Several months ago we listed an auction on the ICTA web site, it read as follows:
SELLING WITHOUT RESERVE! This 1982 Checker Taxi Cab was once part of a fleet of over 100 Taxis owned by the Fort Cab Company. This particularly taxi was in use for many years at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. The Fort Cab Company was the only Cab Company allowed to be on the base. The overall condition is good. The odometer reads 19,882, but it could very well be 119,882 miles! It has standard back seat and a jump seat.
Ultimately the Checker sold for a very reasonable price of $8800.00
The Fort Cab Fleet, photo from the Doug Klauck collection
Fort Cab was a large Checker Cab operator, several ICTA members own former Fort Cabs, they’re all very impressive, well optioned taxicabs. Many Fort Cabs were sold to Coca Cola after serving as taxicabs to be used for the famous Surge Soda Checker Cab giveaways of the late 90’s. The low miles Fort Cab sold at auction looked like a great buy.
We have now made contact with the new owner and have a new member of the ICTA Facebook group, Peter Oliver.
We met Peter via our Checker friend Stephen Disbrowe. Like Stephen, Pete lives in the UK. Based out of London, Peter is a self-employed businessman. In addition to his regular work, Peter also helps his mother run and operate his late father’s museum.
Excited about his new Checker, his plans for the Checker are “to keep having fun and hopefully promote various projects to cover costs but to do it with care, of course”. Peter also noted “it will be used for the UK film, TV and commercial industry and yes weddings”
Peter’s Crown Vic and the Green Screen
Peter has experience in using cars for movies and weddings “I have done a few already with my other vehicles, it’s a nerve racking experience sometimes. The bride’s big day is in your hands but its rewarding”. Recently Peter used one of his other vehicles for a promotion ““before Christmas I did a virgin Atlantic commercial with my Crown Victoria (not a real cab but 57km)”
Any Checker owner who has used their Checker for promotional efforts can attest to the challenges and so too can Peter. According to Peter “My father did weddings years ago but gave up due to the stress etc. The last wedding I did before Christmas had issues, we lost the heater. To mitigate risk Peter takes the necessary precautions “in trunk spare fuel, battery, tools, jump pack etc I take no chances”.
With respect to the Checker, Peter is now prepping the Checker as a New York Taxicab, why? According to Peter “ that’s what’s they always asked for in UK” . Apparently there are not too many UK brides who want to be escorted to their weddings viaFort Cab from Missouri, gotta be New York.
The ICTA welcomes Peter to the group, Peter has already scored a free window cranks and just closed a deal on some Checker Special decals. Welcome to the group, maybe this Summer, Peter can hook up with Ray Tomlinson and Stephen Disbrowe and host the first UK ICTA event!
If in the UK, check out Peter’s family museum
http://www.historyonwheels.co.uk/
Prince Edward’s house in background it was the chapel in Windsor Great Park along with Peter’s 1935 Peugeot 301
