say that this car is the classic example of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!". Checker used this basic design for so many years emphasizing on function over styling.
The copper colored show car is an incredible example of these beautiful under appreciated classics. Can't believe how perfect that hood is. Impressive craftsmanship and dedication to perfection
Yeah I was like in aw never saw a checker wagon before that day
Roger Roger 😎
As a New Yorker, I often take yellow cabs in Manhattan, the only borough where they are allowed to cruise. I'm 65, so I'm well old enough to remember when it seemed like most NYC cabs were Checkers. I miss them terribly 😔 especially when I have to cram my 6' frame into the rear seat of the pathetic vehicles, which now prowl the streets of Manhattan as Taxis. The Checkers had so much room in the back that there were even jump seats, at least on some models. Even the Ford stretch Crown Vics, which lasted for a few years, were better than anything referred to as a "Taxi" now..
When Checkers were a common cab, I would regularly see people pass up a cab that had already pulled over to the curb in preference for an approaching Checker. I did it, too (I'm 6'3" so that definitely influenced my choice). They were nice and roomy.
I'm surprised they use anything smaller than minivans or crossovers as cabs these days. They can be roomy, are affordable and get decent mileage.
Yeah! Little round jump seats with no back support nor seat belts
As a former cab driver,I say the Checkers were the best cabs ever.I never drove on,but I suffered with the substitutes
That’s awesome you drove these =)
I think he actually said he didn't get to drive a Checker, but suffered from what came afterwards.
A friend of mine owned a 1975 Checker Marathon and I rode in it many times, it was white and had all kinds of legroom being a car used as a taxi cab and built like a tank and powered by an inline 6 Chevy engine.
Awesome thank you for sharing that experience what great memories =)
This baby's in GREAT shape! My favorite Checkers were the 1939 sedan with the bizarre front end design as well as the Aerobus from the 60's and 70's. If I lived near the Gilmore site, I'd show up for every cruise and sell fuzzy dice.
Checker made some really cool cabs in the early 30s there’s a building at the Gilmore auto museum that we haven’t gone in yet that there was a checker cab in 3 more of those episodes coming
Checker lots and lots of Studebaker parts right down to the hub caps.
I have had personal experience with the Checker station wagon. Back in the 60s my father owned an auto parts store and he wound up with the oddest vehicles to use for delivering parts. When a repair garage or shop did not have cash to pay their bill we received yet another weirdball vehicle. At one point we had a 1964 Checker Marathon wagon with a Chevy 283 ci engine and three on the tree. Not exactly the kind of vehicle a teenage boy wanted to be seen driving. It was a tank and served its purpose.
Awesome story =)
That's too bad you got stuck with the 64 wagon delivering parts. My boss had me delivering groceries at age 17 in a new El Camino, so that was cool!
But it was a step up from the bicycle I used to deliver parts when I started at age 11. My father believed that work built character so I got a shitload of character.
My dad used to have a Humber Super Snipe wagon, (OK, Estate for those from the UK) in the 60s. Very similar styling. Actually he had 3 or 4 Humbers from that period used as Taxis/Limousines. The looks compared to the Checker cab was something I hadn't considered up til now.
Truly tough vehicles, that could likely last a lifetime for a private individual with proper care. I always think of Ed Cole, and what could have been for Checker had he lived. Thanks as always for sharing - rare beast in this video. ~ Chuck. P.S. - the 3 door Suburban (cool design) and Queen.
Great choices =)
Awesome insight
Rumor has it that this is the only thing in the world that Chuck Norris can't destroy .
Hahaha that’s awesome
Pretty car.Ideal taxi.
Climax, Precious and Few
Great Car, Great Channel
Definitely the Checker &
Definitely Queen
You got the band and song title
Glad you dig this channel
thats a very nice Checker wagon Jay, so roomy inside and visibility is excellent.
I agree
Precious and Few by Climax. Looking forward to the video on the Imperial.
Yes to both =)
I remember Checkers very well, they seemed to be the taxi company’s go to vehicle. I do remember seeing a few that were privately owned.
Very informative video…I had no idea the company was that old.
We do need to know how it did in the glove box test...
Yeah I didn’t get to do the glove box test on this one there was a lot of people at the car show it’s a different kind of environment when you do it at a car show
@@What.its.like. Thanks for the reply! I'm wondering if there is a way to estimate the size of the glovebox?
That Borg Warner transmission was better known as the Ford FMX cast iron transmission.
Unknown why Checker used Chevrolet engines and Ford transmissions.
That’s interesting
Spacious inside 😮
Very
My kingdom for a Checker wagon !!!!!
=)
7:24 That "Frostemp" logo suggests aftermarket AC; I wonder if that was the only option on Checkers.
2:30 As the ad shows, the sedan has the rear seat much further back than the wagon (7:41) , for even better legroom and just enough space for a couple of tiny round jump seats, despite the same 120 inch wheelbase, with the seat placement explaining the sedan's surprisingly small 14.3 cubic foot trunk. The 129" wheelbase "limousine" model actually had room for full-sized jump seats, but a similarly small trunk.
Thank you so much for sharing that information =)
Thanks for shooting my car and posting some love for the Checkers. They are the forgotten automobile that stood the test of time by transporting millions of people all over the world in there iconic taxis. This wagon is ultra rare with only about 4000 wagons were produced from 1960 through 1974. There are very few survivors and this car is a Golden 50th Anniversary model. It was a dealer advertised upgrade for the year and only 40 sedans and 5 wagons were produced. 2 sedans and my wagon still exist. This car is rich in Checker history and its employees. My father and I and the last 2 owners have a total of about 100 years seniority at Checker Motors Corporation. I am proud to show it; proud to own it! My father worked on the cab line and may have put the glass in it or primed it. He worked there my whole life and this car is special to me. I worked there when we just made stampings and assemblies for the Big 3. We had some of the largest stamping presses around and were well known for our abilities at that plant. There are alot of cars out there with great stories...this is part of my mine. 🏁🚖❤️
I would definitely pick the Checker wagon...lol The song I play is Ventura Highway by America released in 1972. 🏁🚖❤️
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to showcase your car I was really hoping that you would find this video on here so you could put in some information that I couldn’t find. This one was harder to get information for than I thought and I wasn’t sure how many big bill I figured for the 50th anniversary they wanted to build 50 of them but they only came out with 45 thank you so much for adding all of the information that you brought. =)
I plan on going back to the Gilmore auto museum sometime this year I definitely want to cover at least another checker this year. And go more in depth about the taxis that they made
Random question do you know anybody with an aerobus I would love to cover that =)
Ventura highway would have been a good one. I didn’t know that song came out and 72 I looked at the billboard top 100 and then when I saw precious and few I figured that would be the perfect song because there are/were so few of these made
I remember there was two of these wagons in the checker cab yard in riverside ca. in 1974. The yard was abandoned in 1975. All the cars were moved to where I never found out.
Hey Jay,
Watched this Late Last Night,
Those Checkers were something Else,Built like tanks and old fashioned styling ,Like cabs ,styling doesn’t Change .
Yeah they were the same for a long time much like a vw beetle
I've always had a soft spot for Checkers. One of my neighbors was a cab driver when I was a kid, way back when.
The Travel All of course! My MoM had a blue one with the "Woody" paneling, front to back.
Us kids had plenty of space & fun inside it & was awesome on those long trips North to Vermont.
Wow. Now this looks like an interesting car. Certainly not the most attractive, but definitely unique.
Styling is interesting to say the least
My New York cousins told me that when they called for a taxi they would always specify a Checker; the Plymouths and Chevys just didn't have the room they wanted.
1) GMC 2) Queen Never knew Checker made a wagon! Learn something new everyday! I love the 70's cop shows based in NYC, all you see are lines and lines of Checkers! Whenever I think of Checkers though, it's from Escape From New York and the bridge scene...
Didn't know they ever made a wagon. I've seen one that was stretched. I think it was an airport shuttle maybe. A grandma in Cherokee NC that had a dozen or more grandkids owned it in the 70s-80s.
I'd have the Suburban and listen to all three bands.
I bet the Imperial has a 413 in it. Looking forward to that one.
@@tedium37
Hiya Tedium -
They called those stretch models The Areobus... They were available with six or eight doors.
My brother and I had one in High School... The ultimate party vehicle!
The imperial has 413 weird hood opening
@@slicksnewonenow Good chance Aerobus is what my grandpa called it and I remembered it as airport bus. Thnx 👍
I rode in a Checker once, but I was a kid. Hard to remember the ride.
Fitting color for this iconic gem. I've never been in one, but I've always appreciated their unique and solid looking design, and always assumed their durability, given the popular use as taxi cabs. I don't think I've ever seen the wagon version, it's totally awesome! If it was this particular auto featured, I'd choose it, otherwise the Suburban would be the first choice. All of those great groups and others would be piping out the speakers 😊😎 Precious ànd Few by Climax ;
Graduations you got the name of the band and the song unfortunately somebody beat you for title
I have never seen one of these in person and I’ve never knew that one existed until seeing one in person it was super cool the owner let me do this. =)
Hi Jay!: Neat video about a NEAT car! Now that car is really a UTILITY vehicle. Bullet proof engine, if the tranny is NOT a Turbo-Hydramatic, it is SUHWEET! America needs a car like that today! All these suv road lumps just don't do it. We need a road lump like the Checker! It has CHROME by god! Making it hard for me with the WYR, because I like IHC stuff. But being so rare I would have to go with the Checker.
I HAPPEN TO OWN A 57' WAGON... I ALSO DRIVE FOR "UBER" AND USE MY CHECKER IN MY DRIVING... MOST PEOPLE LOVE IT❣️
That’s awesome using it as intended =)
@@What.its.like. 👍
An old guy in the town I grew up and had a Checker Marathon sedan, and I was always fascinated by it. They’re just so big.
First round goes to the International Travelall. My grandfather had two of those. The first one was a mid 60s two tone aqua and white, and the last one was a 72 in metallic blue.
Second round goes to Glenn Miller 😂
Good guess Glenn Miller was on the episode of Gilmore auto museum that nobody could get it was in the mood but it was cut in the middle of the song the song part of the song that probably nobody knows. Hence no one got it.
Thanks for sharing that awesome memory of a car that you once knew
Good production Jay, I had no idea what a great car it looks. Also
International all the way. I love Inter, being an old truck driver.
Led Zeppelin. Jimmy Page is a genius
Good to hear an Allman Brothers cover in the background
A 62 imperial is in my dream garage. Can't wait!
Thanks Jay you make my day 😮
The imperial episode is going to be awesome the only thing that I don’t like about it is the dash videos because of the way the steering wheel was I had to shoot it through the horn ring so some of it I wish I had a cleaner shot of the instrument panel but I didn’t want to turn the wheel or anything so it was kind of just stuck.
Glad you dig this episode going to hit checker again being through isn’t any information anywhere and it seems like that is a company that a lot of people care about.
I love checker cabs.
I would love to do a deep dive on checker cab one day I would love to feature some of the early stuff to like the Gilmore auto museum had some awesome checker cabs in their collection that wasn’t yellow the earlier cars are very interesting
My ideal combo: Marathon for good weather and an International Scout for winter driving.
My guess for the song is "Precious and Few" by Climax from the year 1972. I am surprised that no one has picked that song as this feature was posted a full week ago.
Yeah that’s weird I had to go back and look at that it never pinned the comment to the top.. I’ll have to fix that
@@What.its.like. Scrolling down a ways I did find a few others who got that song right shortly after the video had been posted. I thought that clip was too easy to have stumped everyone. Oh well. One of these days though I will get my name pinned to the top as long as I keep trying.
I’m not sure where the pinned comment went youtube has been deleting comments idk it’s werid
Checker used lots of GM parts, mostly Chevy. You can easily tell the Chevy 350 engine, Frigidaire A/, GM steering column, and my favorite the 72 Impala steering wheel with the missing "Impala" lettering missing. Uber rare wagon example with more airport limos surviving than station wagons. They were cheap, reliable, easy to maintain, and spacious.
Agreed
Glad you found one of my favorite unique cars the Checker and the rare wagon version. There is supposed to be a 61 Checker wagon black with a red roof powered with a Continental 6 cylinder, three on the tree owned from new by one family recently donated to the Gilmore museum. I watched the youtube video of it being donated to the Gilmore museum by the father that owned it and his son at a Gilmore car show. I am just as excited you've found an Imperial, my favorite luxury car next to Packard, the 55 to 68's are the Imperials I like, even though I own a Cadillac, I take the handbuilt quality of an Imperial any day over Cadillac and Lincoln, and to me compares to a Rolls Royce in quality and as a classic cheaper and easier to maintain than a Rolls. Looking forward to the Imperial video. Hope you find a 67-68 Imperial coupe with the mobile director desk in back with the reversible front passenger seat, you will love that one .
I’d be up for doing an episode on that model i’m going to try to go back to the Gilmore auto museum in September. Maybe could set something up =) and make that happen
I would LOVE to have that wagon.
It’s a cool wagon that’s for sure
Checker cabs were indestructible.
There are Precious and Few of these. I'd Climax if I ever saw one.
Awesome play on words I wasn’t even thinking of it like that I was just thinking of it that these are there’s so precious and few of these
I’m a Cornbinder guy. A rust free ‘72 Travelall would be cool.
Rust free ones are hard to find
Great video on a rare special edition of a rare car, Jay.
Glad you dig this episode =)
WYR: I remember a seven-hundred mile geology department field trip in a seventies Travelall. The wagon was pretty well worn and not the most pleasant ride. I wished I'd had the option of taking my "Green Latrine" Studebaker Commander, but it was out of action that week.
I'll take the Checker, cranking out "Whiter Shade Of Pale" and "Repent Walpurgis" and "Conquistador" and "A Salty Dog" and "An Old English Dream."
PROCOL HARUM!
I wish someone would make a Checker Cab model car kit in 1/25th scale. I know there were a few die-cast metal cars, but a customizable plastic kit would be nice.
The Suburban - all day long. And I'd be listening to the engine and all the cool noises that squeaky runner made.
=)
Damn things seem to run forever as long as you can find spares😊!
Just a Chevy underneath...
@@BuzzLOLOL Gm has made lots of good motors, and they still do.
@@ernielaw - Mostly good motors...
A 3 speed Borg-Warner? Are they still around?
Always wanted a Checker. Your song: "Precious and Few", by Climax.
You got the song and the band =)
I'd be blasting some Led in my Travelall. I drove a Checker in the Army. Like a damn tank only slower! toodles
Lol great choices
i understand that in the beginning, Checker owned Checker Cab and GMC Yellow Track and Coach owned Yellow Cab
Hey another stellar show, please bring a top hat when u check out these rides thanx
The irony is I used to have a bunch of tophats but my wife made me get rid of those I need to find another one that fits better
Wow a 1972 car that looks like it came out of the early 1950's
Yeah it’s crazy it’s crazy that they built this car for as long as they did and they didn’t change it hardly at all
Always wanted to put '55 Chevy emblems on a 2 door Checker and take it to car shows and see if anyone notices the difference... asks about the dual headlights...
@@What.its.like. Look at the London black cabs. Still stamped to look like the old Austin design from 60 years ago.
You are close as its origins hark back to 1959. It would have looked dated even then. Believe the Checker lasted til 1982.
@@BuzzLOLOL The dual headlights were one of the few design changes. Think they came out in '61, the year they changed the name from Superba to Marathon.
I've not read all of the comments however between 5:03 and 5:15 I noticed that the "side strip" on one side of the car is just barely touching the top of the mudguard mold yet on the other side it appears to be no more than 2" above the mold line. How come? Still, it's a lovely car with nostalgia to far better times. Thank you for sharing and take care.
I haven’t read the comments all the comments either I’m going through them right now lol
Great catch on that I didn’t catch that =)
9:01 I'm guessing it has cruise control, also.
I would go with the GMC Suburban... mostly because parts would be easier to come by. And, knowing me, I would probably listen to Queen.
I remember Checker cabs being driven all over during the sixties. I was in one only once when I probably was seven. I remember how HUGE it seemed...and very utilitarian.
I guess if they continued one more year they would have had those ginormous bumpers they started to mandate in '73.
Great choices and insight =)
Suburban and Zeppelin. Also, if I recall correctly, checker was very busy during the second world war. Pretty much making body components for everybody and everything.
Awesome choices
Thank you so much for sharing that information
A labor of love to restore this rare car. The engine bay could have had work on the visual presentation.
The walk around and interior are beautiful. 7:12 unknown knob is perhaps a manual choke?
It very well could be I couldn’t find a dash board map for this car. That explains all the button switches and knobs sometimes I refer to it just make sure I’m telling the right information some of the dashboards very like they only had a Speedometer this one had every gauge that you could get
I’d go with the suburban since I’ve had them since before they were cool. And Led Zepplin
ETA I did have a travelall in the 70’s.
Beings that you owned both of them what did the GMC suburban do better than the travel all
Great choices
I was a Taxi driver yrs a go the only thing was a Checker Cab! The only Best cab in the world was a good Ole Checker. They had room two jump seat's room for packages it's a shame there no longer around. They were built like tank's....❤
Awesome story thank you so much for sharing that memory with us =)
72 Checker, Led Zeppelin, Climax, Precious and few.
Sweet choices and you got the song and band someone beat you for title
Awesome car. Looks like its right out of the late 50s. Hilarious that its a 72.
Hi Justin, nice video! I do see factory air-conditioning and cruise control, on the Checker that you profiled. Please reply. Dave...
The Checker was Phyllis Diller's favorite car.
That’s interesting
She also had a Silver Cloud with right-hand drive and she'd say when ever she drove it she could only turn right.
Sometime during the 1970s Phyllis Diller came to Vancouver BC to perform. She had such poor acceptance that she vowed never to come there again.
Keep em coming. I remember those.
You bet I want to cover some more white whales this summer
I remember the cabs well in NYC darn tough machine.
It would be crazy seeing New York City littered with those
@@What.its.like. look up a photo of a checker cab, the artwork speaks for itself.
Late 20 early 30’s very unique cabs.
Good solid car. Thank you for sharing 😊
Thank you so much for watching you know me go after the off the beaten path vehicles
Although the Checker was not so stylish in its time, Would still be proud to drive it to an antique car show. The Checker was not sold on the Canadian market, but there were some taxicab companies ordering them from Kalimazoo. It was very seldom that I saw a Checker in Canada that wasn't a taxi. As for choosing a favourite I would go with International Travelall, and BeeGees.
Great choices
Thank you so much for sharing that information I didn’t know checker wasn’t sold in Canada
I had never seen the wagon model awesome car travelall bee gees
They even made a stretched version with multiple doors for shuttle service.
For some reason the aero bus didn’t make it into this episode it was in the notes I must’ve had a problem with that part of the video and it got cut out for some reason I’m gonna look for one
Guess I'd be playing Zep on 8-track in my Travelall, though I do like a Marathon wagon.
=)
Thanks, J! Never saw a wagon👍
Me either I love doing the cars off the beaten path =)
5:31 I cannot _BELIEVE_ you didn't say " ... and, chrome gravel guards ..."
Haha yeah there was a lot of people there I was off my game I’m used to doing these in the show room with nobody really watching me
I noticed when the presenter opened the driver side door to look at the instrument panel, and he skipped over the far left where the was a chrome knob and red indicator light next to it. He didn't know what it was. That was an emergency 4 way flasher light. the knob would be pulled, and the light would flash in the interior to indicate the signal lamps would be flashing. Push the know back, and the flashing stops. Rudimentary, but it worked. I installed a similar one in a 57 Pontiac, and it worked well and the design was the same.
.
It's actually a manual pull for the outside air vent that comes through the firewall. There is another for the passenger side as well.
When I was growing up friends had a Checker, with a Chevy Inline 6!
and the guy playing guitar in the Allman Bros One Way Out cover, blowing you monetization away, is playing in the wrong key...
Dang, 90's GM pedals!
72 Checker
Older, Grateful Dead...
Name that tune was precious and few by climax the band was actually really good they played different songs they played a Harry Nilsson everybody’s Talkin but it was more of a country tune it was actually really good cover of that song
Hopefully this won’t get copyright blocked because of the music I went and shot two amazing cars yesterday at a car show and I couldn’t talk during the video because the DJ was right there and you could hear everything so I will have to write scripts for those the one is a 62 imperial the other one’s going to come probably next week it’s another Dodge but it’s really cool.
Very cool........... 👍👍
would have bought one if they made a 2 door wagon !
This in two-door wagon form would be really cool
It is very true that they are hard to tell the year by the car! I've seen several non-taxi versions here in town and the only one I knew for sure was because the owner saw me admiring one and told me! There used to be a brown sedan version where I grew up owned by the neighbors that lived behind us! Every so often we would call out "taxi!" as the mother drove by but not so loud she could easily hear it! Haha!
Great story thank you so much for sharing that awesome memory
2:05 It really appeals to me the name "Checker Marathon."
Makes me think of Speed Queen washing machines ... actually designed to LAST.
Wow! It’s got coat hooks!
=)
If I recall correctly, the cab version had a much larger rear seat and some jump seats
that folded down behind the front seat. I think the rear seat was about a foot
further back. I didn't know the mileage was sooooo bad. They might have had it
geared for acceleration as opposed to economy.😎
I’ve never been in the cab version, but would love to find one to feature one day
As much as I like the iconic Checker I'd have to go with the Travelall and Led Zepplin. The song is Precious and Few by Climax.
Sweet choices you got the song and band as well =)
I’m amazed - great shape- in nyc they were a staple
Of
Taxi life/
In deniros
Taxi driver this was
His
Cab-
Sadly the owner was
Killed in a plane crash-
It wasn’t uncommon to see Checker Executives Driving some real “blinged” up Checkers. Colors, special chrome, wheels, custom grille, custom fit and finish, custom interiors. Checker would have been great to still have astound. Galvanized one side steel would make them last, they could get some special low domestic production homeland security breaks on emissions and safety. All drivers have to be on social security and not drive more than 20 hours per week. You get one when you are 65 and they bury you in it. I’d take it, have my kid put an LS motor in it with a 10 speed automatic and I’m off to Woodward Ave. I think it could bust into the 13s with sticky tires.
My parents had 7 kids and when in NYC, my father would flag a checker taxi, and we fought over who'd get to sit in the jump seats.
Hahaha awesome memories
Checker and Bee Gees. These were oddities, perfect for someone who wanted a new 1955 car in the 60's and 70's and beyond. Looks very similar to the 55 Chevrolet. Flat floors you could wisk broom clean. Used the exact same hubcaps as the later Studebaker's. The revived Avanti almost became a Checker, but the old President thought it was an ugly car. Go figure? Didn't stop the Avanti from outlasting AMC, Checker, every Independent.
The Avanti wasn't much of an independent.
Even in 1972 this car was already dated by 20 years, nice car but defiantly a car from the 50's era.
Yeah I guess this car appealed to people that still wanted a 50s car but wanted a more modern engine is the only thing that I didn’t like about this car was the dashboard
I would like to have a Checker very much. Not onown to many is the fact that Nate Altman, savior of the Studebaker Avanti, first approached Checker to have them continue production after Stude went belly up, but Morris Markim, head of Checker, said the Avanti is too ugly to sell.
Thank you so much fir sharing that information
I'd like to drive a checker one time 🤔
We repaired one at the shop it looked like a 55 Chevy chassis and suspension in size and length 🤔..
Not a popular car in Texas ??✌️
I'd like a checker wagon.
Airports had a lot of the station wagons, with eight doors.
There was a part in this video the featured that mentioned both of those vehicles I don’t know what happened to it I don’t know if it got caught because I had a couple issues editing this video not sure but next time we cover a checker which I’m pretty sure we will. Definitely include that unless I can find one of those. If you know anybody that has an airbus I will totally review it
Now that Ford has stopped making the Crown Vic, it seems a car such as Checker could be successful for taxis and police car use. The Checker was famous for a roomy back seat.
That would be a splendid idea, just as long as checker retained its quality features from the past. Also give it more aerodynamic and modern styling , or else it won't sell.
Car of choice would be the checker (any of the 3 would be great) and listening to Led Zeppelin (got any dylan?)
Awesome choices =)
Precious and few
That’s the song =)
I've always loved those Checker passenger cars!
But I think that if they would have stayed with the same quality of interior trim they used on the Superba up into the 1960s, they probably wouldn't have folded so soon.
Although they were still well built and pretty bulletproof in the early Seventies, the crap they trimmed them out with made them look goofy inside (and out, because half of the civilian cars had the HIDEOUS plate steel bumpers on them)... But the five tone interior was really the worst. If a car was ordered with a green interior, they'd throw a black steering wheel, brown carpet and grey sun visors in it... It almost seems as if they had Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder working the trim department.
Something else that I never cared for about the early Seventies and newer Marathon Superbas, was the WHEEL OFFSET.
They just stick out too far.
On the earlier models, I guess they used shallower rims and they just looked better, in my opinion.
The song is Precious and Few by Climax.....from 1972
Yeah buddy you got it someone beat you for title
@@What.its.like. I saw that🤨
In 1965 a co-worker of my dad's bought a new Checker Marathon wagon and drove it over to our house to show it to us. He was very proud of it, but as a kid I thought it weird to buy such an ugly car. Today I would love to own a Checker, it looks pretty good compared to today's cars.
Staying Alive like the Bee Gees
=) going no we’re somebody help me
Have you ever heard of a 1940/41 Checker Model A? I really wanna see one in real life but I’m pretty sure there’s only one left.
I’ve seen a few checkers. I’m not sure if I’ve seen the checker model A
that was a quality car built for rough use and ease of maintenance
on the other hand, Volvo had about the same phylosophy for the 100 / 200 series so I've chosen the Volvo because it was a better car for the use intended.
If I remember well, Checker had other power plant choices.
Yeah there was a ton of engine choices and there was a lot of conflicting information so I just went with the engine that was in this car information on this very spotty I reached out to the checker club and they told me to check with the Gilmore auto museum lol
1972
@OldManCigars Although 1982 may have been the last year for Checker.