Checker · 1960–present

Checker Marathon

The Checker Marathon is an automobile which was produced by the Checker Motors Corporation of Kalamazoo, Michigan, between 1960 and 1982. It was marketed as a passenger car for consumers, as opposed to the similar Taxi, which was aimed at fleet buyers.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

All Checker Marathon data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →

History

Marathons were produced in both four-door sedan and four-door station wagon forms, and the rarer six-door 9-seater and eight-door, 12-seater "Aerobus" sedans and wagons. The Marathon was introduced in September 1960 for the 1961 model year, alongside, and later superseding, the Checker Superba Custom and differing from the Superba with its better interior appointments. Originally, it retained the Superba's A10 body code, whereas A9 was the code used for taxis. The exterior of the Marathon had a full-width egg-crate grille, differing from the Superba's narrower grille and inboard parking lights. After a minor facelift for 1963, chassis codes changed to A11 for taxis and A12 for passenger versions. Also in 1963, the Marathon Town Custom, a limousine version on a longer (129 versus 120 in) wheelbase appeared. This version, which seated eight, received the A19E chassis code. A few years later, this was changed to A12E. Checker did not have a nationwide dealer network and sold most of its production for fleet service. Technical changes. With the exception of United States government-mandated 5 mph bumpers in 1974 and ongoing mechanical changes, the Marathon remained virtually unchanged during its 21-year production run. However, Checker did comply with all safety and emissions requirements while in production. Notably, the Marathon's front suspension A-frames interchange with a 1956 Ford. Some of these changes help in identifying the year of a Checker, and included: 1963: Front parking/directional lamps changed from white to amber 1964: Standard front lap belts 1964: Mid year change happened on engines and front frame. Early 1964 Continental inline-6 to Late 1964 Chevrolet OHV-6 and small-block V8s 1966: Standard front and rear lap belts 1967: Interior safety package, i

Fleet usage

=== New York City === For decades, Checker was the taxicab of choice for New York City and many other American cities. The size of the car (seating many passengers), the robust construction, the lack of yearly changes to the styling (especially the 1958 and later models, simplifying parts management), and the bolt-on rear quarter panels all contributed to the Marathon's ubiquity on the streets of Manhattan. The last New York City Checker cab retired in 1999, operated by Earl Johnson from 1978 onwards. The Marathon covered nearly one million miles and had three engine replacements over the years. Most films set in New York City in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s will show a Checker Marathon. Many movies set in the 1950s and 1960s use Checker cabs built in the 1970s and early 1980s, since the bodies were virtually the same, and due to the lack of usable early specimens. Also, in works depicting the Soviet Union or East Bloc countries, such as the film Gorky Park and the original Mission: Impossible television series, Checker Marathons were used to depict Soviet-made GAZ-13 Chaika automobiles. Kalamazoo. Apart from taxicab use, Marathons were also bought by police departments, most notably in Kalamazoo, where Checker had its factory. The Vatican. In the late 1960s and into the early 1970s, some black SCV-plated (Stato Città del Vaticano - Vatican City) A12 Marathons were used to accommodate Pope Paul VI's entourage in motorcades.

Engines

The engines used were originally Continental-built L-head inline-sixes (OHV units for the wagons), but these were exchanged for Chevrolet sixes and small-block V8s for the 1965 model year. These continued to change as Chevrolet introduced modifications, peaking with the 1969 L-48 350 V8 which produced 300 hp (224 kW) (gross). In 1969 the Perkins 4.236, a 3.9 L (236 cu in) naturally aspirated, four-cylinder diesel engine was available as an option for all models, but for only one year. By 1973, power for the 350 had decreased to 145 hp (108 kW) and in 1975 catalytic converters were introduced. For 1980, the engine lineup was changed entirely, with a 3.8-litre V6 replacing the old inline unit, and a smaller 4.4 L (267 cu in) standard V8. The big news was the Oldsmobile LF9 engine, a 5.7 L (350 cu in) diesel V8.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name: Checker Marathon
Manufacturer: Checker Motors Corporation
Production: September 1960–1982
Model years: 1961–1982
Assembly: United States: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Wheelbase: 120 in, 129 in (limousine)
Class: Mid-size car
Body style: 4-door sedan, 5-door station wagon
Layout: FR layout
Engine: 3.7L L-head I6, 3.7L, 3.8L, 4.1L OHV I6, 3.7L OHV V6, 4.4L, 4.6L, 5.0L, 5.3L, 5.7L OHV V8
Transmission: 3-speed TH400 automatic (column), 3-speed manual (column)
Related: Checker Superba, Checker Aerobus
Designer: Ray Dietrich

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q181703CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checker_MarathonCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1366818595 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Checker-Marathon-1.jpgPublic domain · Photo: IFCAR · retrieved 2026-10-01
Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.