Checker Motors Corporation
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| Industry | Automotive |
|---|---|
| Fate | Acquired |
| Founded | 1922 |
| Defunct | January 14, 2010 |
| Headquarters | Kalamazoo, Michigan |
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Key people
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Morris Markin Founder |
Checker Motors Corporation was a Kalamazoo, Michigan-based vehicle manufacturer and tier-one subcontractor that manufactured taxicabs used by Checker Taxi. Checker Motors Corporation was established by Morris Markin in 1922 through a merger of Commonwealth Motors and Markin Automobile Body.
Checker made the iconic American taxi cab, valued by taxicab companies for its durability in heavy use. Special features included wide rear doors, large rear seats and trunks. The company had trouble competing with fleet discounts offered by the larger manufacturers, as well as economies of scale in procuring components. The final models were produced in 1982.
On January 16, 2009, the company filed for Chapter 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
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. The facility made bodies for Commonwealth Motors, which marketed the vehicles to cab companies under the trade name Mogul.
Commonwealth 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). Markin merged Commonwealth Motors with Markin Automobile Body to honor the contractual commitment. In 1930 Checkers came in either black, maroon, yellow or canary.
Markin was later to buy the Checker Taxi Company.
1920s Models
The company entered the consumer passenger car business in 1958 and consumer automobiles were phased in regionally across the US in 1959, starting in New York and New England. Nationally, introduction of the Checker Superba took place at the Chicago Auto Show on February 8, 1960.
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