Cleetus Built The Bel Air Limo—But This 1973 Checker Aerobus Could Be Even Cooler With LS Power

For years, the internet has been obsessed with unlikely platforms for LS and LT power, with proponents so engrossed in the philosophy that they even coined the phrase LS Swap The World. We’re talking school buses, motorcycles, Crown Victorias, and even airplanes. Well, LS faithful, we humbly submit this 1973 Checker Aerobus as your next great convert. All it needs is a vision, a little creativity, and a few crazy enthusiasts who are willing to build one of the coolest LS or LT swaps on the planet!

Sure, there are probably quite a few LS and LT-swapped Checkers in the wild, but an LS or LT-swapped Checker 12-passenger limo? That’s reaching Cleetus MacFarland-level cool. In fact, an LS or LT-swapped Checker limo might just be cooler than Cleet’s Bel Air. Much like that outrageous ride, this Checker offers ridiculous real estate and a presence that guarantees attention anywhere it goes. But while MacFarland’s limo leans toward pure spectacle, this Checker brings authenticity.

In addition to being a mostly original classic, this Checker is one of roughly 3,500 Aerobuses produced. Purchased from the state of West Virginia by its current owner, the car is essentially a fully kitted relic that was running when parked roughly 15 years ago. Every component, including its original hubcaps, has been painstakingly preserved in storage.

Objectively, an LS or LT swapped Checker makes a lot of sense. The regular old Checker Marathons, produced from the early 1960s through the early 1980s, were engineered as commercial workhorses. They were built to run all day, every day, in brutal urban conditions. That meant thick steel bodies, a heavy-duty frame, and suspension components designed to survive potholes, curbs, and endless stop-and-go driving. The Aerobus adds a reinforced chassis, 3-row seating, and sometimes even a raised roof for improved headroom.

The packaging advantages are obvious. The Checker’s massive engine bay means builders aren’t fighting firewall clearance, steering shafts, or accessory drives. Modern cooling systems, headers, and accessory layouts would likely fit without the usual fabrication gymnastics required in tighter vintage platforms. In other words, the car is practically begging for modern V8 power. Drop an LS3, LT1, or even something with a power adder under the hood, and suddenly you’ve got a platform that blends old-school cool with modern performance.

Imagine swinging into a meet in a matte-black Checker limo that idles with the unmistakable rumble of an LS camshaft. Taxi lights on the roof… Steel wheels… Heck, we’d even add a vintage cab livery. Cleetus showed us how wild long-wheelbase platforms can get. Now someone needs to take this Checker and show the world just how odd and creative they can get!