Back in the old days, the 1970’s this writer worked for a Mercedes Benz/BMW in Lexington, Mass.  The job that would keep me busy for five years was the highly esteemed role “lot boy”.  A mixture of many tasks, the most notable was the cleaning and washing of new and used cars.

Over the course of five years, I learned many tricks of the trade.  I have used those practices on all my Checker.  One simple trick was beaten into my head by one salesman in particular.  Top salesman Bill Currie would always insist on the windows, windshield and backlight be in top clean condition.  It’s truly amazing how nice a car can appear if the windows are clean.

As many are aware, I am in the process of restoring a 1949 Checker. Purchased in 2008, its safe to say that it was in pretty rough.  If one looks at the photos taken at pickup in 2008, it’s pretty clear that the car was in significant distress. Note the windows and windshield glass.

It’s been thirteen years and we’re getting close to completion.  Most recently the windshield and backlight have been replaced.  A big thank you goes out to Sami Lassilia, Mika Metsäpelto and Hunnu Kyttanen.  Hannu sold and pulled the glass from his fleet of former Chicago A2 Checkers.  Mika cleaned and polished the glass and Sami packed and shipped the rear glass to the US.  Great job!  A real heroic effort.

Glass Doctor in Maumee, Ohio installed the rear window and cut two front window pain for the windshield.  The rubber was used was created in Finland by the Checker Boyz.  Now installed and cleaned, it proves Bill Currie right, clean windows really improves the look of the Checker.

On a side note,  I did not tell the folks at Glass Doctor, how rare the rear backlight was until after it was installed.  Once told, the glass men said, “thanks for not telling us.  If you had, with our luck, we would have broken it”