We’re excited to announce that the Facebook Checker Cab Group Club is having its first national convention on August 13th through August 15th in Auburn Indiana.
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 opportunities from a total Checker experience perspective.
As many are aware, at one time Checker was part of E.L. Cord’s Auburn, Indiana based automotive empire.
During the depression sales at Checker collapsed and the company started to bleed money and generate losses month after month in 1932.
Despite the losses of 1932 Checker was able to introduce a new taxicab for 1933, the Model T. The new taxicab utilized the new Lycoming GU or GUC 8-cylinder engine produced Lycoming of Lewistown, Pennsylvania.
Lycoming was an independent engine manufacturer owned by E L Cord, whose growing automotive empire included such iconic brands as Duesenberg, Auburn and Cord.
In 1933 Checker would also produce a brand-engineered version of the Model T, the Auburn Safe-T-Cab for A-C-D. A working partnership ensued and both companies started to collaborate.
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ACD Museum’s 1933 Checker Model T
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Still in a financial bind, Checker would soon have more trouble, via a series of capital transactions, a hostile corporate takeover ensued at Checker. The corporate board was reduced in size by a group of investors led by millionaire Pierre S. du Pont. The smaller board, which included du Pont voted Checker founder Morris Markin out of Checker leadership
team.
Markin had a few tricks up his sleeve. He still maintained some degree of ownership and held options to acquire a majority share of the company. Ten days later, Markin secured the required funds via E L Cord to take
back control of company. Over the next three years Checker would become part of E.L. Cord’s empire.
Visiting 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.
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Center Staircase View of The ACD Factory Showroom
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The ACD museum inventory is awe striking. A walk down the center showroom staircase will generate goosebumps. Visitors will be able to view the ACD 1933 Checker Model T and Checker X braced frame designer Herbert Snow’s ACD office. More importantly visitor will see the largest collection of Auburns, Cords and Duesenbergs in the world.
Show participants will be able to display their Checkers for two solid days at the ACD Museums Education & Exhibit Plaza. The newly built plaza creates the ultimate in car show displays. In addition to the ACD Museum, Facebook Checker Cab Group Club 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. According to museum director Don Grogg when Bob Welsh offered to donate his six Checker automobiles to the National Automotive and Truck Museum, the museum didn’t hesitate to takeup Bob’s offer, according to Don Grogg “He’d talked to another museum, but they didn’t respond quickly enough,” What would you do if offered free Checkers? Don did the same
thing we all would do, Grogg’s response “ We’d love to have them.’”
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The Bob Welsh Collection
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The six NATMUS Checkers span the years 1964 to 1981. NATMUS has created a Checkers gallery where all six vehicles will be displayed for Facebook members to view and enjoy. Like the ACD Museum ,Checker group members will be able to view museum by tour guides provided by NATMUS.
In addition to the museum tours and shows participants will have the opportunity to socialize over meals and other fun events. A full line of vintage Checkers will be on displays, in addition to the ACD Model Y, the recently restored 1950 Checker A4 will make its first public display since restoration. The Joe Fay Checker Model A8 will also be on display.
Best part, just like our dues, participation at the event is FREE. Now if you plan on taking the tours or joining the group for dinner there will be a nominal fee but the fees will cover the activity. The club will not be pan handling for donations or dues in order to deposit money into bank, actually we don’t have a bank account. We will not have a board meeting, we don’t have a board. Hotels information will be fourth coming.
As we refine the plan we’ll communicate via Facebook, the blog and in the E Newsletter. If you have any questions please contact show organizer Joe Fay at
Drivermatica8@yahoo.com.
Please don’t forget to like us on Facebook!
Checker out the new free Checker Archive Library
