I don’t know a whole lot about Checkers, but I think the silver one’s a Marathon. The green one appears to have done service as a taxicab. Stainless steel Ventshades all around! I bet the owner knows—or maybe also is—the owner of this de luxe Marathon not far away:
CHECKER used mainly for taxi service, also built virtually indestructible vehicles for private use. A local business man bought two for his sons after both had been injured wrecking their sports cars. Boys were not happy 😔 😒, but grudgingly drove them without further injuries. Personally like the fact that they looked the same for so many years. RETRO CHIC?
Where I grew up there weren’t a lot of taxis and I was fascinated by Checkers. At the age of 8 or 10 I filled out a response form from a tiny Checker ad in the back of a magazine, and mailed it in to get a brochure. A week or so later our phone rang during dinner and I was sent to answer it. The caller asked to speak with “the man of the house” (this would have been around 1965-66). My dad grudgingly got up – he hated calls at dinner time – and sounded confused on the phone at first, then angry as he figured out that this was a Checker salesman looking for a potential sale. And he was even angrier with me when he got back to the table. My Dad had no interest in cars, never even drove and maybe didn’t know what a Checker was. As I recall I never got the brochure.
About 20 years ago I had a 1972 Checker Marathon that had originally been ordered as a private car. Best vintage vehicle I have ever owned, hands down. Easy to work on and a great vehicle in all the ways that make a for a solid daily driver.
Always good to see a Checker CC. I’ve commented before about our 1968 Marathon sedan family car. 230 ci I6, 3-speed manual, non-power brakes and steering. Not completely indestructible as the rocker panels and floor were rusting after 18 years. I regret selling it in 1986. But I didn’t have a place to keep the Checker or my 1961 LeSabre, and I needed a reliable car to drive.
We had a blue ‘68 non-marathon, but had it had a 307, air conditioning and pinky-steer.
That green one would really benefit from being moved off the grass before it sinks any further.
Nice looking Dart.
Thank you. That was my Dart.
Sure got my attention!
I agree with Rick W above. Keeping the same basic car for so long was of interest to me. I’ve often thought about why auto makers don’t offer at least one truly basic old school car for those who really don’t like the frills. Keep it simple, make it from old tech that has been tested in real life and make it heavy duty. Of course they would need to keep up with the safety and EPA mandates, but it could and should be done.
Dan, that’s really a neat idea. It’s a bit like how Apple sells (at least currently) the iPhone SE along with considerably more spiffy, larger, more festooned with lenses, face-id, blah blah blah, devices. The SE is upgraded to have more or less modern internals but lacks many of the bells and whistles subsequent iterations of phones have added. Most important, it has a smaller screen-size than the rest of the lineup (mostly) and is great for those users who want a basic device that also, btw, fits into their pants pocket. It’s my phone of choice…and also is the phone that more than half of my friends my age have.
I wish I lived in a world where it made sense to have a similar type of new car.
Haha. Jeff Sun, it’s so funny you bring the I-phone SE up as an example. I also have one (from 2022) and my back up phone/kids phone is the same phone but called the I-phone 7S I think. So your comparison really hit home.
Like I’ve said before, there’s something really great about sliding behind the wheel of my 1988 Cimarron (loaded for the times) and just enjoy the actual drive with the basics. No screens or alerts or gizmos barking at me. Just me, the sound of the engine and maybe some tunes from the FM or cassette player!
I’ve often thought about that: an electric car without all the crap. Radio, yes. “Infotainment system”, no. Internet-connected, no. Over-the-air “upgrades”, no.
Daniel S: When I ordered my Bolt EV, I purposely went with the base model. I did add the package for heated seats/steering wheel (only because I wanted the leather wrap) and the package with the back up sensors. So for a base model, it’s kind of loaded up. But it’s about the most basic EV I could get. When my Onstar and free wifi ended, I didn’t pay for anything and won’t.
There’s just something about basic transportation that is nice.
Oh yes, that’s what so many folks whish! Why have I been using 30 – 50 yr old cars as daily drivers although my employer used to offer leased Benzes? Never felt the need for flashing screens and bling-bling sounds while driving. I want honest engine sound and no assistant systems. Time for assistance is when you move to a retirement home.
Joe
I think we are a unique group. Nobody wants a basic car anymore. Even used cars have many features desired now.
Just so Bob ;
Not all budget buster economy cars were hair shirts .
Too bad no one still likes basic unless it’s a vintage car or truck .
-Nate
If a good condition Marathon station wagon were to come across my radar, that’s one car that I would actually go out of my way to try to find a way to own. Unfortunately – or fortunately, depending on ones perspective – the only ones I’ve ever actually encountered have been so ratty that they’re mostly basket cases.
Here’s a nice one that sold for nearly 30 grand 5 years ago on BaT. Same color as the one in your lede picture. Same year? Who knows? 🙂
Oh, and yes, Nice Dart!
Yeah, old wagons of just about any make-model are hard to find in good shape; they tend to get used up.
That was my ’73 Dart.
Is the “Dart” a “6” , or “8”.?
Click the “my ’73 Dart” link and read all about it!
Your pictured Checker looks to be a 1968 or 1969… or an early 1970 MY that was produced before 1/1/1970. The side marker reflectors (not illuminated) with the center screw are the giveaway.
The two Checkers at the top hail from the latter part of 1977 through 1982, as they switched from old skool to parallel wipers at this point.
Remember seeing a “white” one, like this, in north hills Pgh. As I recall around “Mcknight, Peebles Rd, Babcock Blvd area….
Would a been about “1983-4”. ((college days))
It was “weathered”, had side marker lights/reflectors..
My antique car shop ended up servicing and repairing more than a few Checkers for long-time Checker owners when the only Checker dealership [Standard Pontiac{?} in the Washington DC area if I remember] dropped the marque when Checker closed. I ended up buying 2 Checkers from original owners in the late 1980s; A dark green wagon and a black 7-passenger limousine with a division window, it was a 1981 that had sat at the Checker dealership for at least 2 years unsold, and the first owner bought it really cheap when the place closed. He had a wife and 6 kids, and he used to joke that if the kids were too loud or asked “Are we there yet?” too many times, he could close the division window! My shop serviced both cars I and bought them fairly cheap, because both owners said the cars were worth nothing in trade on a new car. Yeah, they wouldn’t even take one in on trade for $100. I also had a 3rd Checker: an 8 door airport Aerowagon in white that I sold to Sweden in the early 1990s.
Sad to see one just sitting in the grass rusting .
I like Checkers, as mentioned they’re really good drivers .
There’s a small indie garage near my brother’s Man Cave that works on oldies, there are two lock Checkers that occasionally are in for service .
In theory keeping on with the same old thing sounds good but Checker tried it and no one really wanted to buy them so audios .
-Nate
On the other hand: Volvo 144-244. Popular around the world for 27 years.
Daniel ;
Yabbutt _CHECKER_ knowhutimean ? .
-Nate
The 1st time I saw a Checker was when I was in grade school in the ’60’s. A classmates parents (she was 1 of 7 kids) bought a new blue 6 door wagon. They could not close the garage door because the back end stuck out.