As reported last week members of the Internet Checker Taxicab Archive have a new project. Last Fall ICTA members learned of the passing of a big time Checker fan, Richard Petkovitis. We soon heard from the Richard’s daughter of Kaela Petkovitis. About her father, Kaela Petkovitis shared:
“My father ran a cab business in Seattle Washington for many years under the names “Classic Cab” and “Queen City Cab”. This was the last remaining Checker from his fleet and he used it as a daily driver for 30 years. I grew up in this car.”
The late Richard Petkovitis with Cab #1 back in the day
Over the next several months, the club would to get to know Kaela as a kind and generous Checker fan. Kaela shared her found memories growing up around Checkers. Pictures and stories, she was also kind enough to share parts from her father’s Checker inventory to fellow ICTA members, free of charge!
Recently one of Richard’s former cabs became available for purchase. ICTA members Daniel Smith and William Crawford came up with the idea of restoring the recently discovered Classic Cab number one and gifting it back to Kaela. A great idea other ICTA members were able to pull together the funds to purchase the cab and transport it to Phoenix where Dan Smith will start restoration.
Over the last two week Dan and Bill have been coordinating and are now very close to getting Cab #` to Arizonia. Today Dan provided the following update:
Today’s update on the Seattle cab, tires and hood are done. Now Matt is getting a truck lined up should be in Phoenix in a week or so. A big thank you to William for all the help up north.
The update was followed by a Facebook post by Bill Crawford: Hood delivered and installed, the tires aired up after all so that was easy! Bill posted the following pics.
Bent hood needs a replacement before transit
Tire installation
In another Seattle related story, Daniel’s partner in crime Bill Crawford has been stalking……searching for the owner of a Checker Cab parked on a lonely Seattle street for about a year. Finally Bill has made contact, according to William:
Patience paid off on this visit to the Red & Black Checker. The owner, Gregory Beck, who has owned it since 1989 came out when he saw my Checker. He says he visited Bill Beurkens in Ohio back in the 90’s and this Checker was used in the movie “Trouble in Mind” shot here in Seattle.
He is wanting to rehome it but has 3 other possibilities before me. Time for 3 people to go “missing” it seems……lol”
The owner discovered, now will he sell to Bill?
Bill Beurkens is one of the most active members on our Facebook page! Additionally the identification jogged some other memories.
Kaela Petkovits posted: Ah ha! Aristocab! Yes… I watched that movie a couple nights ago. There was his Aristocab in it, and my Dads classic cab #3 was in two scenes. My dad had also taken some pictures of that cab in its heyday.
Aristocab back in the day photo by Richard Petkovitis
A lot of Checker action in Seattle, stay tuned and Dan will continue to update us on all progress. If you would like to contribute parts or funds, please contact Dan via Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100012258978764
