The story of Checker Motors reveals how durability made its taxis icons on American streets.
Continuing the story of Checker Motors, the company founded by Morris Markin that grew into America's largest taxi manufacturer.
The Checker A8 looked nothing like the futuristic prewar Model A. It was a serious, utilitarian sedan designed with durability and functionality in mind.
While developing the next-generation Checker A8, Markin applied everything learned from operating the earlier A2 model and set out to create the ideal taxi. The priorities were clear: plenty of interior space, exceptional durability, and reasonable operating costs. Expensive technical gimmicks and fashionable styling were considered unnecessary. As a result, the ruggedly built A8 became one of the most practical taxi cabs of its era.
The car rode on an X-shaped frame with the driveshaft running inside it, allowing engineers to create a completely flat floor. Up front was an independent coil-spring suspension, while the rear used leaf springs. Drum brakes handled stopping duties. Power came from a proven 3.7-liter Continental inline-six producing 89 horsepower, paired with a three-speed Borg-Warner automatic transmission. The front and rear bumpers were interchangeable, and all exterior body panels were bolted on and could be removed in minutes. With a 120-inch wheelbase, the spacious cabin featured fold-down jump seats and could accommodate up to seven passengers.
The A8 offered enormous rear-seat room. Passengers could stretch their legs completely without touching the driver's partition, while the flat floor provided unmatched comfort.
In 1959, the model received minor styling updates and became the A9. At the same time, Checker introduced the civilian-market A10. Production capacity at the Kalamazoo factory remained modest, averaging 6,000 to 8,000 vehicles annually. Compared with Detroit's giants, those numbers were tiny, but Markin was satisfied because nearly every vehicle found a buyer, many through taxi fleets he owned himself.
Still, he decided to expand into the private market. Better trim, more features, and higher prices failed to scare customers away. Buyers appreciated the combination of spaciousness, simplicity, and unmatched dependability. In some years, the A10 accounted for as much as 20 percent of total production.
The iconic yellow Checker Marathon became a symbol of New York City and appeared in numerous films, including "Taxi Driver," "Escape From New York," and "Total Recall."
Another update arrived in 1961, bringing the name that would cement the car's place in history: the Checker Marathon (A11). Unlike its predecessors, the new model featured a larger engine bay capable of housing both the traditional inline-six engines and modern V8 powerplants.
Major taxi operators initially remained loyal to the dependable Continental engines. After those units were discontinued, many fleets switched to Chevrolet's equally durable 230- and 250-cubic-inch inline-sixes producing between 140 and 155 horsepower. Independent owners and delivery services often opted for Chevrolet small-block V8s rated at 200 or even 300 horsepower.
The secret behind the Checker Marathon's legendary durability was simple: it was engineered to commercial-vehicle standards, with a heavy-duty frame, reinforced suspension, and proven mechanical components.
Morris Markin passed away in July 1970, and his son David took over the company. By then, the cars created by the son of Jewish immigrants from Smolensk had become a familiar sight across America, and it seemed Checker would remain the nation's taxi icon forever.
However, David lacked his father's business instincts. Rather than developing a successor to the Marathon, he focused only on changes required by regulations. Seat belts were added in 1967, head restraints arrived in 1969, and large federally mandated bumpers appeared in 1974.
By the early 1980s, demand for the aging model had dropped sharply. In 1981, Checker posted its first loss, and in July 1982, the final Checker Marathon rolled off the assembly line in Kalamazoo. Counting from the debut of the A8, the design had remained in production for 26 years without ever receiving a true replacement.
Even Moscow saw Checker taxis. In 1961, U.S. Ambassador Llewellyn Thompson ordered several upgraded A10 sedans with air conditioning and glass partitions for the American embassy, though he personally preferred a luxurious Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five.
Remarkably, the last Checker Marathon taxi built in 1978 remained in service on the streets of New York City until 1999, offering perhaps the best proof of the model's incredible toughness. With proper maintenance, many Checkers covered 300,000 to 500,000 miles without requiring a major overhaul, and some examples surpassed the one-million-mile mark without replacing major components.
Unfortunately, that durability couldn't save the company itself. After ending vehicle production, Checker Motors Corporation shifted to manufacturing components for General Motors and servicing taxi fleets. Following the global financial crisis, the company ultimately ceased operations in 2009.
Read the first part of the story here.