My first car was a green 1971 Checker Marathon! Got it in 1985 for my 16th birthday, inherited from my great grandfather. It could seat eight and you could fully extend your legs in the back seat without touching the front seat. Got looks and purchase offers everywhere I went. Slow as hell, but I managed to roll it over in a ditch four glorious months later. Being "overbuilt", as it were, saved all our lives...Thanks Checker, those were the best four months of my life!
Sounds like a glorious 4 months! I feel the same way about our gift of an Oldsmobile 88!🥰 Still, my utter respect & obsession is with This Automobile, no matter the Year😍
I have been driving Ford Crown Vics for transportation cars for over 23 years. All bought as used fleet cars. I've put over a million miles on them. But I've always wanted a Checker. Only I want the base taxi model. Compared to "modern" cars, I love the look, the simplicity, the rear wheel drive, the lack of electronics, and just how tough they are. I'm 63, spent my whole life as an auto mechanic, and would love to drive one of these cars for the rest of my life.
They actually came out with the first of that model in 1958, the 56's and 57's were close but the 1958 was a refinement of that basic design and were built until 1982. The driver compartment in them were a little tight as they were designed as cabs and the emphasis was on passenger comfort and capacity.
My dad bought a 67 Checker brand new. We got the Chevy 327 300 hp in it . No power accessories or AC. Weight of this car was about the same as a Chevelle of the day. I put a Corvette aluminum intake and Holley 4 barrel on it and I beat LOTS of guys in high school. Had tall rear end gears which helped it do city block long burnouts. Fun
I had an '82 also. I could fit a queen bed headboard in the back. I'm fairly tall (6'5") andI could also fully extend my legs while sitting in the back. I believe it was intended to allow rear facing jump seats to allow 5 people in back, with three in the front. The trunk was cavernous. I could put two bicycles in and still close it.
A fellow student in HS had one of these. Same color. He bought it from another students Dad who owned a Taxi service and they used to run these as Taxis but he had one as their personal car. When he bought the car he had it painted taxicab yellow while leaving the top alone. Cool ride!
The Checker wasn't over engineered for its time. It's only when the Government imposed regulations on MPG's and crash-ability that cars had to replace metal with lighter materials. If you see old time cars being restored it's because they were thicker and stronger to resist the elements; have you ever seen how many more late 60's cars there are compared to late 70's cars still being restored. Not only due to the EPA standards but also because the simplicity made these older cars more desirable;
For those that might not know not all Checkers that were built between 1960 and 1982 were taxicabs. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checker_Motors_Corporation#Consumer_vehicles
I had a Limo type one..reminds me of a 55 or 56 Chevy..mines had a 350 GM block the 400 turbo trans some one had it done also had its AC still in it..it drove so smooth like a heavy CADI ...I SOLD IT ON 1995 I WISH I KEPT IT. I SEEN THEM WITH NICE RIMS TINITED GLASS ALL THE UPGRADE FROM BACK UP CAMERAS. ALL OVER IT DROVE LIKE A LUXERY CAR SHOULD..THE ONE I HAD NEVER WAS A CAB..PRIVATE OWNER. MY HUGH SCHOOL BUDDY HAD A TAXI VERSION BUT CHECK THIS OUT IT WAS PROPANE FUELED. IT RAN GREAT . WAS DIFFERANT AS FAR AS FUELING WENT .....
I love them absolute tanks! One of the few really big cars that has some real stature to it ie height. Height plays a big part in making an already massive car look huge! Great cars am after on deffo on my bucket list!
The 85 mph speedo was an industry wide move to create safer cars. Some engineer (at GM, I think), figured out that if the speedo went to 120 mph, the driver may be tempted to go that fast, but if the speedo only went to 85, the temptation wouldn't be there. Boom, overnight, every new car in America, regardless of who made it, had 85 mph speedo's in them. Turned out, it didn't make a dam bit of difference and public outcry for "normal" speedos prompted the automotive industry to go back to the 120 mph speedometer.
Sounds like you need a front end alignment if it wanders like that. Check the wear in your tires. If they're wearing oddly, have the front end checked.
No, it's multiplied slop from a network of pitman arm, idler arm, centerlink, inner and outer tierod ends, balljoints, bushings. You don't know a damn thing about cars.
All old rear drive cars were like that. Lots of play in the steering. Personally I prefer that over modern tight steering. If the car starts wanting to follow every crack in the pavement, then you probably need a new center linkage. Loose steering and a little wandering is normal for old cars. Part of the fun of driving them
Говорят,что японцы делают вещи. Да чёрта с два, американцы делают нормальные тачки. Заявляю со всей ответственностью, как владелец Dodge Ram Van и Volga Siber.
Youngblood......u got most of it right. Nice job but maybe next time you'll show us things like the car itself the dashboard the trunk and so forth? It's all you driving and giving us a synopsis
My sister married a really strange fellow from Boston, he drove an early 50's monster ( buick or Pontiac) with a rotted out floor so you could look down and see the white lines passing beneath the car. Then she got pregnant and my Mother flipped out demanding 'Daddy' buy a safe car. He bought a stripped, optionless CHECKER Station Wagon new in 1968, Not even a radio. after 4 children many years later she divorced this winner, and began to prosper without him. He sold his services as an investment advisor, he never had any money.
Bro FYI auto reviews, that just shows some dudes face talking. Completely worthless. As you’re talking you should be going over every inch of the vehicle. The instrument panel the truck the engine bay the interior the exterior and underneath.
My first car was a green 1971 Checker Marathon! Got it in 1985 for my 16th birthday, inherited from my great grandfather. It could seat eight and you could fully extend your legs in the back seat without touching the front seat. Got looks and purchase offers everywhere I went. Slow as hell, but I managed to roll it over in a ditch four glorious months later. Being "overbuilt", as it were, saved all our lives...Thanks Checker, those were the best four months of my life!
Sounds like a glorious 4 months! I feel the same way about our gift of an Oldsmobile 88!🥰
Still, my utter respect & obsession is with This Automobile, no matter the Year😍
Where was the video filmed?
I have been driving Ford Crown Vics for transportation cars for over 23 years. All bought as used fleet cars. I've put over a million miles on them. But I've always wanted a Checker. Only I want the base taxi model. Compared to "modern" cars, I love the look, the simplicity, the rear wheel drive, the lack of electronics, and just how tough they are. I'm 63, spent my whole life as an auto mechanic, and would love to drive one of these cars for the rest of my life.
Would have been great if you actually showed the car.
yes, who really wants to watch someone just talk? He could have talked while showing the car, would have made the video much better !!
I can understand why he did not show it you got to watch what you show on RUclips these days.
Are you sure the seat was adjusted correctly? It does move back and forth.
A real car
Not today's plastic fantastic car's
They actually came out with the first of that model in 1958, the 56's and 57's were close but the 1958 was a refinement of that basic design and were built until 1982. The driver compartment in them were a little tight as they were designed as cabs and the emphasis was on passenger comfort and capacity.
My dad bought a 67 Checker brand new. We got the Chevy 327 300 hp in it . No power accessories or AC. Weight of this car was about the same as a Chevelle of the day. I put a Corvette aluminum intake and Holley 4 barrel on it and I beat LOTS of guys in high school. Had tall rear end gears which helped it do city block long burnouts. Fun
I had an '82 also. I could fit a queen bed headboard in the back. I'm fairly tall (6'5") andI could also fully extend my legs while sitting in the back. I believe it was intended to allow rear facing jump seats to allow 5 people in back, with three in the front.
The trunk was cavernous. I could put two bicycles in and still close it.
This is everything I needed to know to clinch my love for The Marathon!! ♥️
It reminds me of the CABBIE from GTA Vice City haha!
That's because the Cabbie is supposed to be a Checker. :)
the cabbie is a checker definetly, just like cheetah is a Testarossa
A fellow student in HS had one of these. Same color. He bought it from another students Dad who owned a Taxi service and they used to run these as Taxis but he had one as their personal car. When he bought the car he had it painted taxicab yellow while leaving the top alone. Cool ride!
Best TAXI Cab ever built, nothing better exists.
The Checker wasn't over engineered for its time. It's only when the Government imposed regulations on MPG's and crash-ability that cars had to replace metal with lighter materials. If you see old time cars being restored it's because they were thicker and stronger to resist the elements; have you ever seen how many more late 60's cars there are compared to late 70's cars still being restored. Not only due to the EPA standards but also because the simplicity made these older cars more desirable;
For those that might not know not all Checkers that were built between 1960 and 1982 were taxicabs. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checker_Motors_Corporation#Consumer_vehicles
I had a Limo type one..reminds me of a 55 or 56 Chevy..mines had a 350 GM block the 400 turbo trans some one had it done also had its AC still in it..it drove so smooth like a heavy CADI ...I SOLD IT ON 1995 I WISH I KEPT IT. I SEEN THEM WITH NICE RIMS TINITED GLASS ALL THE UPGRADE FROM BACK UP CAMERAS. ALL OVER IT DROVE LIKE A LUXERY CAR SHOULD..THE ONE I HAD NEVER WAS A CAB..PRIVATE OWNER. MY HUGH SCHOOL BUDDY HAD A TAXI VERSION BUT CHECK THIS OUT IT WAS PROPANE FUELED. IT RAN GREAT . WAS DIFFERANT AS FAR AS FUELING WENT .....
I love them absolute tanks! One of the few really big cars that has some real stature to it ie height. Height plays a big part in making an already massive car look huge! Great cars am after on deffo on my bucket list!
wow cool I've been thinking on buying the newer models when production restarts in 2018
The 85 mph speedo was an industry wide move to create safer cars. Some engineer (at GM, I think), figured out that if the speedo went to 120 mph, the driver may be tempted to go that fast, but if the speedo only went to 85, the temptation wouldn't be there.
Boom, overnight, every new car in America, regardless of who made it, had 85 mph speedo's in them.
Turned out, it didn't make a dam bit of difference and public outcry for "normal" speedos prompted the automotive industry to go back to the 120 mph speedometer.
The NHTSA mandated that all speedometers could only go to 85mph.
GM had nothing to do with it. They were following NHTSA orders.
My buddy had one in school it was an old checker cab and we stuffed 9 people in it
.comfortably!!!
The acceleration on a Checker was measured with a calendar instead of with a clock
No modern rack and pinion steering
Sounds like you need a front end alignment if it wanders like that. Check the wear in your tires. If they're wearing oddly, have the front end checked.
No, it's multiplied slop from a network of pitman arm, idler arm, centerlink, inner and outer tierod ends, balljoints, bushings. You don't know a damn thing about cars.
All old rear drive cars were like that. Lots of play in the steering. Personally I prefer that over modern tight steering. If the car starts wanting to follow every crack in the pavement, then you probably need a new center linkage. Loose steering and a little wandering is normal for old cars. Part of the fun of driving them
the checker ran from 1950 to 1982, probably every major city in the u.s drove then as taxis. and the new ones, are built in haverill, mass.
Where did you get 1950 from. They started making cabs in the 1920s
Looks like Missouri st.charles area even looks like he cross the Missouri River at the page extension
Говорят,что японцы делают вещи. Да чёрта с два, американцы делают нормальные тачки. Заявляю со всей ответственностью, как владелец Dodge Ram Van и Volga Siber.
If you see one for sale in great shape. I want to buy one
That model came out in 1959 not 1966
Checker Motors finally died the same year Pontiac was forced out of existence.
Youngblood......u got most of it right. Nice job but maybe next time you'll show us things like the car itself the dashboard the trunk and so forth? It's all you driving and giving us a synopsis
Cool ride. I'd like to have one for everyday use.
just never date my sisters.
Lol prefer the car over nerd face
Show the car
You are about the weirdest auto expert I have ever seen.
Thanks... I guess? lol
swap in a 454 and t56
That body style came out in 1959.
Actually, the body shell dates to 1956. But it didn't get the iconic 4-headlight design til 1959.
I have a 1973 a12 factory 350 4blt main 400turbo trans 373 rear i Drive it any where i can 73,000 miles it Will get up n go
I want this car! Where can i get one in europe?
I think your best bet would be to import one from the US.
I saw one in Germany years ago! It was such a surprise for me, being from Chicago where these things were EVERYWHERE!
I wanted to see the car, not some hipster doofus
Boring, keep your daytime job.
My sister married a really strange fellow from Boston, he drove an early 50's monster ( buick or Pontiac) with a rotted out floor so you could look down and see the white lines passing beneath the car. Then she got pregnant and my Mother flipped out demanding 'Daddy' buy a safe car. He bought a stripped, optionless CHECKER Station Wagon new in 1968, Not even a radio. after 4 children many years later she divorced this winner, and began to prosper without him. He sold his services as an investment advisor, he never had any money.
Bro FYI auto reviews, that just shows some dudes face talking.
Completely worthless. As you’re talking you should be going over every inch of the vehicle. The instrument panel the truck the engine bay the interior the exterior and underneath.
de-chromed bumper
trash.