The Checker Marathon was the last model from the company, in production from 1960 to 1982 when the company ceased to sell cars. After that they continued to be a contractor of stamped metal parts to GM and others. The company went bankrupt in 2009.
There was a family in our town who bought new Checkers right up until they stopped making them. We also had an Avanti dealer (and gas station combo). Unfortunately I was too hung up on Camaros and Firebirds during that time to have paid much attention.
Deep into the nineties- or even later, my wife hailed a cab which was a Checker. As she got out at her destination, she complimented the driver on the car. He drove off, only to stop and then back up to thank her for the compliment. Two happy people.
As a kid, when my parents drove us somewhere, I was usually squashed into the back seat of our car with two of my brothers, often in the middle.
Checker made a long wheel base version of the Marathon. Once I rode in the taxi version in Chicago and was amazed at the room in the back (plus the rear floor board was almost flat, just a slight hump for the drive shaft). I also thought the Marathon had very good looks, except that it had 4 headlights instead of 2. (Any animal that has 4 eyes looks freakish.) When I got older, I daydreamed about buying one, but of course I didn't have the money.
There was a family in our town who bought new Checkers right up until they stopped making them. We also had an Avanti dealer (and gas station combo). Unfortunately I was too hung up on Camaros and Firebirds during that time to have paid much attention.
ReplyDeleteDeep into the nineties- or even later, my wife hailed a cab which was a Checker. As she got out at her destination, she complimented the driver on the car. He drove off, only to stop and then back up to thank her for the compliment. Two happy people.
ReplyDeleteAs a kid, when my parents drove us somewhere, I was usually squashed into the back seat of our car with two of my brothers, often in the middle.
ReplyDeleteChecker made a long wheel base version of the Marathon. Once I rode in the taxi version in Chicago and was amazed at the room in the back (plus the rear floor board was almost flat, just a slight hump for the drive shaft). I also thought the Marathon had very good looks, except that it had 4 headlights instead of 2. (Any animal that has 4 eyes looks freakish.) When I got older, I daydreamed about buying one, but of course I didn't have the money.
Jack from Illinois