Presenting my mother’s 1979 Checker Marathon in San Jose, California. She’s owned it since June of 1988 (she’s the second owner and the original owner drove it out to California from Kalamazoo). It was built as a taxi and remained officially in service as a taxi until 1997. In 1998 we started on a restoration so the body was cleaned up and prepped for new paint and we put just shy of $3K into the underside before the city decided to put age limits on taxis which effectively retired it. And so it’s been sitting ever since; mostly indoors, but enough years outside to have made a difference. The invoice we were given for the work on the underbelly showed the odometer reading was 70,919 in 1998 and it’s current odometer reading is 70,933. I drove it forward and backward for the city’s code enforcement department last year so I know it starts and is capable of moving backwards and forwards.
Known Problems:
the hood hinges went missing at some point in the last 10 years
Paperboard headliner needs replacing
There are two lower rear seats but no top/back pieces.
there are no door panels
there’s some rust around front windshield, and the holes from the toplight
transmission leaking
under dash wiring is super messy but easy enough to tidy up
rear window seals are all cracked
there are no seals around the doors
it runs but needs a tune up
thermostat housing had a hole and i patched it well enough but it should be replaced.
Known Positives:
major renovation work done on suspension / steering / frame 14 miles ago (but 19 years ago as well).
fuel tank was boiled out and sealed in 2007.
carburetor was rebuilt at the same time.
There’s a small box with some tail light lenses and windshield wipers in it (not spares, just not installed).
chrome was redone at some point.
additional pieces:
1 – additional driver’s door (has a crack near the window)
1 – Centrodyne Silent 550 taximeter installed
1 – additional 1 barrel carburetor (i’m not sure specifically what it is)
VIN Info:
VIN: A11 – 4539 – 94990E (A11 with 120 inch wheelbase, 1979, 250 6cyl California engine without Air Cond)
P.O.: 4539
Eng. Spec. No. F01309SC
Steering: P
Trans. : HM (Turbo Hydromatic Model 400)
Gen. / Alt.: Delco
Axle: 2.72 (2.72:1)
Color:
Brakes: PDB (Power Front Disc Brakes)
Trim:
DUPONT – 29198-817
(from door plate – Rear: 3240
Best Offer contact djansen@unitedcabco.com
How much are you wanting?