Auburn, Indiana is one of the most historic automotive towns in the US and it now claims the biggest Checker collection on display in the world.  The National Truck and Automobile Museum now has eight historic Checkers on display that span a production run of four decades.

Well known Checker collector Bob Welsh donated his six Checker automobiles to the National Automotive and Truck Museum in 2012.  When Bob Welsh of Indianapolis offered to donate his six Checker automobiles to the National Automotive and Truck Museum, museum director Don Grogg didn’t hesitate. According to KPC News, Grogg stated “He’d talked to another museum, but they didn’t respond quickly enough,” Grogg said. “I said, ‘We’d love to have them.”

The collection acquired by NATMUS includes three automobiles that were used as personal vehicles and three taxi cabs. The six NATMUS Checkers span the years 1964 to 1981.  The collection includes a 1969 model A12D and 1970 22-foot-long A12W8 Aerobus. NATMUS created a Checkers Gallery where the six vehicles will be displayed.

The A12E is waiting for its original owner to return

Welsh, donated a 1981 Checker Model A12E Marathon, this vehicle came with one condition.  The owner prior to Welsh, now deceased was a believer in reincarnation.  Terms of the original sale from the estate to Welsh stipulated that in the event that the previous owner did return via reincarnation, the car is to be returned back to the reincarnated owner.  The deceased owner’s pipe and tobacco are stored in the glovebox for his enjoyment upon returning from the dead.

Continental engine equipped 64 Checker A12

On of only 50 or so known surviving Checker wagons

Propane Taxicab in Boston Checker Cab Livery

In the gallery is a rare 1964 Checker A12 Marathon equipped with a Continental engine, 64 was the last year the engine was offered in a Checker. Welsh also donated a 66 Marathon A12W wagon.  A stunning red wagon it is powered by a GM 350 V8.   Car number six from the Welsh collection is a Checker A11 propane taxi in Boston Checker Cab livery.

Super rare 1950 Checker Model A4 Taxicab

Only known surviving Drivermatic Model A8 Special

This past summer the Internet Checker Taxicab Archive annual show was held at NATMUS.  Two Checker were left on loan, Joe Fay’s 1950 Checker A4 and 1957 Checker Model A8 Drivermatic Special.  Both survivors are the only know survivors in the world.

Taxi diver hat pins

Doubling the size of The Gilmores collection of four rare Checkers, NATMUS now is the demonstrated Checker leader.