Internet Checker Taxicab Archive
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Internet Checker FARES Taxicab Archive Volume 5 Issue 1 Jan - Feb 2019 For Sale Registry Special Edition 1 Editor’s Introduction Welcome to our first issue for 2019, of the data of Checkers put up on the market ICTA newsletter, ”FARES”. An array of across the internet. Checkers on the cover? This is a very Also in this issue is a recap of the special issue of FARES. Checker hobby and a summary of a Free of charge, feel free to print this series of Checker events held in 2018. Newsletter and put in your own binder. Also in this issue, you see some Please forward to all your Checker friends holiday activity. ICTA member Peter too. Free, well perhaps your friendship Oliver entered his Checker in the could be considered payment? London New Years Day parade. If you would like to submit an article or Additionally we’ll present a photo personal profile about you or your, spread of the lovely Miss USA India of Checker, please submit all content to the 2017. ICTA member Bill Crawford was email address on the right side of this able to loan his Checker wagon out for page. a unique photo shoot. Editor: Joe Fay So what’s new in this issue? This is a Please enjoy issue: volume 5 issue 1. [email protected] special expanded issue of FARES that Owner 1949, 1950, 1952, documents the majority of Checkers, put 1957 and 1967 Checkers up for sale over the last 18 months. The ICTA has compiled all the 2 For 55 years, Das Awkscht Fescht has been a summer tradition for all ages. Offering three fun- packed days in the great outdoors, it’s been a perfect way for families to celebrate summer and see some of the finest antique cars from the east coast. Members of the ICTA have been participating in this event for a least 20 years! The godfather of all Checker clubs Don McHenry first started attending Das Awkscht pulling his antique show car with his family Checker back in the 70’s. Purchased new in 1961, by the 1980’s Don’s trailer pulling Superba wagon ultimately became a The Checker Cab Hobby 2018, A Year In Review show car too! 2019 was a very eventful year in the Checker Cab This past August ICTA members celebrated the 55th hobby. Several events, the loss of old friends and annual Das Awkscht Fescht event, five Checkers disrupters and a mass dumping of Checkers highlighted made it to the event, a pretty good showing for a the past year. This end of year blog will present both the regional event, four cars from the ICTA and one from highlights and low points. the CCCofA. ICTA Members & Checker Cabs at Das Awkscht Christian Hutter arrived first as always around 7:30 Fescht 2018 before the gates opened. 3 This writer was also on hand with my 1950 Checker Model A4. For me personally it was very exciting to display at Macungie for the first time. Both cars entered the field together at about 8:05. Thirty minutes later we were joined by ICTA members Marjorie and Bruce Uhrich who made the drive from Philadelphia in their stunning 1956 Checker Model A8 Standard. The best part of their arrival was directing the old 1956 Model A8 Standard in green and yellow livery next to the 1950 Model A4 in like green and yellow livery! Of course Bruce placed the vintage taxi stand sign between both cars. Shortly after the Uhrich’s arrival Jim Rogers & Nicole Rogers arrived with their family in their ICTA Members Make The Southwest Checker Show a classic NYC A11. Best described as war torn, the Success! Rogers A11 is always a crowd pleaser. In tow were the Roger’s two boys, it’s great to see youngsters Hats off to ICTA member Daniel Smith, for attending Checker events. The future of the transporting his fleet of Checker Cabs to the first Checker hobby needs to be passed on to a new Annual Southwest Checker Cab Cruise-In this generation. weekend. 4 The show benefited The Disabled American Veterans Chapter 16 in Prescott Arizona Dan Smith somehow managed to bring three Checkers, can you imagine the logistics! Accompanying Dan was his light metallic blue Marathon. Many members in the ICTA will remember that this is the car that ICTA member Bill Crawford saved from the crusher last year. Thankfully Bill was able to hook Dan up and the car was saved. Dan has done a great job bringing the car back to presentable condition, to the disappointment of the rat family living in the Checker. Checker Meet Up At The Giving Tree Orchards and Dan also showcased his yellow Tijuana taxi. A Event Barn & Put-In -Bay southwest show would not be a success without at This past August a group of Checker’s gathered in Put- least one Tijuana taxi! Recently acquired again in-Bay, Ohio for great get together. Hosted by Dave Dan has done a great job making the car show Kniffen, Checker fans had a great time for this first time ready. Dan’s showcase car was the now famous event, as usual the event brought new and old friends Kaela car. together. 5 This group gathered at Dave’s event center, The Giving Tree Orchards and Event Barn, for meet and greet, show off their Checkers and dine on a BBQ dinner. According to Dave the Giving Tree Orchards and Barn “is a barn that we transformed into a reception hall for our rustic New Year’s Eve Wedding. We had so much fun doing this, and feel we have a unique gift to share with Former CCCofA President, Dick Thomas 1929 – 2018 other people that we decided to rent this out for weddings, receptions, anniversary, In 2018, we lost long time Checker fan and former birthday or graduation parties” CCCofA acting President Dick Thomas. Dick was quite a character. You will not find too many guys like Dick, a Dave and his family entertained long time devout car guy and Checker fan, he applied a strong Checker fan Zandra and Tim Bower, who educational background to his hobby, both in design and pulled in with their spectacular 1982 Checker scale modeling. Winkoff. Also attending was Rick and Kathy Lucius who entertained all with their massive Dick took over the presidency of the Checker Car Club of multi colored themed Checker Aerobus. America at a very difficult time, fter the passing of long time president Steve Wilson. 6 Ultimately, Dick was instrumental in Scam or Real Attempt, the New Checker? keeping the club on its proper footing. Dick was one of key leaders to In early October 2015 we all heard the news develop a board structure for the CCCofA that a new Checker was going to be to insure that the club continued forward. produced. Two models, a 6 door sedan and a El Camino inspired pickup. Hemmings An avid Checker fan, years earlier Dick Motor News reported the Adamson designed a new look for the Checker Industries “plans to build prototypes starting Marathon, utilizing fiberglass components and other off early next year (2016) and get into full the shelf automotive parts. Conceived in the late 70’s the production in 2018. He also intends to keep car, called the Checker Summit never made it beyond the the Checker restoration business in early design phases. Dick did build one prototype and operation even after production of the two pitched the idea to Checker Motor Corp., the project was new models begins.” passed on and conventional Checker production continued until 1982. Back in the 80’s Dick developed a series of scaled Checker models and as a small cottage industry manufacturer, sold his Checker models all over the world. You could always count on Dick to present a large inventory on display in the back of his Aerobus at the various Checker shows he organized. Today these same models are highly sought after by Checker fans. 7 Checker Motor Cars posted in Facebook a photograph of an El Camino/Checker prototype under construction. In the post it was claimed that the car would not be ready for the Kalamazoo show of 2017. Well by the end of 2018 it appears that the new Checker will never be produced. The ICTA was on hand when the one sole prototype was crushed in Lawrence, Mass. It also appears that the restoration shop is now closed. All signage was removed and the entire fleet of Checker parts cars and restoration sources were dumped with the pickup prototype this past September at a Lawrence, Mass. crusher. There has been no activity on the Checker Motor Cars Facebook page since September. Thankfully ICTA members were able to save about ten cars and secured a significant amount of Checker The Biggest Checker Event in 2018 parts. Although we all hated to see the fallout of the Checker Motor Cars dumping, at least we were able Perhaps the biggest Checker event in 2018 was to save some of the vehicles. A big thank you goes out the actual destruction of 30 plus Checkers at 495 to Daniel Smith. Auto Salvagers in Lawrence, Mass. 8 We want to personally thank the members who stood strong in difficult times and in the end stuck with us in 2018. In doing so, we still have the most creative and dynamic Checker Cab experience on the internet. At just short of 1000 Facebook members we have created more dialog and fellowship than any other Checker club out there.