A New Taxi from Showcase Miniatures

[cfritschle]

Showcase Miniatures has released a new kit for the classic Checker taxi!  Here is a link to the model:  https://www.showcaseminiatures.net/n_scale/n_scale_vehicles/181.html
 
The quad headlight version in which the model is based was introduced in 1960, at the same time a consumer version of the Checker taxi was first offered to the public.  There appears to be some confusion as to whether the model years for these cars should considered 1960 or 1961.  Production of the last Checker taxi and its consumer counter part ended in 1982, but many of the taxis remained in service for nearly another two decades.  As for the model, it has a 3D printed body, chassis and wheels (no pewter parts) along with a vacuum form windshield and rear window. 
 
Thank you Walter and the Showcase team!

[Mark5]

Iconic model for anyone modeling a larger city. from 1960 up through the 80s (possibly longer).

[thomasjmdavis]

I have one of the GHQ pewter versions of the taxi... unfortunately, for me, what I really need are the earlier 1950s versions- A4, A6 and A8 (the latter very similar to the GHQ and Showcase models, but single headlight per side). 

As a matter of curiosity, when I was double checking my memory on versions... I ran across the wiki article, which notes that the A9 (the 1958 version) introduced "dual headlights" per side... and that the A11 (the 1960/61 version) introduced "quad headlights".  What is the distinction between dual headlights per side and quad headlights?

[Mark5]

As a matter of curiosity, when I was double checking my memory on versions... I ran across the wiki article, which notes that the A9 (the 1958 version) introduced "dual headlights" per side... and that the A11 (the 1960/61 version) introduced "quad headlights".  What is the distinction between dual headlights per side and quad headlights?

I was gonna say "synonyms" and lousy editing (commonplace in wikipedia), but looking at the wiki, I see no reference to dual headlights.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checker_Taxi

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checker_Marathon

[thomasjmdavis]

I was gonna say "synonyms" and lousy editing (commonplace in wikipedia), but looking at the wiki, I see no reference to dual headlights.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checker_Taxi

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checker_Marathon

I should have been more specific on WHICH wiki- I was looking at

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checker_Motors_Corporation  (scroll down about half way to find descriptions of the various models)

Model A9 (1958)

For 1958, a restyle of the A8 was introduced, the A9. It featured dual headlights, ....


Model A11 (1961)

1981 A11 "8P96" at The Henry Ford

The A11 (sold to the public as the A12) was introduced in 1961 and incorporated quad headlamps.....

[cfritschle]

Mark and Tom,

My first go to source for information about prototype cars is the Standard Catalog of American cars.  I have three volumes: 1805-1942, 1946-1975, 1976-1999.  Then I look at Wiki to see what additional information they have. 

The Checker section in the 1946-1979 catalog starts with the 1960 model year for Checker. There is nothing in the catalog for the years Checker only produced taxis. The catalog states: "The Checker passenger cars, which were first offered to the public in late in 1959 were based on the Model A8 taxi, which first appeared as early as 1956. With only a few exterior changes, the four door sedan remained essentially unchanged from 1960 to 1982. Checker was required to comply with the "five mile per hour bumper law" in 1974.  This would make the Showcase model most suitable for the 1974-82 model years.

I did read the Wiki article before posting, and I went with the information in the Standard Catalog rather than the information in Wiki.   

[GimpLizard]

This model is a post-1973 Checker, with the large "beam" type bumper.  Below is a pre-1973 A11.

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And this is a post-1973 A11.

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[cfritschle]

Thank you for the photos!  Since Checker was given an extra year to convert to the 5 mph bumpers, your first photo would cover the 1960-73 model years, and your second photo would cover the 1974-82 models years.

The GHQ version appears to be representing the 1960-73 model years with the "dip" in the center of the front bumper.  https://www.ghqmodels.com/collections/1-160-10mm-n-scale/products/checker-cab

Again, great to have those photos! 

[Mark5]

Thanks Tom, Carter, and Gimp! 

[GimpLizard]

Thank you for the photos!  Since Checker was given an extra year to convert to the 5 mph bumpers, your first photo would cover the 1960-73 model years, and your second photo would cover the 1974-82 models years.

The GHQ version appears to be representing the 1960-73 model years with the "dip" in the center of the front bumper.  https://www.ghqmodels.com/collections/1-160-10mm-n-scale/products/checker-cab

Again, great to have those photos! 

You're welcome. Personally I prefer the Showcase model, due to its "open" windows. GHQ says that theirs is a 1-piece casting. So not much chance of kitbashing their bumper onto the Showcase model, is there?

Anf by the way, I always thought the "energy absorbing" bumper wasn't required until 1974. I recall that '74 was the first year the Chevy Camaro had them.

[cfritschle]

And by the way, I always thought the "energy absorbing" bumper wasn't required until 1974. I recall that '74 was the first year the Chevy Camaro had them.

I decided I had better do a fact check on the info in the reference book I used; The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975.  So, I asked Google; "When did the 5-mph bumper law go into effect?"

Here what Google AI generated:

The 5-mph federal bumper standard (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 215) went into effect on September 1, 1972, for the 1973 model year.

Key Timeline Details

September 1, 1972: The original rule took effect, requiring passenger cars to withstand a 5-mph front-end barrier impact and a 2.5-mph rear-end barrier impact without damaging safety-related parts like headlights, fuel systems, and latches.

1974 Model Year: The standard was expanded to require rear bumpers to also withstand a full 5-mph impact, which led to heavier, more prominent bumper designs across the auto industry.

1983 Model Year: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) rolled the standard back from 5-mph to 2.5 mph (front and rear), which remains the federal requirement today.

This information is consistent with the "catalog" which stated Checker did not have to comply with the rule until the 1974 model year because of the small number of cars they manufactured annually. In the early to mid 1970s, Checker built less than 6,000 cars per year, with less than 1,000 of the cars built being sold as non-taxis.

Edit: Corrected hyphen in place of period, and added a missing hyphen.

[Chris333]

Volkswagen changed their bumpers in 1968.

[Roger Holmes]

I shared an apartment during the Fall 1972- Spring 1973 (graduation) school year with a rich roomate.  His father bought hime a brand new red Ford Torino which is the first car I had ever seen with the big front porch bumper.  I thought that bumper was the ugliest thing I had ever seen.

I bought a brand new 1975 Monte Carlo which by then had the front fascia covering up the ugly distance.  I recall a budget busting $48 a month car payment.

[Mark5]

Volkswagen changed their bumpers in 1968.

That was a styling decision.

The Beetle got 5mph bumpers in 1974.

[Chris333]

Oh I thought it was a law of some sort. The whole mounting of the bumper changed. I have custom brackets on my car to be able to bolt up older bumpers.

Also pre 1968 the seats didn't have a headrest. (again I though it was a law) I did older style seat covers and cut the headrest off the metal frame.

And cars after 1968 had these metal clips behind the rubber windshield gasket to keep it from popping out in a crash. I was told Lee Iacocca was the reason...