1981 Checker Marathon - Something Blue

People buy old, worn-out fleet vehicles primarily because they're looking for a cheap vehicle that can be rejuvenated fairly inexpensively. That's harder to do these days since fleet vehicles, just like most cars today, are so technologically dense that even dealership mechanics can struggle to diagnose problems. Even if you can do the work yourself, figuring out what's wrong in the first place is more than half the struggle; then there's the cost of the parts, which can be prohibitive.

That wasn't necessarily the case years ago. Some hearty folks used to buy old police cars and taxi cabs, tweak them here and there, and then run them further into the ground. Few actually fixed them up as nicely as the man who bought this 1981 Checker Marathon did in 1995.

This had been a Cleveland, Ohio, taxicab. He made whatever repairs it needed and painted over its yellow paint in this pretty shade of what's described as "robin's egg blue." The top is painted white. Then he used it as his daily driver for more than twenty years.

If this car looks a lot older than something that was built and sold in 1981, that was not so much by design as by company operating philosophy.

Checker Corporation of Kalamazoo, Michigan, introduced the basic design that would become its famous Marathon in the late 1950s and continued building essentially the same basic body and chassis through 1982. The Marathon name itself was introduced for the 1961 model year. The idea was that incremental changes and improvements would be made as needed, while the basic body and rugged chassis would remain largely unchanged.

Built on a rugged body-on-frame chassis, Checkers were known for their durability, reliability and cavernous interiors, especially when compared with many other cars of the era. Their heavy-duty construction was particularly well suited to the punishment of taxi service.

Chevrolet often supplied the engines, and this one is powered by a Chevrolet-built 229-cu.-in. V-6.  Like the Checker itself, it's a relatively straightforward, durable engine that, aside from doing its assigned tasks with unassuming aplomb, is remarkable in how unremarkable it is.

Engines weren't the only parts glommed from the General Motors parts bin. Keen-eyed spotters will note that this is a late-'70's\'80's Chevrolet steering wheel affixed to a GM Saginaw steering column. Looks as out of place here as modern rims do on classic cars, but it gets the job done. 

Checker also sold cars directly to the public, although the vast majority of its production went to commercial and fleet customers. The company's consumer-market efforts began in earnest in 1959, and the A12 Marathon followed in 1961.

Sadly, the man who bought this old Cleveland taxi eventually became ill and passed away, His car sat in his garage for several years, unused and falling into disrepair. In 2022, as a tribute to his late father, his son restored the car to running condition. It was most recently used as "something blue" in his wedding.

Needing room in his garage for his children's toys, he has it for sale now on Marketplace, less than a half-hour south of the Triple Wide. Actual mileage is unknown, best bet is it's north of 200K. There is some frame rot. Asking price is $4,250.