Checker Aerobus: The Iconic Stretched Taxi of the 1960s–70s

If you asked an American today to picture a taxi cab, they might think of a Toyota Prius or a Ford Crown Victoria. If you’d asked that same question in the early 1960s, however, the image everyone would conjure up would no doubt be that of a Checker. The A11 cab, introduced in 1951, was ubiquitous in large cities, and its yellow paint and checkered side stripe made it stand out in traffic. They became synonymous with American big cities, particularly New York.

From 1962 to 1977, Checker built stretched versions of its archetypal, slab-sided taxicab in both sedan and wagon variants. The standard, 120-inch wheelbase model was extended by either 34.5 inches to fit one extra set of doors and row of seats, or by 69 inches to fit two extra sets of doors and twin rows of seats. The simple lines of the Checker made the conversion look as though it was planned all along.

While consumer wagon models were equipped with an additional two seats in the way back, these stretched machines were intended as airport shuttles and could seat up to 12 passengers, with the space behind the last three-wide seats left open for stowing luggage. That’s still enough seating for an entire baseball team, including a middle reliever and closer.

This 1974 Aerobus, currently up for bid on Hagerty Marketplace, is offered in Kenosha, Wisconsin, about a four-hour drive around the southern edge of Lake Michigan from where it was built in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Aside from a more modern head unit, this limousine looks like it’s ready to serve as a period-correct background piece in a film or TV show. It would also be a standout at any car show where it could find a mooring.

Drawbacks of Owning a Checker Aerobus

There are a few drawbacks to owning such an unconventional vehicle. Checker hasn’t been producing cars for decades, and there’s not quite as much of an aftermarket available for restoration as for more popular collectible cars. There’s also the unique proposition of parking such a long vehicle. Prospective owners will need plenty of room in their garage—and should get used to taking photographs in panoramic mode.

Why the Checker Aerobus Remains a Collectible Classic

In the “pros” column, there’s the fact that Checker never subscribed to the marketing philosophy of planned obsolescence. The brand’s A11 models, as well as its A10 and A12 derivations meant for the consumer market, were produced for decades with various powertrain updates over the years, but little in the way of design changes. That means body panels will interchange between years. Further, the drivetrains and many of the steering components came from the deep parts bin at General Motors.

This Aerocab in particular was treated to a repaint and interior restoration in 2019. That had to be a chore, as there are two normal cars’ worth of sheet metal to sand, prep, and paint. The same goes for upholstery. As for the drivetrain, things could not be any easier to maintain.