About Checker

If this Checker could talk. . . .

It would trace its origin to 1978 and a boy born to an American/English couple. It would probably introduce a member of Chicago’s renowned Darkroom who not only had a Checker but also had a unique relationship to the TV series blockbuster Taxi. If this Checker could talk, it would take you on a journey to Southampton, England, London’s Harrods and Milwaukee’s Pfister Hotel.

But that would only be the back-story leading to the 1980 Build Sheet producing one of the last Checker A11E autos ever built Checker Motor Corp (CMC) in Kalamazoo Michigan.

If this Checker could talk it would take you on a 38 year American journey interwoven with dreams fulfilled and others yet to be realized. This car has always captured the attention of street riders and sidewalk strollers. Our children would make bets on how many would roll down a window or walk up to ask 'What kind of a Car is that?'...'Is that a Roll Royce?'...'Your pulling my tail, it's not a 1980, it looks like from the 50's' ... or ...'Wow! She brings back memories of my taxi days. Do you still have the jump seats?'.
Yes we do and yes she is feminine to all. It must be the warmth and memories she evokes.

This car always wanted to be On the Road with Charles Kuralt pulling a silver-bullet Airstream crossing the country talking to those who form the fiber of this wonderful nation. Now when people ask why put so much energy into such an old car, perhaps they’ll understand.

Most do.
So climb in, buckle up and join the journey.

2014-2017 Rebuild

GearHeads and Aficionados

Most could care less about the nuts-n-bolts of building, re-building or restoration of an iron horse. But there are those who follow Jay Leno’s Garage, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, NASCAR or look forward to the annual ACD Festival in Auburn, Indiana. This section is for them or actually anyone who has ever taken something apart and tried to put it back together.

In 2013 we discovered serious rust infecting the welded frame plates that CMC inserted to make this an Extended Body Marathon Checker. Other structural issues were also discovered. The plan was to swap out the 267 V8 (190 HP) with a Stroker 383FI (430 HP). Why? you may ask. Taking a 3-ton vehicle over the Continental Divide at Loveland Pass driven by a 190 horsepower engine is an exercise in patience while enduring the wrath of overtaking motorists. The BluePrint 383FI would solve the problem while replacing the R400 with a new 700R4 transmission would add towing torque. If the structural issues could not be fixed, there was no point to continue with the planned engine/trans swap. Chicago’s Mr. Kustom determined the issues could be repaired and hence they were given the go-ahead to begin the 2014 Checker Project.

See the 3 year rebuild.

Interviews