1972 Checker A-12 Aerobus 🤡
Checker Motors Corporation stretched its Marathon taxi into an airport shuttle beginning in 1962, creating what became the longest mass-production passenger automobile in America.
The Aerobus debuted in four configurations across two wheelbases, with the extended 189-inch version accommodating twelve passengers through eight side doors and four bench seat rows.
Factory specifications included 40 cubic feet of luggage capacity, a 66-foot turning circle, and standard power steering plus power brakes given the vehicle’s 5,305-pound curb weight.
Checker switched from Chrysler power to Chevrolet engines in 1965, installing the 327 cubic inch small-block V-8 producing 185 horsepower at 4,400 rpm. This engine delivered a top speed of approximately 84 mph while maintaining the durability required for commercial shuttle service.
Production totaled 3,568 units across all Aerobus variants between 1962 and 1977, with most examples eventually scrapped after retirement from airport and resort duty.
The eight-door sedan measured roughly 22.5 feet in length, making parking and maneuvering challenging outside dedicated commercial applications.
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