Dull Description: 1965 Checker Marathon Wagon – Sold?
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May 3, 2022, Update – We just confirmed the listing for this “Classifind” expired, so with no replacement found we’re assuming this ride “Sold?” While this one got away, please reach out either by email or call us directly if you’d like to be informed when we come across something similar.
Long before Uber, Checker four-door sedans were once the car of choice for cabbies across the U.S. A little know fact is that Checker also offered station wagon and limousine versions of its Marathon during its long production run from 1961 through 1980. Some were even purchased by consumers rather than cab companies or hotel properties. The seller’s one-sentence description of this 1965 Checker Marathon Station Wagon originally listed in March 2022 on Craigslist in Huntington Beach, California leaves us wondering what model this example is and what is its. All we know from the seller is that this Checker runs and features a fresh paint job. It would help to know whether the car features a six-cylinder or V8.
Currently offered for $14,500, comparing that price against the Collector Car Market Review Online Tool reveals the seller’s ask is $450 higher than this guide’s #2 “Very Good” estimate of $14,050.
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.
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. The big news for 1965 was the switch from Continental inline-6 power to a choice of either a Chevrolet inline-six or small-block V8.
We came across this YouTube video showing what its like to ride in the back seat of a similar Checker Marathon Station Wgaon:
The seller’s brief description leaves us asking more questions than it answers.
Here’s the seller’s too-brief description:
“1965 Checker Marathon Wagon. Recently painted. Vehicle runs.”
Do you have a Checker Marathon story to share? If so, comment below and let us know!
My dad special ordered a 1965 checker marithon he went to the factory and was given these binder notebooks with pictures in them to build his car. You could pick the motor transmission and rearend another binder was for the body and interior colors and materials. He ordered it with a chevy 283 two speed automatic and ford front and rear axle. It was black with grey interior. He let me pick the color. He drove it for several years then he put a 327 four barrel motor in to get more towing power. My dad loved talking about his checker. We owned a American oil service station and it was a constant object of conversation. My dad passed in 1978 and drove the checker till a year before his death when he was too ill to drive. I was only 23 and made the mistake of selling the checker after he passed. A regret i will carry with me forever.