1976 Other Makes

Limousine

Chevy 350 V-8

Automatic

Clear

Gasoline

Up for auction today is a Checker Cab Limousine, a 1976 Checker Aerobus to be exact. These vehicles are extremly rare as they were only manufactured for two production years (1976 and 1977). Less than 100 were made and there are only a handful left in existence. I truly doubt that you will find one in better condition, honestly. The limo was featured on Discovery Channel's Auction Kings and all cast members sat in the vehicle. The show first aired in November of 2011 and can still be seen from time to time on re-runs. I have owned the vehicle since 2002 and during that time restored it to be used as a daily driver in my limousine company. Currently I am storing it and drive it every once in a while just for fun. The limousine is 23 feet from bumper to bumper. It actually came off the assembly line at that length. It was never stretched. All 8 doors open and close, however only the two back doors allow entry to the passenger cabin. The four doors in the middle are used more as access points to things like various electronics, the bar, air conditioning, etc. I did not upholster those particular doors since my customers never saw them. I installed 2 modern AC/heat units (totaling close to $10,000), 2 Kenwood cd/radios with satellite radio receivers, an amplifier, modern day speakers, a flat screen tv which plays movies and video games off of a PlayStation 2. (All electronics are included with sale). The bar has 8 cup holders, 2 champagne buckets, and a trash compartment. Both the bar and wall are finished with stainless steel to help give it a 1950's diner theme. There is no window in the wall to talk with the driver. I used walkie talkies but if the music is turned down you can hear each other well enough to hold a conversation. The seats are upholstered with a blue/gold speckled vinyl pattern in the passenger compartment and the driver compartment has a matching pattern, however in black/silver. The limousine can seat up to 8 passengers behind the driver's wall. The driver's seat is from a Cadillac, so it is a leather power seat. I have the matching passenger seat but did not install it to leave room for a cooler and/or luggage. I installed a checkered tile floor using vinyl stick tiles from Home Depot and finished off the headliner in the same speckled gold vinyl to match the seats. Checker never made their own engines. So under the hood is a Chevy 350 v-8 engine. The great thing about this is that the availability of parts is just a simple trip to your local auto parts store. As you can see from the pictures there are some trouble spots with the current paint job. When I started my business, years ago, the limo was rust and paint crack free but over the years it has came back. Depending on what you want to do with the vehicle you may want to have the trouble spots fixed and the vehicle repainted. I have received quotes locally to do so for between $2,000-$5,000. As you can see from the pictures, the tires have a lot of tread left on them and are truck tires to handle the weight of the vehicle. Mechanically speaking the limousine is in good shape. I have tinkered with different pieces of it over the years but did not have to replace the entire engine as it has held up nicely for me. There may be an electrical draw somewhere, but I have not taken the time to figure out where it is. If the limo sits for a long while the battery will eventually die out. I always unhook one of the battery cables when it's not in use to make sure I don't have any issues. I cannont vouch for the mileage on the odometer as I'm not sure how many times it has turned over. It did not turn over on my watch, however. As with any vehicle of this age, there are going to be things you will need to maintain/repair but overall this car is in good shape and has been a lot of fun to own for more than a decade. I live in Atlanta, GA and have personally driven the vehicle to Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Oklahoma City with no issues. To recoup your initial investment, this vehicle could be used as an operational limousine again, or in film/commercial work, or even parked in front of an existing business to draw in customers. No matter where you go, you will receive countless smiles and waves as this vehicle is a total attention grabber. I have tried to explain everything I can about the limousine to allow bidders to make an educated bid. The car is being sold 'as-is/where is' so the winner will be responsible for having it shipped or will need to make arrangements to pick it up and drive off into the sunset.