One Superfan Is Saving Checker Cabs From Extinction

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  • čas přidán 4. 08. 2014
  • Aug. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Joe Pollard has the world's largest collection of classic Checker cars. He builds and finds car parts for Checker owners around the world and restores and rents the iconic American cars. Bloomberg gets a look at his massive collection. Video by: Jeniece Pettitt, Ryo Ikegami.(Source: Bloomberg)
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Komentáře • 76

  • @hoss73ford
    @hoss73ford Před 8 lety +49

    Thank you for saving an American icon. Though I don't own one and likely won't, I love blasts from the past and my youth.

  • @communistjesus
    @communistjesus Před 10 lety +37

    This man is very fortunate... He makes a living out of what he likes doing.. Good for him..

  • @Tomek1985
    @Tomek1985 Před 3 lety +9

    Rest In Peace and thank you for what you did.

  • @haserotmalach7324
    @haserotmalach7324 Před rokem +3

    This video was way too short! Joe seems to be a great gentleman, probably with lots of interesting stories to tell and, in my view, a car guy's hero! Thanks for sharing this delightful story!

  • @shevetlevi2821
    @shevetlevi2821 Před rokem +3

    Nice to see someone saving them.
    I drove a Checker cab in NYC in the mid 1970s. It's unbelievable to me (according to online specs) that these cartoon like chubby sedans weighed only 3400 lbs. After a day's shift going home in my little Honda Civic felt like switching from a living room on wheels to a go kart.

  • @elliottschertzer876
    @elliottschertzer876 Před 2 lety +2

    I owned a 1974 Checker paid 6,000 for it brand new. Loved it

  • @markdanielczyk944
    @markdanielczyk944 Před rokem +3

    Very cool, nice to see someone saving them.

  • @johnbehneman1546
    @johnbehneman1546 Před 2 měsíci

    I WOULD LOVE TO BUILD A CHECKER IN THE FUTURE!!!! SO MUCH FUN!!!!!

  • @EM-ei5gk
    @EM-ei5gk Před 4 lety +6

    I drove a NYC Yellow Checker cab for 3 years in the late 70s.

    • @bcubed72
      @bcubed72 Před 3 lety

      Are you lookin' at ME?

    • @hyzercreek
      @hyzercreek Před 3 lety +2

      Then you must have driven for Metro in Astroia, they had 150 medallions and only used Checkers, or Midand in LIC, they had 250 medallions and only used checkers. That's 500 checkers total, those were the 2 main fleets that ran checkers in NYC

  • @johnbehneman1546
    @johnbehneman1546 Před 2 měsíci

    I LOVE THE CHECKER STATION WAGON!!!!!

  • @johnbehneman1546
    @johnbehneman1546 Před 2 měsíci

    THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!

  • @VirtualLunacy
    @VirtualLunacy Před 4 měsíci +1

    never even knew Checker made their own cars.

  • @scottharker5394
    @scottharker5394 Před 3 lety +20

    Sadly, Joe Pollard passed away in October of 2019.

  • @Nitewatch-xc9yz
    @Nitewatch-xc9yz Před 4 lety +2

    Would absolutely love to have one of these

  • @chrispasini5870
    @chrispasini5870 Před rokem +1

    I rode in Yellow cab but it was a Crown Vic unfortunately I wasn't born till after the checkers were retired. I think I might of seen them in movies like Superman etc

  • @chrispasini5870
    @chrispasini5870 Před rokem +1

    I like the way the checkers look classic car look just seems right especially for NYC home of the taxi 🚕🚖 I think NYC has More cabs per resident than Los Angeles county combined

  • @williamhernandez9383
    @williamhernandez9383 Před 4 lety +2

    Cuba would love the Checker Cabs.

  • @AnchovyTheItalianStallion

    one day i'm gonna go there and try and get me one of those, i've always wanted to get a checker car for the longest time now and every-time i see a picture my passion to own one is burning once more. it only get beat by the 59 Cadillac in my top favorite's

  • @jeffscott8323
    @jeffscott8323 Před rokem +3

    I heard these cars were tough as a Truck

  • @armyman29340
    @armyman29340 Před 2 lety +2

    As a life long, third generation cabbie, I’d give parts of my anatomy to own a classic checker. Always wanted to drive one.

    • @jeffhammers5677
      @jeffhammers5677 Před 2 lety

      Look at my Marathon. If you are interested, maybe we can work something out. CZcams 1965 Checker or my name

  • @logtrainzipftt5549
    @logtrainzipftt5549 Před rokem +1

    0:44 man the blue checker car is haunted

  • @slhines7
    @slhines7 Před 10 lety +9

    This is surprisingly a very nice story put out by Boob-berg's "news" channel of all things. Thanks for sharing!

  • @itsthatsebguy93
    @itsthatsebguy93 Před 7 lety +21

    I'd love to make a super sleeper out of one these old cabs.

    • @captainzoll3303
      @captainzoll3303 Před 4 lety +2

      I don't know why, but I feel like some AWD electric conversion would be really cool.

    • @Sharptooth100
      @Sharptooth100 Před 4 lety +1

      I swap in a 750 HP NASCAR engine as that option, including changing the transmission and speedometer. If that makes me think of Forza Horizon 7 putting in a NASCAR engine in a Ford Crown Victoria, it is worth the idea.

    • @jasonrackawack9369
      @jasonrackawack9369 Před 4 lety

      There is a guy in my area, he is on you tube, they stuck a gm turbo v6 in one, looks pretty fast.

    • @jaya.0069
      @jaya.0069 Před 2 lety

      Give the Farmtruck a run for his money!

    • @garrett3055
      @garrett3055 Před rokem

      @@captainzoll3303 why? That sounds like a cheap rc car now..

  • @the.porter.productions
    @the.porter.productions Před 5 lety +1

    I rode in a couple of these back in West Virginia back in the day...loved it. Wouldn’t mind having my own...how do I go about that? Porter Dude of Ohio.

  • @fringestream990
    @fringestream990 Před 10 lety +2

    Cool stuff

  • @isaacsrandomvideos667
    @isaacsrandomvideos667 Před 4 lety

    I wish these were in the uk.

  • @shawnaburns5158
    @shawnaburns5158 Před 3 lety

    Hi you say you part these?? How much for a gauge panel complete??

  • @MitchellMaichak-ze7mr
    @MitchellMaichak-ze7mr Před 5 měsíci

    Arlo Guthrie had one !!!

  • @TheInkPitOx
    @TheInkPitOx Před 2 lety

    I went to New York in 19 for a couple nights on my way from California to Italy. Never saw one. I've wanted to for years.

    • @Mr-pn2eh
      @Mr-pn2eh Před 8 měsíci

      They were retired in the late 80s

  • @jeffscott8323
    @jeffscott8323 Před rokem +2

    Probabally make a cool rat rod or lowrider.

  • @danielsmith2721
    @danielsmith2721 Před 4 lety +1

    Rip joe

  • @stephanieramirez9151
    @stephanieramirez9151 Před 2 lety +1

    Where can I buy a checker taxi cab

  • @larryjones9375
    @larryjones9375 Před 7 měsíci

    Any for sale?

  • @Janet71990
    @Janet71990 Před rokem

    1958 Taxi

  • @johnbehneman1546
    @johnbehneman1546 Před 2 měsíci

    SAVE A CHECKER!!!!!

  • @DeLorean4
    @DeLorean4 Před rokem

    I'm not saying Joe Pollard is Larry David. But I AM saying they've never been in the same room together.

  • @brandonobaza8610
    @brandonobaza8610 Před 4 lety

    Ever run across Travis Bickle’s Checker?

    • @scottharker5394
      @scottharker5394 Před 3 lety +1

      Joe Pollard owned that exact cab. He purchased it after it was already in the movie and had become famous. Sadly, Joe Pollard passed away in Chatsworth, California, in October of 2019.

  • @n_y_o_o_m
    @n_y_o_o_m Před 4 lety +1

    "I'm not a hoarder, honest!"

  • @kentoicabs7857
    @kentoicabs7857 Před 4 lety

    I like ur video

  • @efandmk3382
    @efandmk3382 Před 2 lety

    I find it incredible that anyone could be sentimental over a Checker Cab. They were utilitarian vehicles. They were heavy and slow and unpleasant to drive. Their big selling point was that they would go 300+ thousand miles easily. Of course, for what they cost, you could have bought two Chevrolet Impalas, so what was the advantage?.

    • @Mr-pn2eh
      @Mr-pn2eh Před 8 měsíci

      Being able to go over 300+ miles is the advantage.

    • @Slacksfifth
      @Slacksfifth Před 7 měsíci

      ​@Mr-pn2eh, did the checker marathon use a Chevy 350 engine

  • @Oldcarnut63
    @Oldcarnut63 Před 3 lety

    I thought Checker was using GM suspension components and drivelines

  • @jackdale9831
    @jackdale9831 Před 4 lety +1

    Dear Joe, did you have any of the late-40s "A" models? Those are So "Hot." There are supposed to be a small fleet of As in Finland,[9 - 11], --none of them running, --just sinking into the Tiaga. I'll BET you could get a "Covid-loan" to bring the entire fleet home to Ca. Some of those that were pre-war, were "Cool", too,--some had sun-roofs and cut-down. front fenders. Do you have any checkers that have a 292cu" GMC "6" and a 3-spd? There was so much RO-O-O-M in those things. Did checker ever make any convertible "Superbas?" I grew-up in Kalamazoo, Mi. where many were made,--knew a guy that worked on the assembly-line making them, for a couple of years.

    • @danielsmith2721
      @danielsmith2721 Před 3 lety

      Joe passed away October 2019

    • @jackdale9831
      @jackdale9831 Před 3 lety

      @@danielsmith2721 I'm Sorry. I didn't know. What happened to his collection, may I ask? If I got a car from his collection, I'd put-up a plaque.

    • @scottharker5394
      @scottharker5394 Před 3 lety

      @@danielsmith2721 Would love to chat with you. I understand that you ended up with the collection. I'm up in Prescott.

    • @gillespriod5509
      @gillespriod5509 Před 2 lety

      in Finland? i bet salty roads has eaten them decades ago, sheet metal and frames will be junk but the others parts are sure worth saving

  • @LuciferMorningstar-ui7uq

    I got a checker it's got a V8 it's a off-road car thesedays I use it to thrash around In the woods It dont run any more Iemptied a AK-47 at it I need a new small block Chevy 😃

  • @lexhargrove
    @lexhargrove Před 4 lety +2

    I’m not a hoarder honest

  • @rosendodominguez-dw4rt

    YOU GAT PARTS FOR MY CAR

  • @shiruotakuno28
    @shiruotakuno28 Před 2 lety

    All hail YellowJacket!!

  • @johnbehneman1546
    @johnbehneman1546 Před 2 měsíci

    SUGGESTION: HEMMING MOTOR NEWS!!!!

  • @justinanderson8758
    @justinanderson8758 Před 6 lety +5

    Did anyone even mind that he said he STOLE parts?

    • @SonnyGTA
      @SonnyGTA Před 6 lety +6

      The Rusty Hubcap US wow. From one of his cars to another of his cars. Geeeez