1937 Checker Model Y-8 RARE VINTAGE CONVERSION TO WRECKER (1 of 2 Y-8's known)

Year: 1937 Make: Checker “Wrecker” Vintage Conversion Model: Y-8 Checker Cab Manufacturing. Kalamazoo. MI USA Chassis #: 36267 Engine #: 9029 Engine: Lycoming Straight 8 with oil filter Body #: 36230 Exterior color: Yellow & Black (taxi colors) Interior color: Black Mileage: 94. 77 (as shown on speedometer) ONE OF ONLY TWO 1937 CHECKER MODEL Y-8’S KNOWN TO EXIST! (The other is our 1936 Model Y-8) A fascinating time in history!Vintage conversion typical of when large 1930's cars (such as Packards)were being made into trucks. This Checker Y-8 was converted to a truck between WWII and the 1950's - when trucks were next to impossible to acquire - presumably by Lake City Taxi (as painted on the side). Back doors were bolted closed. top of body cut off behind the driver compartment. /p>back cut open. and hoist installed. Hand-crank winch very similar to a Weaver hoist (but no name is found on winch)taxi light on roofengine drivetrain cleanbody and interior in good shaperuns fair. uses a little oilwindow glass is all in good shapenew tiresgrill is painted silver (should be chrome)leans to left rearPlease call Art. our Operations Director. for additional information or to arrange to view the vehicle at: 269-720-9607. This vehicle is being sold due to space & exhibit constraints. See photos for condition. The second to last photo shows vehicle before restoration;the last photo shows our 1936 Model Y-8 (only other Y-8 known!) for comparison. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this historically important vehicle go back to funding and maintaining the Gilmore Car Museum collection. On Apr-04-15 at 16:07:54 PDT. seller added the following information:RARE 1937 Checker Y-8 Taxi to Wrecker Conversion 1 of only 2 CHECKER MODEL Y-8’s KNOWN TO EXIST! PLEASE NOTE: This description has been updated by seller on 4/4 due to formatting problems that made it difficult to see and read. 1937 Checker Taxi to Wrecker Conversion. circa WWII Model Y-8 Checker Cab Manufacturing. Kalamazoo. MI USA Chassis #: 36267 Engine #: 9029 Lycoming Straight 8 Body #: 36230 Exterior color: Yellow & Black (taxi colors) Interior color: Black Mileage: 94. 77 (as shown on speedometer. but undoubtedly more- thus the conversion) 1 of only 2 CHECKER MODEL Y-8’s KNOWN TO EXIST! (The other is the Gilmore Car Museum's 1936 Model Y-8) What a fascinating time in history! This vintage conversion to a wrecker is typical of the late 1930s through WWII and into the early 1950s. when larger cars (such as Packards) were being converted into trucks. This Checker Y-8 is believed to have been converted to a truck during that time. During WWII domestic auto and truck production stopped and all manufacturing turned to the war effort. Trucks were next to impossible to acquire so people turned to larger cars to convert. If you operated a Taxi service it was no different for you in obtaining a truck. Presumably. Lake City Taxi (as was painted on the doors as found prior to the restoration) took one of their fleet after it had seen some service and converted to a wrecker. The back doors were bolted closed. the top of body was cut off right behind the driver compartment. the back was cut open. and a Hand-cranked winch. very similar to a Weaver hoist was installed. (We were able to find no name or manufacturer info on this winch) This RARE TAXI to WRECKER conversion retains Taxi light on roof. Engine drive-train very clean Body and interior in good. solid shape We have not driven it much but feel it runs FAIR as it does use a little oil Window glass - good shape New tires (during the restoration. rior to being donated to the not-for-profit Gilmore Car Museum) and they have received virtually no use since. The front grill and bumper area painted silver rather than being chrome plated as original. Does have a lean to left in the rear This VERY RARE vehicle was rescued from a salvage yard and restored prior to being donated to the GILMORE CAR MUSEUM several years ago. Please call Art. the Museum’s Operations Director. for additional information or to arrange to view the vehicle at: 269-720-9607. This vehicle is being sold due to space & exhibit constraints within the Museum and all proceeds from its sale will go back into the collection. See photos for condition and details. We have attempted to add a photo to show the vehicle as found before restoration as well as a photo of the Museum’s restored 1936 Checker Y-8 (only other Y-8 known!). 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this historically important vehicle go back to funding and maintaining the not-for-profit Gilmore Car Museum collection. Thank you for your interest!