This made Checker one of the two dominant taxicab builders in the US, the other being Yellow Cab Manufacturing.

At the end of January 1929, over 8,000 Checkers were chasing fares in New York City, a city with a total population of 21,000 cabs. By January 1929, 950 units had been produced and sold. Within the first month of introduction, there were over 4,800 orders. Consistent with previous Checkers, the Model K utilized a 127-inch wheelbase and the Buda six-cylinder was now the only engine available. The Model K was Checker’s first ground up design, introduced 6 years after the founding of Checker. The body was integrated in its design bumper to bumper no longer did it possess the Commonwealth Mogul front clip mated to a taxicab body first introduced in 1918. An advanced, modern design for its day, it was now a purpose built taxi with luxurious town car styling cues. There were major changes at Checker in 1928 with a truly new model, the Model K. In 1929, he purchased the Yellow Cab Company from John D. Markin would slowly acquire Checker Taxi of Chicago over the course of the 1920s. In 1930, Checkers came in either black, maroon, yellow or canary.

Markin merged Commonwealth Motors with Markin Automobile Body to honor the contractual commitment. The facility made bodies for Commonwealth Motors, which marketed the vehicles to cab companies under the trade name Mogul.Ĭommonwealth Motors was on the verge of bankruptcy, but had an order from Checker Taxi (a privately owned cab company in Chicago that had no affiliation with Markin at the time). Morris Markin (a clothier from Chicago, Illinois) became the owner of Markin Automobile Body, an auto-body manufacturer based in Joliet, Illinois, following a default by the owner on a $15,000 personal loan. On January 16, 2009, the company filed for Chapter 11 protection in U.S. The company had trouble competing with fleet discounts offered by the larger manufacturers, as well as economies of scale in procuring components. Special features included wide rear doors, large rear seats and trunks. Automotive stampings and components (previous: Commercial Vehicles, 1922-82 - Consumer Vehicles, 1959-82)Ĭhecker Motors Corporation was a Kalamazoo, Michigan-based vehicle manufacturer and tier-one subcontractor that manufactured taxicabs used by Checker Taxi.Ĭhecker Motors Corporation was established by Morris Markin in 1922 through a merger of Commonwealth Motors and Markin Automobile BodyĬhecker made the iconic American taxi cab, valued by taxicab companies for its durability in heavy use.

1968 checker marathon deluxe specs