For Sale Who saves it: 1968 Polara Taxi (not mine)

[TobiasM]

Who saves this beauty of becoming a demo-derby-trasher?

Taxis are quite rare, this one even has a V8.

Depending on how ruff "ruff" is, the price is ok in my opinion.

Not affialiated with the seller in any way, don't know the car in person neither.

1968 Dodge Polara Taxi

 

[USSMOPAR]

A real taxi Vin would be like DT41B8?10001
D dodge
T taxi
41 4 dr sedan
B slant six
8 year
? assy plant
seq #

 

[Carmine]

Too much chrome for a real taxi. Just like all the fake hardtop cop cars.

 

[CBODY67]

I know and understand the VIN orientation of "real" taxi and law enforcement cars, but as this is not the typical Slant-6, bare bones equipped taxi, who's to say that a fledgling taxi company just went to a used car lot and bought their fleet? If that's a decent car, needing some "work", it could return to a normal car status for a nice price.

I've seen some local law enforcement cars that were "black and whited" that were just used cars, especially as on of the deputies was a former used car dealer. If they didn't have the lights, they would never have caught many speeders, by observation. This can also happen if the car's price is less than their statutory bid price limit, too.

Before the law enforcement versions of the Z/28 came out from Chevrolet, one area police dept had a Camaro Z/28 they'd gotten as "seized property" from a drug bust. Put some radar and lights on it and their "new secret weapon", of sorts. Probably didn't last too long.

CBODY67

 

[1978 NYB]

I would seriously consider a color change.

 

[CBODY67]

"Yellow" seems to be in fashion these days, even commanding higher prices on the used car lot than other colors. BTAIM Provided it's not "taxi yellow", that is.

CBODY67

 

[TobiasM]

The VIN is NOT given in the ad. But the ad clearly states "Taxi".

So unless somebody provides the VIN, we don't know if this Taxi

- is a factory ordered Taxi
- was converted from a normal car and actually then used as a Taxi
- is just a Taxi-clone and did not see any use as a real Taxi at all.

I personally think that the chromed b-pillar does not exclude this car as being a real factory-Taxi: could have been ordered as Taxi a little bit upscale => V8, tinted windows, some window chrome...maybe even AC! Why not?

That equippment definitely would have attracted some good customers.

There even was a 65-67 Dodge Taxi with bucket seats offered on craigslist few months ago...was red, 318 from factory, meanwhile upgraded to 440, tan bucket-seat interiour documeted by buildsheet!

 

[Davea Lux]

The factory build taxis (Mostly DT, PT Mopars) bought by the taxi companies would have the heavier brakes and tires, usually your typical stripped down fleet car. Some taxi companies also had "owner operators" who owned their own cars but ran under the parent taxi company's paint scheme and logo. They were free to spec whatever they wanted for their cars and tended to purchase better optioned vehicles.

Dave

 

[Newport 66]

Winter beater!!! Too dang far away for me however

 

[Carmine]

Yes, there are lots of fantasy scenarios. And then there is the idea that this car would have been a "novelty" taxi at best even 30 years ago, since most taxis aren't in service for 20 years, and this car is now 50+ years old.

Far more likely is that it was just Grandma's big, old, cheap, civilian 4dr that was painted yellow with a roller and parked outside of Ted's "taxicab" bar 'n grille for decades to attract attention. Chef Ramsey was called in, updated the decor, and this car was off'ed to a guy who was too busy to derby it.

 

[Davea Lux]

On the West Coast most taxis were supposed to be retired after they were ten years old. They got really rough miles stop light to stop light and typically had 300k to 500k total miles at the end of their service life. Bodies were usually falling apart by then with the original engines and transmissions long gone.

Dave

 

[BLIMP]

Winter beater!!! Too dang far away for me however

Here you go 66

72 Plymouth Fury III

1966 Plymouth Fury

 

[Newport 66]

Here you go 66

72 Plymouth Fury III

1966 Plymouth Fury

Like the '72!
Thanks for the leads!

 

[1978 NYB]

You would think junkyards would be full of old taxi cars but you rarely if ever see them.

 

[Davea Lux]

You would think junkyards would be full of old taxi cars but you rarely if ever see them.

Wrecking yards usually do not want worn out taxis, no straight body panels, running gear worn out, no salvage.

Dave