Auburn, Indiana is one of the most historic automotive towns in the US and in 2016 the Internet Checker Taxicab Archive Convention will visit this great city. Checkers are from Kalamazoo, why is the group going to Auburn?
Auburn presents two great Checker related activities. Tops on the list, the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum presents some great opportunities for Checker fans. The Art Deco museum is stunning and is a time capsule capturing the glamor and elegance of the former administrative offices and company showroom. Internet Checker Taxicab Archive members will be able tour the full museum accompanied by ACD automotive historians and walk the halls of Checker’s one time parent company ACD. A walk down the center showroom staircase will generate goosebumps.
Visitors will be able to view the ACD’s 1933 Checker Model T and Checker X braced frame designer Herbert Snow’s ACD office. More importantly visitors will see the largest collection of Auburns, Cords and Duesenbergs in the world.
Buy wait theres more! Members will also tour the National Auto and Truck Museum. Why the National Truck and Automobile Museum? Well known Checker collector and friend Bob Welsh donated his six Checker automobiles to the National Automotive and Truck Museum in 2012. A full line of vintage Checkers will be on displays.
The 1933 Model T will be displayed along side all the Checkers at the outdoor A-C-D plaza
In addition to the ACD Model Y, the recently restored 1950 Checker A4 will make its first public display since restoration along side the world’s only 1957 Checker Model A8 Drivermatic Special. In addition to the museum tours and shows participants will have the opportunity to socialize over meals and other fun events. This is essentially a free event, the budget minded Checker fan can come to this event and display their Checker from Friday through Sunday at the ACD’s new display center for free, no charge, park and hang out all weekend long and pay nothing!
Day 1 Friday August 12th at Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum
10:00 am to 4:00 pm Checker Car Coral ACD Display Plaza
11:00 am to 3:00 pm Ongoing Photos at the Gulf Station at the NATMUS Lower Level staging area
4:00 pm to 5:30 pm Group Tour of the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum
5:30 pm to 6:00 pm The Music Stylings of Andy Taylor in the lobby bar at the A-C-D
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm Dinner at the A-C-D
Day 2 Saturday August 13th at Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum
10:00 am to 3:00 pm Checker Car Coral ACD Display Plaza
11:00 am to 2:00 pm Ongoing Photos at the Gulf Station at the NATMUS Lower Level staging area
4:00 am to 5:30 pm Group Tour of the National Automobile and Truck Museum (NATMUS)
6:00 am to 8:00 pm Dinner at the NATMUS
8:30 pm Tour to the Auburn Drive-In Movie Theatre
Day 2 Sunday August 14th
9:00 am Tour to Chris Markin’s Checker Parts Sale 2671 Brackett St Kalamazoo, MI.
Currently the base hotel is the Holiday Inn Express in Auburn, Indiana. We have not set up rates. Within 200 yards of the Holiday Inn Express is a Comfort Suites, Days Inn, Super 8 Quality Inn and La Quinta. Plenty of budget conscious motels and hotels.
In terms of food during the day, we have permission to park a Food truck, we’re still working on securing a truck.
Fees for the dinner is $15.00. If you want to participate in one of the guided tours at the ACD on Friday and Saturday, there will be an additional fee of $15.00. Total cost for all activities at ACD $30.00 for both dinner and a tour. The buffet will be Italian themed. At the National Truck & Auto Museum, we’ll have a Dutch themed dinner at 6 PM, fee for the dinner will be $14.00 and dinner we’ll give you access to the museum and the various guided tours at NATMUS. That’s it from a fee perspective. Additionally at the NATMUS, we’ll have a flea market in the back of the museum, so please bring your Checker parts. You’ll also be able to park and photograph your Checker in front of the vintage Gulf gas station! More details to follow.
For more information, please don’t hesitate to email us at Drivematica8@yahoo.com
