1350 Collection

Vintage advert from 1971 (1350 Iranian calender) this was 4 years after the production started. From top to bottom: Paykan Taxi, Paykan Kaar (the base model), Paykan DeLux, Paykan Automatic & finally Paykan Javanan (based on Hillman GT at that time). Special Thanks to Amir Rokni for the scans!

Original Taxi

This is the first version of Paykan Taxi. IranNational didn't even bother to badge the Singer/Sunbeam grille as Paykan. This one must have been restored though, a Tehran Taxi won't be looking this good after 40+ years!

Morteza

Apologies for lack of posts recently. As some of you know I am in Tehran at the moment! What an amazing city!... There is so much happening here, it has changed so much since my last visit years ago. I have done a lot already, taken loads of photos including Paykans ofcourse! ;) Be patient while I be uploading them here and up on Flickr in the upcoming weeks.

Last week I was in the west-side trying to figure out how to get home, was going to catch a bus or something when I saw a Paykan Taxi yelling for passengers, I hired him as "Darbast" (closed-doors) that is when you negotiate a price with the driver to your final destination, cause taxis here work like a bus they pick up other passengers along the way. Morteza was a hard working middle aged man, after checking the radiator we took off. He works between 8-10 hours daily with his Paykan and I can not begin to tell you how grueling that is in the unbearable Tehran traffic! We had a lovely chat along the way, obviously he was very surprised to know that I do own one of these creatures myself, I gave him my card, he was going to ask his son to look up my blog, he was not internet savvy.

Morteza told me that they are going to decommission all Paykan taxis in the near future, so catch one now before it is too late! :(

Hunter Taxi

A Hunter Taxi?! I thought a Paykan taxi was something unique, but I guess not! Others also had the pleasure of being chauffeured around town in a Hillman Hunter! ;)
Photo was taken in 1978 at Leeds by: Ackers- Schoolboy Hero!!!!

London Cabbie

You got love Massoud's enthusiasm, he purchased this Humber Sceptre a while ago and had it totally redone and painted in a bright orange Paykan Taxi style!... This being a comprehensive Chrysler/Rootes Arrow series blog, I had to make a post about this Tehran Taxi in London, even though I am a purist when it comes to cars; I like originality (Paykan Taxis were never in Sceptre trim, they were very basic). For more check out this nice video and also this interesting article and slide show over at JadidOnline.

Massoud is planning to use this orange cab for charity work and I salute him for that! I'm sure he is putting a lot of smile on Iranian's faces over in London.

Agha Masoud Damet Shooma Garm!!!... Please post more photos on your FB page and let us know what your routes are in London so we can catch an orange cab in our next visit! :)

Rasht Taxi

A Paykan Taxi in the city of Rasht, Iran. Photo by Basheem.

Chariot Taxi

This Paykan taxi photo was taken at Motel-Ghoo in northen Iran, by Dr. Soheil Esfahanian from his Xiang-project blog.

Abadan-Khorramshahr

Vintage photo featuring a Paykan taxi shuttle between Abadan and Khorramshahr probably taken in 1967. Found it over at Tehran Taxi.

Lost Taxi

Abandoned  Paykan Taxi spotted in Tehran. Once again special thanks to mard_khasteh for the photos!

Pentastar

A Paykan Taxi with some sort of an aftermarket front grille that has the Chrysler Pentastar emblem on it!? Wow now that is Taxi owner that knows its Rootes! ;)

Photo is from the DreamTrip, this couple has traveled all over the Europe and Asia in a 1992 SAAB 900 with a camper attached on top of it! You can actually see the camper in he background in this photo. Respect!

Double Decker

Double Decker Paykan Taxi! What a Brilliant idea!...

Double Chevron

Paykan taxi showing some love to Double Chevron! ;) Photo from Keliautojas

Ridin Shotgun

In Iran taxis are like buses, they pack in as many passengers as they can, in many instances a Paykan Taxi would have 5 passengers in it; not including the driver! Photo from: rigelchiu

Oh S*** Handle!

Just in case you were wondering about that cable contraption, that is to make sure that seats don't bend backwards, in many cases there be not one but two passengers sitting on the front seat of a Paykan Taxi!Photo taken in Isfahan by: dutchcaps

Good Intentions

What a Brilliant Idea! You got yourself a Paykan Taxi, which can haul up to 5 passengers, then why not just make it into a convertible, it be so much more fun! ;) Photo was taken at 2006 in the city of Ahvaz by: maHidoodi

Red Arrow

Fresh pictures from Tehran, sent to me by my friend Kamshots. I can't believe the condition of this Paykan Taxi! Kudos to the owner who has chosen to hold on to it rather than joining the sea of mediocracy full of Kia Prides & Peugeot 405s.

Taxiology

Here at the opening ceremony of the Tohid Tunnel in Tehran, is a rare chance to see how the Tehran Taxis have evolved throughout the past decades.

...and if I'm not wrong that must be this Original Paykan Taxi.

Warrior

Tehran is home to 14 million people, with chaotic driving and over the limit air pollution. If you make a living as a taxi driver or a delivery service, specially in an old beat up Paykan, you are a warrior! Photo by: twocentsworth