1975 Checker Marathon

The Checker Marathon was the taxi. For 60 years, Checker Motors did one thing exceptionally well: build taxicabs. While Detroit chased styling trends and planned obsolescence, Checker kept building the same basic car because it worked. The Marathon's massive doors could open wide enough to load a gurney or wheelchair. The jump seats turned it into a six-passenger vehicle. The body-on-frame construction survived urban abuse that would kill lesser cars. When you picture a yellow NYC cab from any movie made between 1960 and 1990, you're picturing a Checker. They didn't build exciting cars. They built monuments to durability.

Most Checkers lived hard lives in taxi service, accumulating hundreds of thousands of miles before retirement. Survivors fall into two categories: taxi refugees with character (and probably some rust) and carefully preserved civilian models that were always rare. The paint quality was industrial, not automotive — expect imperfections. Patina is authentic on a Checker; over-restoration misses the point.

Checker used GM drivetrains — mostly Chevrolet V8s and TH350/TH400 automatics — so mechanical parts are easy and cheap. Body panels and trim are another story; these are scarce and expensive. The Marathon was designed for 300,000+ miles of taxi service, so mechanically sound examples have plenty of life left. The massive size (120-inch wheelbase) makes parking challenging. Fuel economy is poor. The appeal is the conversation it starts, not the driving experience.