Checker Cab gasser (GSL-26 update)

[Russell C]

I figured my Checker Cab diecast collection (1/64, 1/43, 1/32, 1/24, 1/18) could use just a little more zip, so I combined the slotted wheels/tires, chassis, engine & interior out of a Hot Wheels '55 Chevy gasser* with the body of a Hot Wheels Sunshine Cab to get the result below. Overdetailed the replacement moon tank, I suppose, and couldn't resist adding a shift lever to the lackluster interior, but it otherwise looks like the somewhat clunky appearance of what Hot Wheels itself would put out as a gasser taxi.

 *(not to worry, collectors, I didn't wreck a rare Treasure Hunt blue body version, it was an ebay seller's cheap ordinary '55 gasser with swapped-in slotted wheels)

Edited May 1, 2017 by Russell C

[Modelbuilder Mark]

That's cool.  

[tedd60]

VERY cool!

My first job as a mechanic was at a Checker & International Harvester Dealership in Keyport, NJ. a VERY long time ago.  Not many folks know that Checkers could be bought as passenger cars and came colors other than yellow.   I don't remember any with the exhaust dumping out the front wheel wells!

Very rugged and reliable ... the owners loved them.

Great job.

 

 

[Russell C]

Thanks, gents.

Yep, my late father considered buying a 'civilian' one, I still have the dealer brochure. Not especially valuable as a mint collector item since it was heavily folded over, but still entertaining to look at.

[tedd60]

Do you have a Checker 9 Passenger Aerobus in you collection?

During the Vietnam War these were almost as ubiquitous as Huey's around military bases.  They would haul servicemen between the base and the airport and I rode in them a LOT back in the day.

After the war was over, I remember seeing tons of them in junkyards around Fort Dix, NJ.

 

[Russell C]

Do you have a Checker 9 Passenger Aerobus in you collection? ......

Nope, keeping the collection by preference to what might be a typical NYC standard body quad headlight taxi. But I have seen some company's Aerobus collectibles on ebay, usually quite pricey. Managed to snag the 24th scale Franklin Mint one for just $30, missing a few parts.

[Tom Geiger]

My first job as a mechanic was at a Checker & International Harvester Dealership in Keyport, NJ. a VERY long time ago. 

That would have been Raritan Garage.  I had no idea they were once a Checker dealer.  I believe the owners were the Cahill family. I had an uncle Jules who lived in Cliffwood who always had a Checker sedan.. he was a relative to the Cahills, so that now makes a lot of sense!

Raritan Garage was behind what was originally a bowling alley on Route 35. It eventually became a car dealership selling AMC, and eventually a Dodge dealer owned by the Straub family.  The Raritan Garage building eventually became part of that dealership, but no longer had IH.  I bought my 1996 Grand Caravan at that Dodge Dealership (Remsen Dodge).  Today it's all gone, the site holds a chain drug store.

 

Edited April 20, 2017 by Tom Geiger

[tedd60]

That would have been Raritan Garage.  I had no idea they were once a Checker dealer.  I believe the owners were the Cahill family. I had an uncle Jules who lived in Cliffwood who always had a Checker sedan.. he was a relative to the Cahills, so that now makes a lot of sense!

WOW ... what are the chances ... ?

When I worked there, your Uncle Jules owned a green one.  You are right about the Cahills, Buddy owned the place and his brother (Tom ... no ... it was Artie ... I think) was the shop foreman.  I seem to remember that Jules was related to them by marriage.

 

pm on the way ...

 

 

 

 

Edited April 20, 2017 by tedd60

[kilrathy10]

Nice work....Looks pretty cool...

[MeatMan]

Nice work!

[Russell C]

For those who attended GSL 17, you saw 4 entries in the Small Scale class, including my gasser taxi, but only 3 awards were given out. What prevented me from achieving at least 4th place? My model was disqualified. I totally spaced out one of the cardinal GSL building rules: thou shalt not utilize a pre-painted body in any class except Box-Plus, where the specific build-out-of-the box effort involves using the pre-painted body which comes with some kits. It's a rule probably from the beginning of GSL, basically to reward building and finishing, with the original intent of preventing guys with lousy painting skills from hiring a skilled painter to finish the body. Parts/components/bodies (from whatever source) are collected, assembled and paint-finished by the builder, that is the whole idea.

What I spaced out is that the Checker taxi in its "Sunshine Cab" livery is a pre-painted body.

No worries, I was assuming the small scale class would have as many as 8 to 15 models, and my gasser taxi wouldn't be a contender no matter what. There's no harm or penalty for entering uncompetitive models. My objective, which I achieved via various compliments I got, is that it looked neat and was a fun idea which inspired others to look into doing small quick fun die cast conversions for themselves. Notice also that in the couple of posts above, I inadvertently prompted a couple of guys to get nostalgic about an old Checker dealership. What a fun hobby this is!

Edited May 1, 2017 by Russell C