Sts. of SF 12/15/10 - Checker Marathon WAGON

[Andy R.]

When's the last time you saw one of these?


Details - Restomod w/ warmed over V8, Halibrand wheels, and show-quality paint.
Seen on 24th St., bet. Noe and Sanchez on 12/12/10

I only posted the rear 3/4 view, 'cause I figure you all know the rest by heart.

[showbizkid]

WOW!!! That's a rare bird in any nest!

Any Checker know-it-alls out there? I know they offered, essentially, 2 models: the Marathon and the Superba. What's the difference? Trim level? Number of doors? I've never seen a Superba, but I've seen references to them in company lit.

[Andy R.]

I wasn't sure about the year (CarTalk puzzler), but the black plates put it between 1963-70.

[DEEPNHOCK]

Being raised near O'Hare and Midway airports in Chicago, I always used to get a kick out of seeing these...
A Checker Aerobus....

(More Aerobus pic's at: http://tinyurl.com/Checker-Aerobus-Pics )

[Jim B PEI]

I remember seeing a Superba, and it was a single headlight car--before 58 or 59?. The Marathon was a replacement model for the Superba, I think. A few years ago, I >didn't< buy a solid black Marathon wagon which only needed a brake job, and some future work on the 350 V8, for only $1800. I'm still kicking myself.

[Bob Andrews]

Any Checker know-it-alls out there?

I think they'd be called 'Checkerheads'.

Those thing were as rust-prone as a Studebaker. Anytime I've seen one around here they were shot. A few years back I was offered a running Checker wagon for $1200. It was so rusty I didn't even bother to find out the year.

[8E45E]

Being raised near O'Hare and Midway airports in Chicago, I always used to get a kick out of seeing these...
A Checker Aerobus....

In 1967, Brewster/Gray Line had a fleet of those in the Edmonton area. They were metallic silver with a white roof, and had the dark blue diamond on the doors.

Craig

[studeclunker]

In 1967, Brewster/Gray Line had a fleet of those in the Edmonton area. They were metallic silver with a white roof, and had the dark blue diamond on the doors.

Craig

Yup, yet another Greyhound subsidary!

[8E45E]

Yup, yet another Greyhound subsidary!

You are correct! Hence the livery colors.

Craig

[okc63avanti]

I see a little similarity in the styling cues between these two vehicles ...

[Bordeaux Daytona]

At my first job at a service station somebody brought in a Checker Medicar. It had a raised roof and was in pretty good shape except the vinyl or cloth top covering was tattered. It was painted black. Very cool car, sometimes I wonder what ever happened to it.

[junior]

A former student of mine has an uncle that had a local shop build this cool Checker wagon for him...perhaps Craig has some better shots of it...very nice car and workmanship. Junior

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24227833@N00/2288655349

[Michidan]

Here is some reporting from Kalamazoo, home of the Checker.

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2010/10/update_checker_motors_fire_ter.html

Not that the company was ever coming back, but the fire really ended whatever link was left.
Us Stude fans know about what it feels like when the buildings come down. The guy who pulled up in his Checker to watch it burn...pretty sad day here.

[53k]

A few years ago a local Checker collector called me about brake parts for his Checker (don't know what year). Turned out, Checker used the same self-adjusting brake mechanisms that the '53 and earlier Studebakers used and he needed some of the pieces.