Cars in Cuba

[tranquilized]

This is my first post here in a while as I've been travelling around South America for the last 6 months. As part of the trip we managed to spend two weeks in Cuba. Of the 8 countries we visited Cuba was the most amazing, the most different - it really does have a fascinating history.

And then there's the cars. At a guess I would say half the cars on the road are pre-1959 American classics. A quarter would be soviet garbage from the 70's and 80's, and the remaining quarter - the new cars, are ALL Chinese - Geely mainly.

This post wouldn't be much good without pictures...

When you hear pre-59 American classics you may have thought of beautifully restored daily drivers. Ummm no, most of them look to be held together with sticky-tape. (Many of the buildings haven't been touched since 1959 either)



Saw a couple of these getting around, I doubt there would be many left even in the USA. Anyone recognise it?



Yep, it was a Ford Edsel getting about Havana as a taxi. Here's another one I found in Trinidad;





One night as we were walking home ignoring all the taxi touts one got my attention when he said "you can drive". So a few seconds later I was behind the wheel of this beat up 1952 Chev dodging bici-taxis and horse & carts;



Just your average run-about in Havana;



But not all the cars are so classy;



This was our taxi to the airport, it was a fitting way to wrap up our time in Cuba. It's a 1948 Chrysler, one of the few cars that had been restored, complete with a sticker of Che and (unfortunately) a Toyota 4 cylinder engine and auto;






All in all an amazing trip. Cuba was clearly the most interesting when it came to the cars on the road. I did see quite a lot of Fords on the road in Colombian cities - the new Fusion/Mondeo really do look stunning in the flesh. There were a few Fords around in Brazil as well. Still quite a lot of first generation Falcons with ugly 80's style front and rear ends getting about in Argentina.

So yeah, Latin America = Loads of fun. Hopefully a few here have found this interesting. And anyone interested in visiting Cuba you better do it real soon cause things are changing fast.

[JIm260]

I remember seeing an H6B Hispano-Suisa two door there back in the eighties, sadly dont have the pics

Cheers
JIm

[98TLS]

Great pics fella cheers for sharing.

[Raptor]

Really want to see Cuba before it is ruined (read Westernised)

Thanks for posting, especially the pics.

Rob

[Express]

Originally Posted by tranquilized

Saw a couple of these getting around, I doubt there would be many left even in the USA. Anyone recognise it?

Thanks for the great photos.

There was an article in last month’s Unique Cars on why the Edsel was such a massive failure.

[geobar]

Thanks for the pics. Brings back great memories..

Was there last year, and plan to revisit in 20 years time to see the difference of western influence... Starbucks and Maccas on every corner :(

The cars there were amazing especially seeing how creative some locals are with strange engine conversion and the like just to keep their car going.

George

[Work Horse]

Awesome car photos, do you have any shots of girls from Ipanema?

[The Yeti]

Best thread in the pub for 2015

[LoudPipes]

Originally Posted by The Yeti

Best thread in the pub for 2015

Ditto.

I’ve been to Cuba twice and sometimes when you’re walking around the feeling can be surreal.

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by tranquilized

But not all the cars are so classy;

image

I'm almost embarrassed to say it...but that little old Lada looks like it would be a laugh and a half to drive...I kind of like it...

Love the astounding level of ingenuity they have over there too for the old '50's cars to keep them going...ludicrous methods of melting down old alloy wheels to make dash moldings, cutting the top off batteries and disassembling them to refurbish them, making windscreens out of old large bus windows cut to size, heated up with gas torches, and bent to shape on wooden bucks, making whole quarter panels from scratch by cutting the roof panel off a wreck and beating it to shape...amazing stuff.

Seeing reports of what their "mechanics" do with hand tools and back yard bodges, you have to wonder how good they would be if given a proper workshop and modern tools...

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

I'm almost embarrassed to say it...but that little old Lada looks like it would be a laugh and a half to drive...I kind of like it...

Love the astounding level of ingenuity they have over there too for the old '50's cars to keep them going...ludicrous methods of melting down old alloy wheels to make dash moldings, cutting the top off batteries and disassembling them to refurbish them, making windscreens out of old large bus windows cut to size, heated up with gas torches, and bent to shape on wooden bucks, making whole quarter panels from scratch by cutting the roof panel off a wreck and beating it to shape...amazing stuff.

Seeing reports of what their "mechanics" do with hand tools and back yard bodges, you have to wonder how good they would be if given a proper workshop and modern tools...

If WW3 happens, the bush mechanics here better take notes to keep the falcons and commodores going in a post ww3 world , since we are closing down both factories

[EDManual]

Id love to visit Cuba! Sounds like it wont be so amazing much longer. I hear some of the most amazing diving in the world is also here!

[mik]

Great pics, the poor old edsel, id bet it was probably a good car to cruise in , but it is just dingo ugly from every angle.

[buickman]

The Blue car in the top photo looks like a 1954 Buick the others 51-54 Chevys or Oldsmobile’s?

[Pedro]

Originally Posted by buickman

The Blue car in the top photo looks like a 1954 Buick the others 51-54 Chevys or Oldsmobile’s?

The blue car with the bonnet up is a mid '50's Kaiser Manhattan.