A fitting symbol for the buzzing New York City in the latter part of the 20th century is definitely the bright yellow Checker Cab. These yellow taxis were a prominent part of every busy New York street, transporting passengers to every junction and corner in the city. The Checker also appeared in several Hollywood movies, with one featuring in the Robert De Niro starring Taxi Driver.
The mastermind behind the sturdy New York taxis was Russian immigrant Morris Markin. Morris Markin’s small investment of $15000 in 1920 led to the events that made him the founder of the Checker Cab Manufacturing Co. based in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Here we have a brief look at how even the 1982 Checker Marathon cab can be a valuable classic car today.
The Checker Cab Company
For decades, Markin’s sturdy sedan taxis were the taxicabs of choice in every major North American city. For an illustrious history spanning 60 years, Checker Motors posted an unbeatable run of profits building cabs year after year. However, in 1981 a few major events in NYC and the aftermath of the Great Depression left Checker hanging on a thread.
The Checker Marathon continued to be sold to the masses until its final year of production in 1982. In its passenger car form, the 1982 Checker Marathon A12 was a blue car with a white top, which looked more casual than most of its taxi contemporaries. After the Marathon’s final year of production, Checker continued to make car parts until the economic crisis in 2009, which ultimately led to their factory’s demise.
There was some hope for Checker when former GM President Ed Cole bought 50% of the company for $6 million. But his death in an untimely plane crash poured water on the plans for building a new prototype.
History of the Checker Marathon
The 1963 Checker Marathon replaced the outgoing 1956 A8 cab and was a stellar upgrade to its solid predecessor. The Marathon had a tall roof, a flat floor, and two folding jump seats with a pretty solid frame. Interior space was its highlight, as 5 passengers could easily fit in the rear compartment. Checker sold the Marathon for both commercial and private use.
The Marathon was also offered in body styles other than the conventional sedan. Buyers could choose from an eight-passenger station wagon and an eight-passenger town limo with a 129-inch wheelbase. The town limo was practically an extended sedan variant which served as an alternative to people who couldn’t afford expensive limos. Checker supplied a total of 7080 units to the dealer shelves, out of which 1080 units were non-taxis.
The limousine variant was called the Checker Marathon Town Custom. For its lofty price of $4625, the limousine stood out with its padded roofs and opera window. Buyers could select options like heaters, automatic two-speed transmissions, power steering, and brakes to maximize their comfort levels. Under the hood, the limo had two Continental 226-cid six-cylinder engines installed. The first engine pumped out 80 hp, while the second one had a power rating of 141 hp, enough to carry 8 passengers without any hassle.
Changes to the Checker Marathon over the years
Changes were added to the Checker Marathon lineup only after they were deemed feasible for production. For the 1964 edition of Checker’s unique Aerobus airport bus, the carmaker added a Chrysler V-8 engine and an OHV Continental engine to the available engine options list. The Aerobuses were legends of their time, thanks to their unique and specially designed frames. With their cut and welded frame extensions, the Aerobuses were more structurally rigid than most of their limo counterparts.
Originally, Checker used Continental-built L-head inline-sixes under the hood for Marathon cabs. However, in 1965, Checker brought forward Chevrolet sixes and small-block V8s to the lineup. These engines included the 283-cid Chevrolet V-8s and 230-cid six-cylinder motors. An engine option with 327-cid displacement only became available for the following model year. Despite the wealth of engine choices, the Marathon was nowhere close in terms of performance compared to other classic cars of its time. In 1966, the Marathon introduced air conditioning for the first time, as a novelty for its cab riders.
Transition Phase in the Checker Cabs organization
Unfortunately, Checker Automakers had to deal with the passing of their founder Morris Markin in 1970. After his death, Markin’s son David became the head of the company. With this change of authority, Checker also reduced the available engines for the Marathon lineup. Most of the Checker Marathons launched in the 70s only had the 250-cid six-cylinder and 350-cid V-8 Chevrolet engines available for selection.
Changes were far and few for the Checker Marathon in the 1970s. Disc brakes were only introduced in 1972. In the 1970s, new taxi regulations in NYC and other major cities gave the green light for conventional sedans to operate. The Big Three automakers took advantage of this fact to push their sedans into production for the taxi business.
The profitable Checker Motors company was now in a tough spot. Long-wheelbase vehicles were ultimately retired from the lineup in 1975. Engines were getting smaller year by year. The engine power kept on decreasing, as the 1980 variant only offered a 229-V-6 engine and a 267-cid V-8 engine for the Marathon cab.
The Practical and Useful Checker Cabs
The humble Checker cabs emphasized capacity, usefulness, and durability over contemporary fashion. Hence, these Checkers were known to last even beyond 400000 miles. However, most of the Checkers lived a boring life serving their duty as a taxi cab. Finding a Checker in a passenger automobile option is an interesting treasure hunt, especially because of how rare it is to find a good example that was not a part of commercial usage.
The rugged Checker frame emphasized structural rigidity and reliability. Checkers were specifically designed to get their job done without any hassle. However, in terms of ride quality, the Checker cabs were a far cry away from any form of comfort. All the ladies and men sitting in the rear had to prepare themselves for a bumpy ride. These simpleton cabs never sent out a huge fashion statement either, as they were all about functionality.
The 1982 Checker Marathon is an American Classic
Sales of the Checker Marathon remained steady at 5,000 units per year until it eventually faded into the limelight in 1982. The 1982 Checker Marathon was the final model year of the old-school cab. This old-school Checker sports a Chevrolet 350-cid V8 under its hood, an engine that is fuelled by propane and whose origins are still unknown. Today, most Checker owners have sacrificed their vintage car’s original parts and engine to retain their vehicle’s road lifeline.
What would be the cost of a 1982 Checker Marathon in decent condition today?
The Checker Marathon is a hard car to obtain especially in its passenger vehicle form, as most of its units were only used for taxi duty. Checker shut down its manufacturing units in 1982, but its iconic Checker Marathon has established its place as an American classic. This is also one of the cheapest classic cars to get, with an average value price of as low as $8000. The 1982 Checker Marathon is an iconic American classic that adorned the streets of big American cities, despite not being produced by any of the Big Three automakers.
