Lot #325 - The Checker Marathon was produced in Kalamazoo, MI, between 1961 and 1982. It was an evolution of the company’s 1956 Superba A8 taxi, and offered as both a taxi and for personal use. It is most famously associated with New York City and Chicago cabbies, and is renowned for its legendary durability. The large trunk, wide doors, extra headroom, great visibility for the driver and robust durability kept Checker Marathons working on the streets of New York and Chicago every day for over five decades. This 1981 Checker Marathon is an actual retired taxi that now serves a higher purpose, and still has the bulletproof mechanicals that made Checker famous. This vehicle left the factory with the Buick V6 engine and automatic transmission that powers it today. A well-known fixture on the Houston entertainment scene, the “Tapp’d out Taxi” has graced every type of event-from black-tie galas down to down-and-dirty tailgate parties. Always a crowd favorite, the car has a complete on-board draft beer dispensing system, which can serve six varieties of keg beer simultaneously. The most visible part of the system are the six professionally installed beer taps incorporated into the car’s trunk lid. The system is powered by three CO2 bottles with regulators, and keg taps for a variety of brands are included, as well as many tap handles. Included is a custom-built roof rack that unfolds to display collectable neon beer signs. Signs are included and can also be switched out for sponsor-provided signs should the occasion require. Also included are plenty of party props, such as light-up logo beer glasses, beer goggles and hats with the “Tapp’d out Taxi” logo.