eBay Listing: 1964 Checker Marathon
The Checker Marathon is best known as the go-to taxicab for New Yorkers for anyone who lived there from the 1960s through the 1980s when many were still seeing daily duty. The Marathon was made from 1961 through 1982. The car saw few changes other than power train and trim updates (most notably to meet 5 mph bumper requirements). The Kalamazoo, Michigan, manufacturer did offer them for sale to consumers and here we have a rare preserved early example of such a car. As a 1964 example, the vehicle sports trim chrome bumpers and the original robust Continental inline six-cylinder engine. Later Marathons switched to Chevrolet six and eight cylinder engines.
The seller says the car has been owned by three people; the original owner having owned the car from new until his death in 2001. The second restored and repainted the car and kept it until 2010. The current owner who recently won an award at the prestigious Greenwich Concours d’Elegance. Surely a first for a Checker Marathon!
Renowned for Durability
The Marathon is an interesting alternative for a collector. It’s a practical 4-door family car with extra jump seats turning it into a potential 8-seater. The styling appears to be from an even earlier era and having been primarily built as a commercial vehicle. Consequently, they are renowned for their durability. Checker Marathons were not rare cars in their day, but since most were pretty well used-up in taxi duty finding one in this low-mileage and well preserved condition today is certainly not easy.
As for values, The Hagerty Price Guide shows an average value of $9,876 with top examples at about $19,500. Seeing that this car recently won a first place award at an actual concours, one could certainly describe it as being in top shape.
Checker Marathons for Sale on eBay Motors
The auction for this 1964 Checker Marathon closed on Oct 06, 2013 17:39:23 (PDT). Finding a well-preserved Checker Marathon taxi is always a trip down memory lane. Search the current eBay Motors listings for Checker parts, cars, and Yellow Cab memorabilia.
See Vintage and Classic Parts for Checker Marathon for sale on eBay.
