TAXI!: The History of Checker Cabs & Cars

[@johngraves6878]

I was a taxi driver for a year in Los Angeles. It was actually a pretty fun job. When you're on the radio, the way you confirm an order from the dispatcher is you say "Check, check", which is a term of affirmation. It's a nice, crisp way of saying "affirmative." Also, you're "checking" to see if you got your passenger. Taxi drivers themselves are "checkers." Perhaps Ed could do a video on all the different types of cabs around the world, one country vs another, that sort of thing.

[@memorimusic420]

Imagine playing checkers while checking to see if you need to say check check on the radio 🤯

[@DalyTheThird]

@@memorimusic420Then check checking a radio check while playing checkers waiting for your fare in the driver’s seat of a Checker. All of this after doing your pre-trip inspection before your shift after checking in with your dispatcher and making sure all your pre-trip checklist items have been checked. That’s not to mention what kind of suit one would be wearing.

[@memorimusic420]

@@DalyTheThird 🤣🤣 I think you forgot to check your blindspots before moving off 😉

[@DalyTheThird]

@ You’re correct. Any good driver would check such a thing.

[@Sanyey]

Fun and driving in a big city doesn't sound fun to me.. I have a licence and cars since 2004, driving every single day ever since , and still hate it when I need to drive on a highway, or in the middle of Budapest instead of my small Hungarian town in the south east..

[@bryanbrowning5746]

Back in the 70’s, a friend’s grandparents had a gold Checker wagon. That was such a reliable beast! After his grandparents passed, he inherited it, and still has it for Sunday cruises. It’s still going strong, and he keeps it in top shape.

[@towgod7985]

Good to hear the car is still in the family and in good hands. Well done , Cheers.

[@EdsAutoReviews]

Keep the heritage and memories alive!

[@Sashazur]

We were a Checker family and we also had a gold wagon! It wasn’t originally that color but my mom had it repainted - the work was done for free in exchange for artwork she did for them. We also had at one time or another a dark green checker limo (which was slightly stretched compared to the regular model) and a white sedan. They were huge reliable boats, with hardly any steering feel or road feedback.

[@danbasta3677]

These cars were built to last practically forever. Never see many of them in a junkyard, that is a fact.

[@1234597114]

My high school art teacher in the early 80’s had a blue sedan with a black vinyl top

[@audriusbaranauskas6227]

I from Europe and I always though these cars were Chevys or something, had no idea it's separate brand of cars. Great video!

[@onnirant]

Same! Since the more modern NYC taxis as seen on 90s/00s TV/movies were Crown Victorias mostly, I thought these were some Ford/GM/Chrysler models of yesteryear.

[@michaelmcdermott8022]

They do resemble the 55 Bel Air.

[@robertmoffett3486]

That's not sirprising. They were so generic, they might be almost anything. They did have Chevy drivetrains, at least. All the V8 ones, I believe.

[@mateimarian1937]

Same, I thought they were just a taxi company, didn't know they made their own cars

[@ItsDaJax]

They used some Chrysler/Dodge and AMC drivetrains, but that was it. Everything else was Checker.

[@SSgtBaloo]

On the TV show "Mission Impossible", black-painted Checker Marathons often stood in for communist cars in episodes that took place "behind the iron curtain".

[@larrylaffer3246]

Which is hilarious looking back now as although a bit drab, outdated, and understated by its contemporaries standards; A Checker Cab was still probably a million times better than any car actually found there. Both in creature comforts and overall build quality.

[@EdsAutoReviews]

Aah thank you for mentioning that! I tried to look for footage of Checkers used as 'soviet' cars, but couldn't find it. Now I know what to look for!

[@markrossow6303]

Yep.

[@markrossow6303]

​@@larrylaffer3246 Facts

[@markrossow6303]

​@@larrylaffer3246 Facts

[@skylinefever]

I like this Checker Cab documentary. I like cars that can take an incredible beating and survive. That's why I like old diesel Benzes, Volvo bricks, and the Ford Crown Vic. My dad lived in NYC in 1960s and 1970s, so he recognizes them instantly. 15:08 This makes me think of something funny my dad said about cars back then. He used to own a 1979 Toyota Corolla. He told my grandmother that he could park his Toyota Corolla on the hood o her Chrysler Imperial.

[@christopheryoung3356]

I always loved riding in a Checker cab. My parents didn't have a car when I was growing up, so we mostly walked or took public transportation. When there was an occasion worthy of ordering a cab and a Checker pulled up, I knew I was in for a nice roomy, comfortable ride.

[@andrewfischer8564]

same.

[@samuelreis8784]

I can't believe it, I said to myself that someone should make a video about them ... and ideally eds auto reviews ... and suddenly here is exactly what I wanted 😮

[@MrMont-ue8kh]

Oh my God! I remember watching a film in the 70s in middle school (yes - 16 mm film threaded through a school projector) about Checker Cabs in shop class (Industrial Arts). The only thing I remember is seeing a Checker Cab being tested by being drive through a series of concrete blocks. Built like a tank, apparently. Of course this is the same shop class where 12 year olds used actual soldering irons where you had to put them in the kiln to heat them up to red hot. And the teacher smelled like what I later realized to be hard liquor.

[@piuthemagicman]

I don't know about you Americans but in Finland we have mandatory metal fabrication classes from 13 years old in elementary school. Angle grinders, lathes, drills, welding, all of it. :)

[@robertmoffett3486]

The shop teacher in my junior high school was in charge of a supply room across the hall. He'd get the class started on their projects, then disappear. Everyone knew, and nobody cared. He was a nice guy, and a good teacher.

[@Low760]

​@@piuthemagicmanthey don't in Australia or America unless it's special schools.

[@kutter_ttl6786]

​@@piuthemagicmanI don't think it was common, but when I was going to school in Canada, shop class was madatory at my school for grades 7-8 (12-13 yrs). The first semester would be woodworking, and the second semester would be metal fabrication.

[@davidcoudriet8439]

@MrMont-ue8kh LOL! so true!

[@john1703]

I love the 1930s model M car at 2:34. Those wonderful headlights and hood vents. In London, the equivalent age taxi was an Austin 12, as seen in Poirot on TV.

[@d.e.b.b5788]

I will have to check out Poirot again; was that the default for the 'black cab' that showed up in so many British TV shows and movies? Also, how was the space in those cabs? The reason I lamented the passing of the Checker cabs, was the lack of legroom in the back of all the other taxis in the back seats. yes, adequate for short people, but only Checker offered a comfortable back seat ride from Manhattan to one of the airports.

[@brian3174]

Shouldn't remove icons FX lots nicer than metro cab and FX built 2-3 decades

[@jergervasi3331]

Nice to see you appearing in the videos!

[@EdsAutoReviews]

Sometimes you have to mix it up a little!

[@mbryson2899]

From '79 to '81 I swapped labor for training at a Chicago area auto shop. I did a lot of minor repairs and a ton of maintenance on Checker Marathons. They were _lovely_ to work on, they were built for it. Hindsight is 20/20. I should have eschewed chasing fancy cars, the Marathon was pretty near perfect at the mission.

[@markrossow6303]

Yep.

[@webstercat]

I was a hack in Boston driving Checkers late 70s. The bad ones were referred to as shit boxes. They are what you get when you first start driving.

[@GeraldBradshaw-j2t]

In the late 70's a shipmate Walter Koch Had a Marathon that had belonged to his grandfather. On the weekends a bunch of us would pile in and road trip from New London CT to upstate NY. It was a fun car.

[@haroldobrien4322]

Very interesting. I had a brother in law that owned a couple, as daily drivers. He absolutely loved them.

[@rockoyouthman]

No brand has ever more accurately reflected my personality with a product! Oh how I WISH there were a checker today in the auto landscape.

[@61rampy65]

Back in the 70's I always thought it would be fun to install rear air shocks, side pipes exhaust, and 'mag' wheels on a Checker. Just as a kind of middle finger to the establishment. It never happened, and in fact, I've only ridden in a Checker once, when I was about 7. Love your videos, Ed!

[@brian3174]

Barry White has drag racing checker in his speedshop

[@robertdennis550]

We had a Checker Dealership in my Hometown of Union, New Jersey that closed down in the very late 1970s. It had a small showroom with room for 2 vehicles. They usually had a sedan and a station wagon. Those cars were built like tanks.

[@fishinmusician-h3i]

remember it well.I beleive the name of the dealer was Nemeth Motors on morris ave

[@PeterGonet]

I would have bought one in a heartbeat!

[@richtruesdell7276]

I too grew up in Union, New Jersey, moving to Watchung in the summer of 1967 when I was 12 after sixth grade at Hamilton School. Wasn’t the Checker dealership in the old De Soto dealership across from a post office near the overpasses for Route 22 and the Garden State Parkway?

[@robertdennis550]

@richtruesdell7276 yes, that's it.

[@Fevebblefester]

I worked for a company that used a Checker for city deliveries. For all the reasons listed plus how much stuff you could cram into it. The owners wife was so impressed by these she bought her own fancy one in 1976 to used for her real estate business. She drove it for at least 10 years.

[@theprinceofsnj]

It was good to see you in person. The folding seats are called jump seats.

[@blautens]

Another great episode, Ed. Taking on Checker as a subject isn't easy - there is a scant amount of documentation, often conflicting, because as you said - it was just a tool/appliance, not a car that was heavily promoted, loved, or collected. It didn't help that because they were a small company, a lot of the engines and other parts were outsourced and would change rapidly during assembly without much thought. Thanks!

[@RVA1954]

I used to work in Kalamazoo and have visited the factory there. Also have great memories of taxi rides to airports and while visiting Chicago and other big cities a long time ago. Thanks for the great video! And yes I too clicked on it as soon as I saw it! ❤️

[@michaelmcdermott8022]

Thank you for this very interesting and informative video. Based on the durability of the Checker, I think that the manufacturer in Kalamazoo, MI missed out on a great opportunity by not creating a marketing strategy to the general public in North America. I grew up in a family of six. On our only family road trip in the Summer of1970, we traveled from St. Louis, MO to Milwaukee, WI (approximately 400 miles or 649 Km through Chicago). Our family was extremely cramped in our 1970 Chevy Bel Air for the 8 hour duration of the trip. It is still possibly the best vacation of my 65 years but the ride to our destination and back home were unbearable. My father was never intetested in fancy automobiles. After watching this video, I think ride would have been just a joyous as our holiday was.😊😊😊

[@jamesslick4790]

They DID market "civilian" versions to the general public. It was a niche market, And it HAD to be, If they were extremely popular, Checker could have never made them in Chevy like numbers. It was a small company with one factory.

[@Wiencourager]

They did , but not many . My dad bought a new checker Superba in 1963. When that rusted out he bought a used 65 Marathon

[@jamesslick4790]

@@Wiencourager I had a neighbor who had a Marathon in the '60s-'70s (I don't know what model year it was, And that's kind of the point..) He had it for YEARS. The "statement" made by buying a Checker is that you want a long lasting car (A Zippo lighter of a car, if you will). Same can be said of later buyers of the Volvo 240 . SOLID, SIMPLE and just WORKS. They were the opposite of "fast fashion". And that was a GOOD thing.

[@aubreysmith4538]

I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD FIND A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT CHECKERS INTERESTING AND ENTERTAINING.....BUT THAT'S WHY YOU ARE SO GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO. FROM ROD SERLING INTRODUCING THE AUSTRALIAN CAR EPISODE....TO THE "THEY'RE COMING TO GET ME" NORTH KOREA CAR EPISODE. YOU NOT ONLY DO YOUR HOMEWORK, BUT YOUR EPISODES ARE AN ABSOLUTE CRACK-UP. I NEVER GET TIRED OF IT. CHALON.

[@no1DdC]

SEEMS LIKE YOUR CAPS LOCK KEY IS BROKEN.

[@busman2050]

Turn off your cap lock you are yelling

[@maingate7672]

In other words, it's a vehicle that's durable, sensible and iconic. I've always admired this car; it makes a plain statement. It says, ''I'm here, I'm my own man and don't need recognition from anyone to feel significant.

[@j.granger1120]

Thanks so muck Ed. I have worked in automotive parts for 35 years. I always felt I missed the golden years of American automotive creativity. Your channel is a pleasure to me.

[@asteverino8569]

I got to ride in a checker cab once. Visiting New York City in 1987. Such a part of the New York I knew from movies, (especially Woody Allen movies) and TV. Thanks Ed.

[@fenn_fren]

That's funny to think of. For you, the Checker Marathon was THE New York car, for me it's the Ford Crown Victoria. I wonder what the younger generation's one will be.

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

@@fenn_fren isn't that the police car?

[@fenn_fren]

@@HappyBeezerStudios It's both, really. As I said: THE New York car. Didn't specifically mention it being a taxi nor patrol.

[@jppitman1]

Once for me, too, and I couldn’t believe how much room there was in it.

[@rekleif]

You Dutch people are some of the best tourists we get every summer, and almost all I have met have been such lovely people. I even like Max Verstappen. Thanks for the video, very informative and professional. God bless and lots of love from Norway. New subscriber and this video really earned that sub.

[@georgepainter7364]

When I was in the Army at Ft Gordon, I once caught a checker cab to the airport. To my surprise there was another 9 soldiers in the cab, a bit tight, but we all made it to the airport with all our duffel bags on the roof as well!!

[@ThorTheGiant]

I had no idea that Checker was an actual manufacturer of taxis. I always assumed it was a taxi company. I always learn something watching your videos Ed. Thanks

[@jerrywood4508]

Once again, you've shown me things I'd never seen before. I've seen a lot of movies from after World War 2, and I recognize the De Sotos that were popular cabs back then. I've probably seen some of those early Checker models, but didn't recognize them. But I'm sure I would remember if I'd ever seen one of those art deco models. Unlike anything else on the road.

[@leonb2637]

I rode in a few of them in the 1980's-early 1990's when working in NY City. Early models used engines by Continental, from the mid-1960's using Chevy I-6 and small block V-8's due to pollution regulations. That they had frames and bolted body fenders made them easier to fix after crashes. Some of the longer in use ones by the late 1980's had to add braces over the back window to cut down on looseness in the body joints. Also, the yellow of cabs was likely originally used by a company called the Yellow Cab company, a Chicago based taxicab operator. Due to violent 'wars' with Checker, it sold out to them. The owner of Yellow Cab was a Mr. Hertz, the founder of Hertz Car Rental, that to this day uses yellow and black for its branding colors.

[@Sashazur]

The front and rear door sheet metal was the same too, another benefit for maintenance.

[@j.granger1120]

They were really a coach builder. But a good one. The London cabs are comparable.

[@markrossow6303]

Yep.

[@kevinfox500]

Ed. My wife sends her thanks for covering the checker marathon. Her Dad bought a 71 back in the late 70s. Former local company was closing, and selling off its fleet. Became a father daughter project in her teens, finished the year he passed. Willed it to her. Car made our wedding pictures. Groomsmen ring demon in it, bridesmaids in the 58 Belvedere. We rode in a friend's 68 Bonneville wagon. She works at a gaming facility, and drove the marathon a few times at the end of cruise season. Even from the Back lot, it drew a crowd.

[@robertmoffett3486]

My uncle was a very practical and industrlous guy. He finally replaced his 1950 Plymouth station wagon with a Checker wagon in 1968. It had a Chevy 327 (5.7) V8. That surprised me, as just one year earlier, he had demanded to know, "Who needs more than 95 horsepower?". We do, uncle, we do.

[@Al-thecarhistorian]

Great video! When I was in undergraduate school (1966 to 1970) I had a close friend who drove the family truckster-a 1965 a Checker Marathon 4-door sedan. WOW! The leg room in the rear was out of sight. If I recall it was powered by a Chevy 283 and Turbo-HydraMatic. What a different car than the Bugs, Catalinas, Mustangs, Impalas and LTDs of the time. I was impressed.

[@chuckdeyo291]

The Gilmore Car Museum in Michigan has a wonderful room full of Checkers. It's a must see.

[@JEBell79]

The whole museum is truly a gem!

[@j887276]

Great video. I feel like this is exactly the type of car we need considering economic conditions & the big brands focusing on trucks & suvs. Not many affordable, reliable, utilitarian cars out here.

[@concernedcitizen9466]

I loved those cars. If they were still being made, I would have to look into buying one. Roomy and reliable.

[@dustin_4501]

Checker made appears in GTA series as the "Cabbie" and also is infamous drive by Travis Bickle play by Robert DeNiro in Taxi Driver.

[@stevejarred6484]

The Checker assembly plant made an appearance as a generic “Detroit” auto assembly plant in the movie Blue Collar that starred Richard Pryor. The movie is worth seeking out!

[@samuelreis8784]

Also in GTA 3 as a "borgnine"

[@DalyTheThird]

I feel like I’ve waited all my life for this! I know the history but I can’t wait to hear you tell it. Beer in hand annnnnnnnd PLAY!!!

[@warren3967]

Not going to bullshit anyone, this channel is simply brilliant. Just like the London Taxis, built for a specific purpose.

[@zackstopzackstop8091]

We need another Checker Automaker. A no nonsense over the top, cram as much tech in, but simply a straight forward no BS automaker. It's damn near impossible to get a solid, reliable new car nowadays

[@kellybanning2013]

Let alone practical, affordable parts, not $300.00 headlights, etc.

[@Tacko14]

I'd so much have been a Checker guy. I'd have been snobby about it, too. Ed, of course you know the 404 and 504 pick up trucks they sold at the Mammouth in France. Meant for local farmers. So basic they were exotic in a way, only France had those. I think that's where I got infected with the minimalist bug. Hubcaps? Poopoo, you showoff. Beige paint and vynil trim, extra strong live rearaxle, that's what you want. A nylon tent for the flatbed is an optional luxury.

[@andreamassara590]

I don't know very much about 404 pick ups, but it's sure 504 were sold all over Europe.

[@Tacko14]

​@@andreamassara590true. But you had to have that cardboard beige or babyblue diesel pick up without hubcaps you got at the supermarket. Those were special

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

If you mean the Peugeot 504, the pickup massively reminds me of the VW Caddy, especially the 1979-2007 model 14D and the 1995-2000 model 9U

[@maxsmodels]

I looked at buy a retired Checker as they have a lot of room. They were still more expensive than I expected.

[@sheldonduffy9442]

This was GREAT!!! Thanks! I really enjoyed the history lesson. Since so many were destroyed many of these may actually be a collectors item!

[@billbammerlin4666]

When I was a kid in the 60s there was a guy that raced a Checker Marathon at the local oval tracks around northern Ohio. He would take the outside lane and pass all the other cars. It was a great time to see a taxicab beat the raccars.

[@robertmoffett3486]

I already knew the history. I came here to enjoy Ed's work. Excellent stuff, as always.

[@robertscheinost179]

Back in the '60's, every town had a rock 'n roll band that would play gigs in the general area for a few Dollars and expenses. My good friend was in the top band in my town of about 50,000 people and used to get gigs each weekend. They covered a radius of about 40 miles, playing at High School dances and teen centers. One day he asked me if I would be the "Road Manager" for the band. The job paid $10 for the night. Hey, I'm 16, have a license to drive and it was a good reason to stay out until 3:00 AM on a weekend. What's not to like? The band had a Checker as a band vehicle. My job was to move the equipment, drive the Checker and provide security. We had a blast with it all! This lasted for about a year or so until I went in the Navy. Let me assure you that the Checker hauled 3 guitars, all of the amplifiers, a complete drum set and 6 guys with room to spare. To me, it was a "beater" that couldn't be beat into the ground from all of the abuse it took. The Checker was the car that I have the most memories of, 55 years down the line. I would love to buy an old Checker and have it for weekend use but it's really hard to find a good one for a reasonable price these days. Thanks Ed, good one!

[@DeadBrokeRanch]

Great job! My grandfather was a taxi driver for Checker

[@JDevine687]

That museum looks amazing! A first gen Celica coupe next to TWO 2000GT's!

[@luvr381]

Keeping the cars the same for so many years must have seriously reduced the cost of spare parts too.

[@EdsAutoReviews]

I have not mentioned it, but Checker was very much profitable until the very end. Only after like one or two years of making a loss, they decided to quit the taxi market. I think the cost (or lack thereof) of production and spare parts played a big role in that.

[@Ralphie_Boy]

I had the opportunity and enjoyment of driving a brand new Yellow Marathon Checker Cab out of Metro Systems in Queens Boro Plaza NY. in the mid-1970s, what I've noticed is that the rear jumper seats depicted in this video are way more luxurious than that were installed in our cars. Ed, Thanks for taking me back to my hacking days!

[@rdmineer1]

I rode in a Marathon only once. Was 2-3 years old, but the space in the back left an indelible impression. Yes, it was yellow.

[@robertmoffett3486]

Yeah, when I was a tot, I thought those folding "jump seats" were brilliant. They certainly were unique

[@Randrew]

I rode in a Marathon during a lot of my youth. Our host here called them "Checker people" but I always knew them as "Checker nuts", with my dad being one of the nuttiest ;) He came to like Checkers somehow, then started a cab company running used Checkers. That only lasted a couple of years, but his Checker collecting didn't stop. At one point we counted that he owned 26 Checkers at the same time. Out of those 26 only 3 or 4 would actually run. When he died I think he was down to only about 12 cars, many of them incomplete. We sold the best ones off to other members of the Checker Car Club of America and the rest were crushed for scrap. No real loss on those that were crushed - if the other Checker nuts didn't want them, they weren't wantable.

[@JonosBtheMC]

7:30 Respect for keeping the XG350

[@brickhead_07]

The Louwman museum/car collection is the best I’ve ever been to, worth a visit!

[@ItsDaJax]

The Checker Marathon is one of my dream cars.

[@hamptondjs]

Drove one in college. It was a promo vehicle owned by the radio station that I worked for. I believe it was a 79 or 80/81. Had a clone Ford pickup steering wheel and instrument cluster🙌🏻

[@MoparTechWill]

Ive never clicked on a video so fast

[@mikebaginy8731]

What a delightful video! I recall those Checker Aerobuses, thanks for a trip down memory lane.

[@volktales7005]

There is a yellow with blue fenders Checker that is daily driven in my city on Vancouver Island. See that distinctive car everywhere!

[@rickm.2956]

I remember long, cold snowy or rainy days shopping with Mom downtown. Sometimes she would splurge and hail a Checker Cab. It's hard to describe how warm and and comforting it was hopping in one of these roomy beautiful relics.

[@kevinhitchner6347]

I owned a 1967 Checked A11, that was originally purchased by my grandfather. It was his second Checker, the first being a 1956. Both were the commercial version, so they were very basic. 1967 was the last year for the drip rail over the windshield, with a taller windshield starting in 1968. Thanks for the video!

[@timlabell]

Great video my grandfather gave me a 1963 checker marathon , it was never a taxi cab it was bought new and it was a really wonderful car. It was awesome snd everyone had a blast I had 11 people in that car at 1 tim😊

[@vinnydaq13]

A high school classmate had a Checker Marathon in a beautiful shade of purple. What a glorious beast! 👑

[@trafalgerdavis7839]

Great work here, Ed. I agree that Checker van concept is probably the first mini van.

[@gradyhayes8570]

Back in the 60's we had one with the folding seats. I remember summers picking up friends and mom taking us to the rec center to swim. That was a great time to be a kid.

[@FoundonthestreetUSA]

Happy to see my old green Checker Model A8 in your video!!!!!! Owned that car for 25 years. Post World War II Checkers were engineered by Herb Snow, the chassis design is essentially a copy of his 1931 Auburn design. Styling was performed by Raymond Dietrich. BTW, Checker Motors ran a remanufacturing operation in Kalamazoo for their longtime fleet customers post 1982. The remanufacture operation kept Checkers on the city streets across the US for another 15 years. Taxi operators could have entire fleets refreshed and put back out the streets. As late as 1997, Checker Motors sold two remanufacture units to Nike Corp. for their inner city "Swosh" advertising campaign.

[@stevem048]

Great video. Thanks for bringing back a childhood memory. My neighbor in the 1970s (Queens NY) only drove Marathons. He had a purple car followed by a black car. They seemed massive to a little kid. He also still heated his house with coal so he wasn’t a huge fan of modernization. The post war van looked a little like an early drawing of a Cybertruck.

[@UraniumBullets]

Fantastic video! As someone who has been daily driving a '76 Checker for over a year now I gotta say I think you did a really great job exploring the history of the brand and their flagship car. Bravo!

[@singlesideman]

So many memories. My ex's father had a 1960 Marathon station wagon in black and a 1977 sedan in lime green. He was just like your description (you really nailed that - impressive). He and his wife had kids when they were older, and they were young adults during the Great Depression which formed their way of thinking. Also, Louwmans is so very Dutch.

[@We_All_Seek_Truth]

Robert De Niro, Cybill Shepherd, Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd... These are the people I associate with Checker cabs. I'm sure there are more.

[@ErikHare]

I remember that when checker went under there were a lot of Peugeot 505s and 604s used as taxis in New York. They had a reputation for being rugged and reliable. Times have changed

[@EdsAutoReviews]

Most likely because of their diesel engines I assume? I also read there were serious plans to install diesel engines in Checkers at the time

[@jesnor93]

@@EdsAutoReviews I don't think those would have passed emissions.

[@robertmoriarty925]

When I grew up in the 70s we had a family that had 2 Checkers. They had 8 kids and these were their family cars. They always stood out. Cool cars!

[@Thinginator]

I wish someone would make reproduction Checker Model A bodies like how reproduction Ford, Willys and Mercury bodies exist for hot rods. It would allow for more interesting and accurate movie cars for films set in the 30s and 40s, and it would be an interesting option for custom car builders as well. There actually was a plan to revive Checker a few years ago, under a law allowing up to 500 classic car replicas to be built by a company each year and be fully road legal, exempt from safety and emissions restrictions. Interestingly, the revived Checker company didn't intend to build exact replicas, but rather limousine and ute versions of the Marathon using diesel and LS7 V8 engines. Sadly, nothing seems to have ever come of this, perhaps because replicas with new body styles weren't close enough to the original to actually qualify as replicas. Too bad, as an LS V8 Checker ute sounds pretty cool imo.

[@Dogapult]

Honestly, as interesting as they are to us car nerds, I have to imagine the issue came down to a lack of interest from the general public. They would have been pretty expensive, and I bet even selling 500 a year would have been a challenge.

[@dvdw_graphics_crafts]

13:40 Oh my, gorgeous station wagon there : )))))

[@donaldvincent]

One of my all time favorite cars!

[@hardcorehardo]

My father used to run a cab business here in Germany and he told me a taxi is the hardest job there is for a car. Constant city driving, leaving engines running to keep the drivers warm, dozens of people using the seats every day and vomiting in the back and so on.

[@mikeweizer3149]

Being a Taxi and ofcoarse being a Police Car as well. That's why the Ford Crown Vics lasted as long as they did, The Ford Crown Victoria's were damn good Taxis and Police Cars!!!!!.

[@captlazer5509]

​@mikeweizer3149 been to the Ford factory where they made the Crown Victoria. The aluminum drive shaft used in the police cars you could pick up with one arm.

[@1_Papa]

Once, and for a few times before he had to stop driving altogether, my dad let me drive the Yellow cab he leased. It was a 1978. It had a 4.1 litre (250 cid) in-line six cylinder engine and a steering wheel from Chevrolet. It was brand new, and it felt solid! If only cars of today prioritized quality over gadgets and gimmicks, they'd make profit selling affordable, high-quality vehicles. Now, even Toyota's reputation is questionable. 😢

[@Dogapult]

Friends in the industry described the end of Checker Cab production as a bit merciful. Fit and finish of the parts and final assemblies continued to worsen as molds wore out at the cash-strapped plant and the cars, while sturdy and dependable, really began to feel their 1950s origins. A friend drove a brand new 1980 model as part of a testing program for a major manufacturer, and said he thought he'd been given a 60s used up taxi by mistake! On the other hand, I love them. I missed an opportunity to buy one some years ago, but if another old Checker taxi comes up, I'm snagging it.

[@thomasr9826]

I the early 70s my uncle worked for a college in south central Michigan, it had a fleet of Checker Airobus. On Several occasions, my cousin and I would drive the cars to Kalamazoo for maintenance. Two of my uncles owned Checkers, one had a1970 Marathon and the other had a Checker station wagon. Great cars, incredibly spacious.

[@luciusvorenus9445]

Always wanted a Checker Marathon. An unpretentious, utilitarian American made car.

[@sanseijedi]

Really nice compendium! Thank you very much..

[@petergeyer7584]

Growing up in Chicago in the early 1970s, my neighbors had a Checker Marathon. I loved climbing around in that car. It was VAST!

[@abraorafa]

I ADORE your videos. Please, make one talking about my fav classic, '57 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser. It's history is very interesting, starting from its origins in the '56 XM Turnpike Cruiser (whose prototype, which was transported across the US in its own truck, was abandoned and was completely restored by a restorer) through to the 1957 Indy 500 Pace car and the limited edition convertible in an exclusive color, Sunglitter. Besides, the tailfin designed by Mercury has a lot of personality, it goes beyond the obvious. I'm sure it will make a great video. Hugs from Brazil.

[@LogicAndReason2025]

I worked for Cozy Cab of Newport RI for many years and they had one Checker Marathon that had gone near a million miles and dozens of engines. I think it was not finally retired until the guy (Charlie?) who drove it exclusively retired in the early 90s. I drove the airport shuttle, but by then they were using 14 passenger vans.

[@felixthecatinthehat]

This was a fantastic video. Very interesting. I have often wondered about getting a checker cab into Australia as a car club car.

[@maxsmodels]

I posted a link to this video so my viewers can watch this video. I was shocked to find that there were no kit models of the famous checker cab by wither AMT or MPC.

[@aodhganmerrimac]

They were amazing automobiles & perfectly suited for their role. I rode in many Marathons in my younger days.

[@bettertvreceptionwithfoilf7100]

I knew the VP, and his son has been one of my best friends since HS. Rode in 2 different Marathons, several times. Smooth and big. Rode in an experimental X-11 that had been stretched, from Kalamazoo to Ludington. That was a nice cruiser, for an X car, and a prototype. That's the car at 18:19 The blue X-11. The extra window was plexiglass.

[@felixlafuente9714]

The same happened to the vw beetle here in México. They used to be everywhere, as particular cars as taxis. Now they have almost disappeared... Sadly for us

[@Hollandsemum2]

I last rode a checker cab in the mid 80s. I *miss* them. They were the absolute best. Easy to get in & out of, even for 3 people w Christmas shopping bags, and unbelievably comfortable considering how bench like the seats looked. *Much* more comfortable than the cars ised for cabs today.

[@jamesford2942]

I like the way they look and their durability. I really appreciate your take on American cars. So glad you don't use AI and a fake voice.

[@ianbarber311]

1971, my grandmother sent me to a summer school/camp. On fridays we would go camping all over Tennessee. On one trip in the mountains, in an 8 door, winding along a skinny road on the side of a mountain, the rear tire slipped and the car sat beached. We got out so fast! Close to rolling down the mountain. A dozen 6th graders and one counselor pushed it back on the road. Driver was extra careful after that!!

[@InfiniteLoop]

a friend of mine's dad had a Bar here in town and he had a Stretch Checker Station wagon decked out in the bars Livery, it was used for special events and when it was "off Duty" we would drive it around town, after the bar closed no idea what happened to it, but it was a great car, I miss it.

[@freeplayfrank7736]

in the 90's, I saw two checkers on the scrap pile, and was pissed that nobody offered them to me first. Rightly so, they were the last two in my area, except for a few owned by movie prop rental agencies. Thanks great video.

[@bossfan49]

I like the green ones.

[@mrluckyuncle]

Your presentation, production and editing are excellent.

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

My dad told me a story of when he was in a Checker cab in New York in the 60s, the driver was distracted and a bit drunk and drove into a wall at some speed. The passengers were fine, the car was dented but fine - the wall was not.

[@damsam4369]

My pop was a nyc cabbie. The first cab he owned was a checker. What a tank. Full gauges and a bullet proof shield

[@paullopez7561]

Ahhhh yes !! Good memories. When my mom would hail a taxi in NYC It was a boxy checker

[@vulkar59]

Very delightful. Thanks for the great video.

[@GrahamGibby]

A major topic Ed left out was that Checker bought all their drivetrain components from major automakers, and the configuration would change as suppliers did. I was able to get a shop manual for my '74 Marathon with 'translations' of the Checker parts to the OEM part numbers. Mine had a Chevy V8 motor and a Buick transmission, if memory serves. It was a great 'shadetree mechanic' car for sure, but I prefer my '22 Hyundai Tucson in every way.