Checker Marathon: Difference between revisions

Checker Marathon
Checker Marathon
	Checker Marathon sedan
Overview
Manufacturer	Checker Motors Corporation
Production	1960–1982
Assembly	Kalamazoo, Michigan
Body and chassis
Class	Mid-size car
Body style	4-door sedan; 5-door station wagon
Layout	FR layout
Related	Checker Superba; Checker Aerobus
Powertrain
Engine	3.7L L-head I6; 3.7L, 3.8L, 4.1L OHV I6; 3.7L OHV V6; 4.4L, 4.6L, 5.0L, 5.3L, 5.7L OHV V8;
Transmission	3-speed TH400 automatic (column); 3-speed manual (column);
Dimensions
Wheelbase	120 in (3,048 mm); 129 in (3,277 mm) (limousine)

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The Checker Marathon is an automobile produced by the Checker Motors Corporation of Kalamazoo, Michigan, between 1961 and 1982. It was marketed as a passenger car for consumers, as opposed to the similar Taxi, which was aimed at fleet buyers.

History

Marathons were produced in both four-door sedan and four-door station wagon forms, and the rarer six-door 9-seater and eight-door, 12-seater "Aerobus" sedans and wagons.

The Marathon was introduced in September 1960 for the 1961 model year, alongside, and later superseding, the Checker Superba Custom and differing from the Superba with its better interior appointments. Originally, it retained the Superba's A10 body code, whereas A9 was the code used for taxis. The exterior of the Marathon had a full-width egg-crate grille, differing from the Superba's narrower grille and inboard parking lights.

After a minor facelift for 1963, chassis codes changed to A11 for taxis and A12 for passenger versions.^[1] Also in 1963, the Marathon Town Custom, a limousine version on a longer (129 versus 120 in) wheelbase appeared. This version, which seated eight, received the A19E chassis code.^[2] A few years later, this was changed to A12E.

Checker did not have a nationwide dealer network and sold most of its production for fleet service.^[3]

Technical changes

With the exception of United States government-mandated 5 mph bumpers in 1974 and ongoing mechanical changes, the Marathon remained virtually unchanged during its 21-year production run. However, Checker did comply with all safety and emissions requirements while in production. Notably, the Marathon's front suspension A-frames interchange with a 1956 Ford.

Some of these changes help in identifying the year of a Checker, and included:

1963: Front parking/directional lamps changed from white to amber
1964: Standard front lap belts
1965: Engines switched from Continental inline-6 to Chevrolet OHV-6 and small-block V8s
1966: Standard front and rear lap belts
1967: Interior safety package, including energy-absorbing steering column and wheel, padded dash, recessed knobs
1967: Dual-chamber brake master cylinder
1968: Side marker lamps on all fenders, amber in front, red in rear (round on all Checkers)
1968: Front shoulder belts for outboard passengers
1969: Headrests
1970: Locking steering column (Checker used full-size Chevrolet steering columns and wheels)
1974: Larger, heavier silver-painted "girder"-style bumpers
1975: Catalytic converter required unleaded fuel
1976: Radiator (AMC Matador), engine (Chevy 350 V8 2-barrel carb, cylinders were over-bored, requiring larger pistons and rings), transmission (TH 400: Turbo Hydra-Matic), differential (Spicer 44), front lower A-frame (Ford 56 Thunderbird), front upper A-frame (63 Lincoln Continental), steering was rear drag link until 1980, pitman arm bushing tends to loosen and should be tightened every 10k miles.
1978: Parallel action windshield wipers introduced
1978: New "Delta"-style Chevrolet steering wheel (sans the Chevy bowtie)

Engines

The engines used were originally Continental-built L-head inline-sixes (OHV units for the wagons), but these were exchanged for Chevrolet sixes and small-block V8s for the 1965 model year.^[4] These continued to change as Chevrolet introduced modifications, peaking with the 1969 L-48 350 V8 which produced 300 hp (224 kW) (gross).^[5] In 1969, a Perkins 4.236, 3.9-liter (236 in³) naturally aspirated diesel engine was available as an option for all models, but for only one year. By 1973, power for the 350 had decreased to 145 hp (108 kW) and in 1975 catalytic converters were introduced. For 1980, the engine lineup was changed entirely, with a 3.8-litre V6 replacing the old inline unit, and a smaller 267 ci (4.4 L) standard V8. The big news was the Oldsmobile LF9 engine, a 350 cu in (5.74 L) diesel V8.^[6]

Six-cylinder engines
Model Years	Layout	Size	Fuel system	Power	Origin	Notes
1961–1964	L-head I6	226 cu in (3,707 cc)	single carb	80 hp (60 kW) at 3,100 rpm	Continental	Sedans only until 1963
1961–1962	OHV I6	226 cu in (3,707 cc)	single carb	122 hp (91 kW) at 4,000 rpm	Continental	Station Wagon only
1963–1964	OHV I6	226 cu in (3,707 cc)	2-bbl carb	141 hp (105 kW) at 4,400 rpm	Continental	$57 option
1965–1968	OHV I6	230 cu in (3,769 cc)	single carb	140 hp (104 kW) at 4,400 rpm	Chevrolet	base
1969–1970	OHV I6	250 cu in (4,095 cc)	2-bbl carb	155 hp (116 kW) at 4,200 rpm	Chevrolet	base
1971–1972				145 hp (108 kW) at 4,200 rpm		110 hp SAE net
1973–1975				100 hp (75 kW) at 3,600 rpm		low-comp, EGR
1976			single carb	105 hp (78 kW) at 3,800 rpm		8.2:1
1977–1979			single carb	110 hp (82 kW) at 3,800 rpm		8.3:1
1980	OHV V6	229 cu in (3,751 cc)	2-bbl carb	115 hp (86 kW) at 4,000 rpm	Chevrolet
1981–1982	OHV V6	229 cu in (3,751 cc)	2-bbl carb	110 hp (82 kW) at 4,200 rpm	Chevrolet	LC3
V8 engines
1965–1967	OHV V8	283 cu in (4,638 cc)	2-bbl carb	195 hp (145 kW) at 4,800 rpm	Chevrolet
1966–1968	OHV V8	327 cu in (5,354 cc)	4-bbl carb	250 hp (186 kW) at 4,400 rpm	Chevrolet	10.5:1
1969	OHV V8	327 cu in (5,354 cc)	4-bbl carb	235 hp (175 kW) at 4,800 rpm	Chevrolet	9.0:1
1968	OHV V8	307 cu in (5,025 cc)	2-bbl carb	200 hp (149 kW) at 4,600 rpm	Chevrolet
1969	OHV V8	350 cu in (5,733 cc)	4-bbl carb	300 hp (224 kW) at 4,800 rpm	Chevrolet	10.25:1
1970				250 hp (186 kW) at 4,500 rpm		9.0:1
1971–1972				245 hp (183 kW) at 4,800 rpm		9.0:1, 165 hp SAE net
1973–1976			2-bbl carb	145 hp (108 kW) at 4,000 rpm 145 hp (108 kW) at 3,800 rpm		8.5:1, EGR catalyzed from 1975
1977			4-bbl carb	170 hp (127 kW) at 3,800 rpm		8.5:1
1978–1979			4-bbl carb	160 hp (119 kW) at 3,800 rpm		8.2:1
1977–1979	OHV V8	305 cu in (4,999 cc)	2-bbl carb	145 hp (108 kW) at 3,800 rpm	Chevrolet	8.5:1, 8.4:1 after 1978
1980				155 hp (116 kW) at 4,000 rpm		8.6:1
1981				150 hp (112 kW) at 3,800 rpm		8.6:1, higher torque (LG4)
1980	OHV V8	268 cu in (4,390 cc)	2-bbl carb	120 hp (89 kW) at 3,600 rpm	Chevrolet
1981–1982	OHV V8	268 cu in (4,390 cc)	2-bbl carb	115 hp (86 kW) at 4,000 rpm	Chevrolet	L39, electronic feedback carb
1980	OHV V8	350 cu in (5,737 cc)	diesel	125 hp (93 kW) at 3,600 rpm	Oldsmobile
1981–1982	OHV V8	350 cu in (5,737 cc)	diesel	105 hp (78 kW) at 3,200 rpm	Oldsmobile	improved "DX" version (LF9)

: SAE gross figures, others are SAE net

End of Production

The final Marathon was manufactured in 1982, when Checker exited the automobile manufacturing business. In 1983 Checker started a remanufacturing operation at the Kalamazoo Cab Services division. Checker continued remanufacturing cabs as late as 1997. The company continued operations for an additional 27 years producing body stampings for General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler, until January 2009, when it entered bankruptcy liquidation as a result of the downturn in the USA auto industry.^[7]

1971 Checker Marathon wagon
1972 Checker A12 Marathon sedan
1975 Checker A12 Marathon sedan
Checker Marathon badge

Fleet Usage

New York City

For decades, Checker was the taxicab of choice for New York City and many other American cities. The size of the car (seating many passengers), the robust construction, the lack of yearly changes to the styling (especially the 1958 and later models, simplifying parts management), and the bolt-on rear quarter panels all contributed to the Marathon's ubiquity on the streets of Manhattan.

The last New York City Checker cab retired in 1999, operated by Earl Johnson from 1978 onwards. The Marathon covered nearly one million miles and had three engine replacements over the years.^[8]^[9]

Most films set in New York City in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s will show a Checker Marathon. Many movies set in the 1950s and 1960s use Checker cabs built in the 1970s and early 1980s, since the bodies were virtually the same, and due to the lack of usable early specimens. Also, in works depicting the Soviet Union or East Bloc countries, such as the film Gorky Park ^{[citation needed]} and the original Mission: Impossible^[10] television series, Checker Marathons were used to depict Soviet-made GAZ-13 Chaika automobiles.

Kalamazoo

Apart from taxicab use, Marathons were also bought by police departments, most notably in Kalamazoo, where Checker had its factory.^[11]

The Vatican

In the late 1960s and into the early 1970s, some black SCV-plated (Stato Città del Vaticano - Vatican City) A12 Marathons were used to accommodate Pope Paul VI's entourage in motorcades.

References

^ Naul, G. Marshall (1999). Ron Kowalke (ed.). Standard Catalog of Independents: The Struggle to Survive Among Giants. Iola, WI: Krause Publications, Inc. pp. 32–33. ISBN 0-87341-569-8.
^ Standard Catalog of Independents, p. 34
^ J. "Kelly" Flory (2008). American Cars, 1946-1959: Every Model, Year by Year. McFarland & Company Incorporated Pub. ISBN 978-0-7864-3229-5. p.1
^ Standard Catalog of Independents, p. 35
^ Standard Catalog of Independents, pp. 36–37
^ Standard Catalog of Independents, p. 41
^ Evans, Scott (20 January 2009). "Checker Motor Corp., Former Taxi Cab Builder, Files for Bankruptcy". Motor Trend. Retrieved 7 April 2009..
^ "Unrestorable: 1978 Checker New York Yellow cab". Hagerty Media. 2016-04-27. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
^ "Last New York Checker Turns Off Its Meter for Good". New York Times. 1999-07-27. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
^ "Checker Marathon in "Mission: Impossible"".
^ Policeyskye mashiny mira. Nr. 35. Checker Marathon (in Russian). De Agostini, 2014. ISSN 2305-3992.

External links

The ICTA's Checker Taxi Stand, Youtube Channel

[scind-1] Naul, G. Marshall (1999). Ron Kowalke (ed.). Standard Catalog of Independents: The Struggle to Survive Among Giants. Iola, WI: Krause Publications, Inc. pp. 32–33. ISBN 0-87341-569-8.

[scind34-2] Standard Catalog of Independents, p. 34

[3] J. "Kelly" Flory (2008). American Cars, 1946-1959: Every Model, Year by Year. McFarland & Company Incorporated Pub. ISBN 978-0-7864-3229-5. p.1

[scind35-4] Standard Catalog of Independents, p. 35

[scind36-5] Standard Catalog of Independents, pp. 36–37

[scind41-6] Standard Catalog of Independents, p. 41

[7] Evans, Scott (20 January 2009). "Checker Motor Corp., Former Taxi Cab Builder, Files for Bankruptcy". Motor Trend. Retrieved 7 April 2009..

[8] "Unrestorable: 1978 Checker New York Yellow cab". Hagerty Media. 2016-04-27. Retrieved 2022-08-10.

[9] "Last New York Checker Turns Off Its Meter for Good". New York Times. 1999-07-27. Retrieved 2024-09-23.

[10] "Checker Marathon in "Mission: Impossible"".

[11] Policeyskye mashiny mira. Nr. 35. Checker Marathon (in Russian). De Agostini, 2014. ISSN 2305-3992.

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@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 | assembly     = [[Kalamazoo, Michigan]]
 | wheelbase = {{convert|120|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}<br>{{convert|129|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} (limousine)
+| class = [[Mid-size car]]
 | body_style   = 4-door [[sedan (car)|sedan]]<br>5-door [[station wagon]]
 | layout       = [[FR layout]]
+| engine = {{ubl
+  | 3.7L [[L-head]] [[Straight-6 engine|I6]]
+  | 3.7L, 3.8L, 4.1L [[Overhead valve engine|OHV]] [[Straight-6 engine|I6]]
+  | 3.7L [[Overhead valve engine|OHV]] [[V6 engine|V6]]
+  | 4.4L, 4.6L, 5.0L, 5.3L, 5.7L [[Overhead valve engine|OHV]] [[V8 engine|V8]]
+  }}
+| transmission = {{ubl
+  | 3-speed [[Turbo-Hydramatic#Super_Turbine_400_/_TH400_/_THM400_/_THM375_/_3L80_/_3L80HD|TH400]] [[automatic transmission|automatic]] (column)
+  | 3-speed [[manual transmission|manual]] (column)
+  }}
 | related = [[Checker Superba]]<br>[[Checker Aerobus]]
 }}
-The '''Checker Marathon''' is an automobile produced by the [[Checker Motors Corporation]] of [[Kalamazoo, Michigan]], between 1961 and 1982.  It was marketed as a passenger car for consumers, as opposed to the similar Taxi, which was aimed at fleet buyers.
+The '''Checker Marathon''' is an automobile produced by the [[Checker Motors Corporation]] of [[Kalamazoo, Michigan]], between 1961 and 1982. It was marketed as a passenger car for consumers, as opposed to the similar Taxi, which was aimed at fleet buyers.
-Marathons were produced in both four-door sedan and four-door [[station wagon]] forms, and the rare eight-door, 12-seater "[[Checker Aerobus|Aerobus]]" wagon.
 ==History==
+Marathons were produced in both four-door sedan and four-door [[station wagon]] forms, and the rarer six-door 9-seater and eight-door, 12-seater "[[Checker Aerobus|Aerobus]]" sedans and wagons.
-The Marathon was introduced in September 1960 for the 1961 model year, alongside, and later superseding, the [[Checker Superba]] Custom and differing from the Superba with its better interior appointments. Originally, it retained the Superba's A10 body code, whereas A9 was the code used for taxis. The exterior of the Marathon had a full-width egg-crate grille, differing from the Superba's narrower grille and inboard parking lights. After a minor facelift for 1963, chassis codes changed to A11 for taxis and A12 for passenger versions.<ref name="scind">{{Cite book | title = Standard Catalog of Independents: The Struggle to Survive Among Giants | author = Naul, G. Marshall | editor = Ron Kowalke | publisher = Krause Publications, Inc. | location = Iola, WI | pages = [https://archive.org/details/standardcatalogo00ronk/page/32 32–33] | year = 1999 | isbn = 0-87341-569-8 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/standardcatalogo00ronk/page/32 }}</ref> Also in 1963,  the Marathon Town Custom, a limousine version on a longer (129 versus 120&nbsp;in) wheelbase appeared. This version, which seated eight, received the A19E chassis code.<ref name="scind34">''Standard Catalog of Independents'', p. 34</ref> A few years later, this was changed to A12E.
+The Marathon was introduced in September 1960 for the 1961 model year, alongside, and later superseding, the [[Checker Superba]] Custom and differing from the Superba with its better interior appointments. Originally, it retained the Superba's A10 body code, whereas A9 was the code used for taxis. The exterior of the Marathon had a full-width egg-crate grille, differing from the Superba's narrower grille and inboard parking lights.
-With the exception of United States government-mandated [[5 mph bumper|5&nbsp;mph bumpers]] in 1974 and ongoing mechanical changes, the Marathon remained virtually unchanged during its 21-year production run. However, Checker did comply with all safety and emissions requirements while in production.  Some of these changes help in identifying the year of a Checker, and included:
+After a minor facelift for 1963, chassis codes changed to A11 for taxis and A12 for passenger versions.<ref name="scind">{{Cite book | title = Standard Catalog of Independents: The Struggle to Survive Among Giants | author = Naul, G. Marshall | editor = Ron Kowalke | publisher = Krause Publications, Inc. | location = Iola, WI | pages = [https://archive.org/details/standardcatalogo00ronk/page/32 32–33] | year = 1999 | isbn = 0-87341-569-8 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/standardcatalogo00ronk/page/32 }}</ref> Also in 1963, the Marathon Town Custom, a limousine version on a longer (129 versus 120&nbsp;in) wheelbase appeared. This version, which seated eight, received the A19E chassis code.<ref name="scind34">''Standard Catalog of Independents'', p. 34</ref> A few years later, this was changed to A12E.
+Checker did not have a nationwide dealer network and sold most of its production for fleet service.<ref>J. "Kelly" Flory (2008). ''American Cars, 1946-1959: Every Model, Year by Year''. McFarland & Company Incorporated Pub. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-3229-5}}. p.1</ref>
+=== Technical changes ===
+With the exception of United States government-mandated [[5 mph bumper|5&nbsp;mph bumpers]] in 1974 and ongoing mechanical changes, the Marathon remained virtually unchanged during its 21-year production run. However, Checker did comply with all safety and emissions requirements while in production. Notably, the Marathon's front suspension A-frames interchange with a 1956 Ford.
+Some of these changes help in identifying the year of a Checker, and included:
 * 1963: Front parking/directional lamps changed from white to amber
@@ Line 34: / Line 52: @@
 * 1974: Larger, heavier silver-painted "girder"-style bumpers
 * 1975: Catalytic converter required unleaded fuel
-* 1976: Radiator (AMC Matador), engine (Chevy 350 V8 2-barrel carb, cylinders were over-bored, requiring larger pistons and rings), transmission (TH 400: Turbo Hydra-Matic), rear end (Spicer 44), front lower A-frame (Ford 56 Thunderbird), front upper A-frame (63 Lincoln Continental), steering was rear draglink until 1980, pittman arm bushing tends to loosen and should be tightened every 10k miles.
+* 1976: Radiator (AMC Matador), engine (Chevy 350 V8 2-barrel carb, cylinders were over-bored, requiring larger pistons and rings), transmission (TH 400: Turbo Hydra-Matic), differential (Spicer 44), front lower A-frame (Ford 56 Thunderbird), front upper A-frame (63 Lincoln Continental), steering was rear drag link until 1980, [[pitman arm]] bushing tends to loosen and should be tightened every 10k miles.
 * 1978: Parallel action windshield wipers introduced
 * 1978: New "Delta"-style Chevrolet steering wheel (sans the Chevy bowtie)
+=== Engines ===
-The final Marathon was manufactured in 1982, when Checker exited the automobile manufacturing business. The company continued operations for an additional 27 years producing body stampings for General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler, until January 2009, when it entered bankruptcy liquidation as a result of the downturn in the USA auto industry.<ref>{{cite web |title=Checker Motor Corp., Former Taxi Cab Builder, Files for Bankruptcy |url=http://wot.motortrend.com/6425593/industry-news/checker-motor-corp-former-taxi-cab-builder-files-for-bankruptcy/index.html |last=Evans |first=Scott |date=20 January 2009 |work=[[Motor Trend]] |accessdate=7 April 2009 }}.</ref>
+The engines used were originally [[Continental Motors Company|Continental]]-built [[L-head]] [[Straight-six engine|inline-sixes]] ([[Overhead valve engine|OHV]] units for the wagons), but these were exchanged for Chevrolet sixes and [[Chevrolet small-block engine|small-block V8s]] for the 1965 model year.<ref name="scind35">''Standard Catalog of Independents'', p. 35</ref> These continued to change as Chevrolet introduced modifications, peaking with the 1969 [[Chevrolet small-block engine#350|L-48 350 V8]] which produced {{convert|300|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} (gross).<ref name="scind36">''Standard Catalog of Independents'', pp. 36–37</ref> In 1969, a [[Perkins 4.236]], 3.9-liter (236&nbsp;in<sup>3</sup>) naturally aspirated diesel engine was available as an option for all models, but for only one year. By 1973, power for the 350 had decreased to {{convert|145|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} and in 1975 catalytic converters were introduced. For 1980, the engine lineup was changed entirely, with a 3.8-litre V6 replacing the old inline unit, and a smaller 267 ci (4.4&nbsp;L) standard V8. The big news was the [[Oldsmobile Diesel engine#LF9|Oldsmobile LF9]] engine, a {{convert|5.74|L|cuin|0|disp=flip|abbr=on}} [[Diesel engine|diesel]] V8.<ref name="scind41">''Standard Catalog of Independents'', p. 41</ref>
-Notably, the Marathon's front suspension A-frames interchange with a 1956 Ford. The engines used were originally [[Continental Motors Company|Continental]]-built [[L-head]] [[Straight-six engine|inline-sixes]] ([[OHV]] units for the wagons), but these were exchanged for Chevrolet sixes and [[Chevrolet small-block engine|small-block V8s]] for the 1965 model year.<ref name="scind35">''Standard Catalog of Independents'', p. 35</ref> These continued to change as Chevrolet introduced modifications, peaking with the 1969 [[Chevrolet small-block engine#350|L-48 350 V8]] which produced {{convert|300|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} (gross).<ref name="scind36">''Standard Catalog of Independents'', pp. 36–37</ref> In 1969, a Perkins 4.236 L diesel nonturbo engine was available as an option for all models, but for only one year. By 1973, power for the 350 had decreased to {{convert|145|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} and in 1975 catalytic converters were introduced. For 1980, the engine lineup was changed entirely, with a 3.8-litre V6 replacing the old inline unit, and a smaller 267 ci (4.4&nbsp;L) standard V8. The big news was the [[Oldsmobile Diesel engine#LF9|Oldsmobile LF9]] engine, a {{convert|5.74|L|cuin|0|disp=flip|abbr=on}} [[Diesel engine|diesel]] V8.<ref name="scind41">''Standard Catalog of Independents'', p. 41</ref>
-Checker did not have a nationwide dealer network and sold most of its production for fleet service.<ref>J. "Kelly" Flory (2008). ''American Cars, 1946-1959: Every Model, Year by Year''. McFarland & Company Incorporated Pub. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-3229-5}}. p.1</ref> Apart from taxicab use, Marathons were also bought by police departments, most notably in [[Kalamazoo, Michigan|Kalamazoo]], where Checker had its factory.<ref>''Policeyskye mashiny mira. Nr. 35. Checker Marathon'' (in Russian). De Agostini, 2014. ISSN 2305-3992.</ref> In the late 1960s and into the early 1970s, some black SCV-plated (''Stato Città del Vaticano'' - Vatican City) A12 Marathons were used to accommodate Pope Paul VI's entourage in motorcades.
-<gallery widths="200px" heights="150px">
-File:1971 Checker Marathon Station Wagon pretend-taxi.jpg|1971 Checker Marathon wagon
-File:1972 Checker A12 Marathon in blue, front right (Hershey 2019).jpg|1972 Checker A12 Marathon sedan
-File:1975 Checker A12 rear.jpg|1975 Checker A12 Marathon sedan
-File:Green Banks - Checker Marathon logo.jpg|Checker Marathon badge
-</gallery>
-== Classic New York City taxicab ==
-[[File:Checker Taxi Madison Sq jeh.jpg|thumb|Checker Marathon taxi]]
-For decades, Checker was the [[taxicab]] of choice for [[Taxicabs of New York City|New York City]] and many other American cities. The size of the car (seating many passengers), the robust construction, the lack of yearly changes to the styling (Especially the 1958 and later models, simplifying parts management), and the bolt-on rear quarter panels all contributed to the Marathon's ubiquity on the streets of [[Manhattan]]. For example, virtually any film set in New York City in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s will show a Checker Marathon. A knowledgeable Checker viewer, however, will note that many movies set in the 1950s and 1960s use Checker cabs built in the 1970s and early 1980s, since the bodies were virtually the same, and due to the lack of usable early specimens. Also, in works depicting the Soviet Union or East Bloc countries, such as the film ''[[Gorky Park (film)|Gorky Park]]''  {{Citation needed|date=November 2020}}  and the original ''[[Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series)|Mission: Impossible]]''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://imcdb.org/vehicle_183290-Checker-Marathon-A12-1962.html|title = Checker Marathon in "Mission: Impossible"}}</ref> television series, Checker Marathons were used to depict [[Soviet Union|Soviet]]-made [[GAZ-13|GAZ-13 Chaika]] automobiles.
-{{Clear}}
-==Engines==
 {| class="wikitable collapsible" rules="all" style="float: left; border:solid 1px #1C1C1C; font-size:85%; empty-cells:show;"
 |-
@@ Line 78: / Line 80: @@
 |-
 | 1961–1962
-| align="center" | [[OHV]] I6
+| align="center" | [[Overhead valve engine|OHV]] I6
 | align="center" | {{convert|3707|cc|cuin|0|abbr=on|disp=flip}}
 | align="center" | single carb
@@ Line 132: / Line 134: @@
 | align="center" | {{convert|115|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} at 4,000&nbsp;rpm
 | rowspan="2" align="center" | Chevrolet
 | align="center" |
 |-
 | 1981–1982
@@ Line 146: / Line 148: @@
 | style="background-color:#faebd7" align="center" | {{convert|195|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} at 4,800&nbsp;rpm
 | align="center" | Chevrolet
 | align="center" |
 |-
 | 1966–1968
@@ Line 166: / Line 168: @@
 | style="background-color:#faebd7" align="center" | {{convert|200|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} at 4,600&nbsp;rpm
 | align="center" | Chevrolet
 | align="center" |
 |-
 | 1969
@@ Line 220: / Line 222: @@
 | align="center" | {{convert|120|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} at 3,600&nbsp;rpm
 | rowspan="2" align="center" | Chevrolet
 | align="center" |
 |-
 | 1981–1982
@@ Line 232: / Line 234: @@
 | align="center" | {{convert|125|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} at 3,600&nbsp;rpm
 | rowspan="2" align="center" | [[Oldsmobile]]
 | align="center" |
 |-
 | 1981–1982
@@ Line 238: / Line 240: @@
 | align="center" | improved "DX" version (LF9)
 |-
+|
 <!--| colspan="7" align=left |<small>Notes:</small>-->
 |-
@@ Line 243: / Line 246: @@
 |}
 {{Clear}}
+===End of Production===
+The final Marathon was manufactured in 1982, when Checker exited the automobile manufacturing business. In 1983 Checker started a remanufacturing operation at the Kalamazoo Cab Services division. Checker continued remanufacturing cabs as late as 1997. The company continued operations for an additional 27 years producing body stampings for General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler, until January 2009, when it entered bankruptcy liquidation as a result of the downturn in the USA auto industry.<ref>{{cite web |last=Evans |first=Scott |date=20 January 2009 |title=Checker Motor Corp., Former Taxi Cab Builder, Files for Bankruptcy |url=http://wot.motortrend.com/6425593/industry-news/checker-motor-corp-former-taxi-cab-builder-files-for-bankruptcy/index.html |accessdate=7 April 2009 |work=[[Motor Trend]]}}.</ref>
+<gallery widths="200px" heights="150px">
+File:1971 Checker Marathon Station Wagon pretend-taxi.jpg|1971 Checker Marathon wagon
+File:1972 Checker A12 Marathon in blue, front right (Hershey 2019).jpg|1972 Checker A12 Marathon sedan
+File:1975 Checker A12 rear.jpg|1975 Checker A12 Marathon sedan
+File:Green Banks - Checker Marathon logo.jpg|Checker Marathon badge
+</gallery>
+== Fleet Usage ==
+[[File:Checker Taxi Madison Sq jeh.jpg|thumb|A restored Checker Marathon taxi in use as a wedding car]]
+=== New York City ===
+For decades, Checker was the [[taxicab]] of choice for [[Taxicabs of New York City|New York City]] and many other American cities. The size of the car (seating many passengers), the robust construction, the lack of yearly changes to the styling (especially the 1958 and later models, simplifying parts management), and the bolt-on rear quarter panels all contributed to the Marathon's ubiquity on the streets of [[Manhattan]].
+The last New York City Checker cab retired in 1999, operated by Earl Johnson from 1978 onwards. The Marathon covered nearly one million miles and had three engine replacements over the years.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-04-27 |title=Unrestorable: 1978 Checker New York Yellow cab |url=https://www.hagerty.com/media/archived/unrestorable/ |access-date=2022-08-10 |website=Hagerty Media |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1999-07-27 |title=Last New York Checker Turns Off Its Meter for Good |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/27/nyregion/last-new-york-checker-turns-off-its-meter-for-good.html |access-date=2024-09-23 |website=New York Times |language=en-US}}</ref>
+Most films set in New York City in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s will show a Checker Marathon. Many movies set in the 1950s and 1960s use Checker cabs built in the 1970s and early 1980s, since the bodies were virtually the same, and due to the lack of usable early specimens. Also, in works depicting the Soviet Union or East Bloc countries, such as the film ''[[Gorky Park (film)|Gorky Park]]'' {{Citation needed|date=November 2020}} and the original ''[[Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series)|Mission: Impossible]]''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Checker Marathon in "Mission: Impossible" |url=http://imcdb.org/vehicle_183290-Checker-Marathon-A12-1962.html}}</ref> television series, Checker Marathons were used to depict [[Soviet Union|Soviet]]-made [[GAZ-13|GAZ-13 Chaika]] automobiles.
+=== Kalamazoo ===
+Apart from taxicab use, Marathons were also bought by police departments, most notably in [[Kalamazoo, Michigan|Kalamazoo]], where Checker had its factory.<ref>''Policeyskye mashiny mira. Nr. 35. Checker Marathon'' (in Russian). De Agostini, 2014. ISSN 2305-3992.</ref>
+=== The Vatican ===
+In the late 1960s and into the early 1970s, some black SCV-plated (''Stato Città del Vaticano'' - Vatican City) A12 Marathons were used to accommodate Pope Paul VI's entourage in motorcades.
 == References ==
 {{reflist}}
 == External links ==
-* [http://www.ICTA.club/ The Internet Checker Taxicab Archive]
 * [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUgVySZdnTrz3AmQ2_pdzJQ/ The ICTA's Checker Taxi Stand, Youtube Channel]
 {{commons category|Checker Marathon}}
+{{Checker Motors}}
 [[Category:1960s cars]]
@@ Line 263: / Line 291: @@
 [[Category:Taxi vehicles]]
 [[Category:Cars introduced in 1961]]
+[[Category:Cars discontinued in 1982]]