Checker Cab

[victorialynn2]

Well, last night I was out for an evening with friends and had a few drinks. Don't judge... short week... it ends in pie and shopping anyhow 😁. Knowing full well I may have been slightly over the limit, I took a cab home (I know... old school, but the cab was right there). Sure enough, I passed a police roadblock, but since it was a cab, they waved it past.

I got home safely and without incident, which is a real surprise, as I have never driven a cab before and am not sure where I got it, or what to do with it now that it's in my garage. 🤔 Happy Thanksgiving y'all, have a great week! 🦃

[keiser31]

Good one, VL2!

[1950panhead]

and am not sure where I got it, or what to do with it now that it's in my garage.

Return it to Kalamazoo.

 

[SC38dls]

Very good VL2 the whole group around our table had a good laugh over that. Now half of them are looking for a cab to take home. 

Dls

[plymouthcranbrook]

When I was a delivery driver for my long term employer when I was just starting out in the 70's one of the delivery vehicles was a Checker.  A 1969 and later a 76.  Talk about Army tanks!  350 chevy v-8's automatic and a load capacity of a ton.  We would load it up and off to downtown Chicago I went.  The cabdrivers reputation helped me as no one messed  with the Checker.  Reliable and each one lasted  at least 200,000 miles.    When the 76 was replaced with a VW Rabbit Diesel for "fuel economy"  the Rabbit was just not up to the job. I am glad I had the chance to drive one.

[JACK M]

The Checkers were built on pick up platforms.

Had the truck arms with coil springs.

That is also the same basic rear suspension that the Cup cars use.

Edited November 27, 2019 by JACK M (see edit history)

[8E45E]

Here is the Aerobus version: https://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/forum/your-studebaker-forum/stove-huggers-the-non-studebaker-forum/65870-orphan-of-the-day-08-15-1969-checker-aerobus

 

Craig

[46 woodie]

At one time the Checker was the taxicab of choice in NYC,  literally thousands of them. There are stories about some logging in 500,000 miles.

[Mikefit]

VL. I love your sense of humor. You jest never fail to come up with some thing to keep my on the lookout for your next adventure.   Mike

[zeke01]

I knew of a man who owned a Checker (non taxi) several years ago. One morning his travels took him near a downtown Lexington KY hotel. As he was sitting at a traffic light a woman ran up to the back door, hopped in and told him to take her to the airport. Having nothing else to do he said o.k. and headed for the airport about five miles away. A couple of minutes later the woman looked around and realized that she was not riding in a taxi. The driver assured her that he would indeed take her to the airport and did just that. He always said that the story was worth the effort to get her to her destination. Zeke

[cheezestaak2000]

local boy who made good, george throgood and the delaware destroyers had a marathon wagon. it kinda became his trademark when he did local gigs

[plymouthcranbrook]

On 11/27/2019 at 1:55 PM, 46 woodie said:

At one time the Checker was the taxicab of choice in NYC,  literally thousands of them. There are stories about some logging in 500,000 miles.

Chicago as well.  In fact when I was young I thought only Checkers could be cabs as I never saw any other make used

Edited November 30, 2019 by plymouthcranbrook (see edit history)

[padgett]

"police roadblock" Really ? Or is that part of the story ?

Since is a 68 or later, does it have the Chevvy drivetrain ? Think some were V8s.

Does it have the rear jumpseats ?

Air conditioned even  & matches the floor.

Pretty sure that is a (later) Checker in Godzilla

Is that really yours ?

[victorialynn2]

8 hours ago, padgett said:

"police roadblock" Really ? Or is that part of the story ?

Since is a 68 or later, does it have the Chevvy drivetrain ? Think some were V8s.

Does it have the rear jumpseats ?

Air conditioned even  & matches the floor.

Pretty sure that is a (later) Checker in Godzilla

Is that really yours ?

It’s just a joke. 🤣

[Mikefit]

But a very good one. We all need to lighten up some.  Mike

[61polara]

Great story Vickie  Love it!

[CHuDWah]

On 11/29/2019 at 11:02 PM, cheezestaak2000 said:

local boy who made good, george throgood and the delaware destroyers had a marathon wagon. it kinda became his trademark when he did local gigs

 

 

What...no 58 Plymouth??!!  🤣

[victorialynn2]

2 hours ago, Mikefit said:

But a very good one. We all need to lighten up some.  Mike

I definitely do. I had a rough day today, missing dad. I often come here when I feel sad. I feel like many of you are my surrogate family. 

I am currently dealing with some serious challenges. I rarely asked dad for help, but I always knew if I did need him, he would be there for me. He unintentionally left me in a bind and he was the only one I could turn to on days like today when challenges seem insurmountable. 

I am grateful that I have you guys to lift my spirit when I need it. 💕

[Terry Bond]

So, what were you drinking?  You can lean on us anytime but my "liquid" of choice is always single malt scotch. The very name "Whisky" translates from the Gaelic language as "water of life."  A sample awaits you at Hershey.

All the best,

Terry

[padgett]

Sorry to me Scotch and Gin always tastee like perfume. Being from Maryland (the only occupied state), I prefer rye but JD is good also. Cold weather though needs a bit of Jameson's, Baileys, and dark roast coffee.

[Matt Harwood]

Am I reading this correctly? You got drunk, stole a cab, ran a police road block, and now have the cab hidden in your garage?

 

Party on, lady!

[victorialynn2]

I actually did go out Saturday and have a couple teas with Brandy, honey and lemon. It was cold and it even snowed, (a few flakes) that night. My dad used to make that for me when I had a cold when I was a teen. 

 

For the record, I didn’t steal a cab and I didn’t go through any road blocks. My real life is much tamer than that these days. 😂

[SC38dls]

VL2. I was just rereading this as I wanted to pass it along to some friends and realized you qualified your last post with 

“ My real life is much tamer than that these days. 😂”  

So are you saying you were a wild thing (like some of the rest of us) in your younger days?

 

[keithb7]

Losing Dads so difficult.

 

His very last trip to come visit me was a good one. Dad had 2 Grandchildren graduating high school. He had not seen my recently acquired ‘53 Chrysler yet either. He was determined and traveled from afar. At the time he arrived my car was down as I was in the middle of an engine valve grind job.  We both jumped in the car anyway. Inside the garage and like earlier times, he grabbed the big wheel and took me for a drive. Big grins, as my ‘53 took him back to his childhood too. His hands gliding across the dash, feeling the chrome. Turing on the old AM radio. 

 

Our last car ride together, I will remember forever. 

 

 

[victorialynn2]

20 hours ago, SC38DLS said:

VL2. I was just rereading this as I wanted to pass it along to some friends and realized you qualified your last post with 

“ My real life is much tamer than that these days. 😂”  

So are you saying you were a wild thing (like some of the rest of us) in your younger days?

 

I had some fun but probably not as wild as most of you guys. 😂 My daddy raised me pretty strict. 

[victorialynn2]

Loosing my dad has been the hardest thing I’ve dealt with in life. All of the issues I’ve had to, and continue to, deal with makes it harder. 

 

I will be so happy if I make it through liquidating his estate and can recover emotionally. It’s been so long since I’ve felt like myself. It’s all been too much for one person to deal with. I probably would have been okay with loosing my daddy or dealing with his stuff, but both has been overwhelming. 

[auburnseeker]

11 minutes ago, victorialynn2 said:

I had some fun but probably not as wild as most of you guys. 😂 My daddy raised me pretty strict. 

Not as strict as mine.  Went on my first date when I was 28, pretty much a blind one. Opened the door and said , well thank god there are alot more fish in the sea, I really need to stop fishing off the bottom.  Second was exactly the same.   Went on my  3rd date 3 months later with my now wife.  That was it.  So not much partying or excitement here.  

Looking back all I can say is damn did I miss out.  

[SC38dls]

VL2. Life can be cruel and hard. .Your folks provided you with a good life and great memories that you can fall back on during those stress times. You will have hard days but you’ve got one or two of your dad’s favorite cars to go out and take a drive in to put a smile on your face. 

My daughter will most likely be the one that has to get rid of my stuff and I just hope she remembers the good times I’ve had with all the treasures (to me, I’m sure junk to her) in my garage. 

Have fun 

dave s 

 

[ericmac]

VL2, I too have some fond memories of my dad with Checkers involved.  I grew up in Kalamazoo so we always had lots of them around.  I was actually brought home from the hospital in one (probably not all that unusual when I think about cabs in New York and Chicago) but this one was a '57 Superba civilian car. At the time of his passing dad had been a past VP of the Checker Car Club of America and had owned perhaps 8-9 Checkers of various sorts. They were great cars with even greater memories of dad. I'm sure you are in a similar place. My best to you.