But Wait; what are Taxicabs Doing in this Article? > 자유게시판

The 1960-1969 Checker was an opportunity for the general public to own a solid, dependable, no-frills Checker -- a car that they'd trusted for years as a taxi cab. Once you get the right design, Markin figured, it made sense to stick with it. Apart from the Model T Ford, then, few automobiles have exhibited less year-to-year revision than the Checker. Checkers were built tough and driven tough. When Markin entered the business in Chicago, competition from rival John Hertz's Yellow Taxi was anything but genteel. Drivers who were handy with their fists were far more useful than those who merely knew the city streets. Through all those years, Checker cabs rolled regularly out of the plant at Kalamazoo, Michigan. But wait; what are taxicabs doing in this article? They're here because Checker decided to give the general public an opportunity to drive one of the tough and dependable (if unfashionable) super-square sedans themselves.

So for the 1960 model year, Checker took its A8 taxi series, introduced four years earlier, spiffed up the interior, and placed it on sale as the Superba with a $2,542 price tag. A heavier four-door station wagon also went on the market. Except for their interiors and lack of commercial markings, they were virtually identical to the taxis that prowled the streets of nearly every American city. Those who thought the basic model a tad too austere could choose a Special; but even that wasn't quite plush inside. Customers didn't exactly wait in frenzied lines, checkbooks in hand, for a chance to take home a Checker. If Checker taxis could hold up under the rigors of day-and-night operation, buyers reasoned, surely their non-commercial counterparts would also experience impressive longevity. Go to the next page to find out about the styling of the 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969 Checker.

Sizable torque peaked at only 1,400 or 1,800 rpm, permitting smooth acceleration without constant downshifts. Longer in wheelbase than the typical American sedan, Checkers were shorter overall, measuring just 199.5 inches. As many as eight passengers could ride in reasonable comfort inside a Superba, through use of optional twin jump seats in the back, enjoying a hump-free floor. Wide doors made it easy to climb in and out. Wagons adopted the ohv engine as standard. Prices ranged from $2,542 for a Superba sedan to $3,004 for a Marathon wagon. Checker customers had a growing option list, including air conditioning, power steering, and Buy Prime Boosts Boosts Pills an automatic transmission. By the end of the 1960s, the choices included bucket seats, a vinyl roof, two-tone paint, and Powr-Lok rear axle. Sedans reverted to 15-inch tires in 1962. New that year was a Town Custom Limousine on a 129-inch wheelbase (nine inches longer than normal), carrying a hefty $7,500 price tag along with its vinyl top and glassed-in driver's compartment.

Overhead-valve engine output got a boost for Prime Boosts 1963, to 141 horsepower. In 1964 the Superba name was dropped, so all standard-size Checkers were called Marathons. Probably the most significant change was a switch from Continental to Chevrolet engines for 1965. The initial list included a 230-cid six (140 bhp), a 283-cid V-8 (195 bhp) for $110 extra, and 327 V-8 (250 bhp). Either an automatic transmission or overdrive was available, at $248 and $108 (respectively). A Marathon Deluxe sedan came in 1966, as well as a lower-priced ($4,541) limousine. Both dropped out the following year, but soon returned. By that time, the basic Marathon was selling for $3,290, a long-wheelbase Deluxe for $3,983, and the limo went for $4,957. At the end of 1968, Prime Boosts a 327 V-8 cost an extra $108, and the 350 V-8 brought $194. Perkins diesel power also was available, at an eye-opening $1,279. Checker production slumped in the 1970s when Morris Markin died and his son David took over. By mid-1982, the final Checker rolled off the assembly line. The fact that so many Checkers remain on the street, both in taxi and privately owned form, attests to the practical design and rugged build quality of this unyielding and unusual automobile. For 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969 Checker specifications, continue on to the next page. The last Checker was produced in mid-1982. Note: A few Checkers were built in 1964 with Chrysler engines.