One of the CC Cohort beat me to it. I was trying to put together a trip to Cuba this winter, but it just got away from me. But Flat-Black66 sends us a few delightful shots of that land that automotive time forgot, to rub in the salt a bit. Even our backup, a week in southern Arizona got washed out, thanks to Allegiant Airlines. And looking at these pictures isn’t exactly helping either. A significant number of old Chevys dominate this shot, with a re-modeled Buick on the left.
We’re all pretty familiar with the amazing ingenuity that Cubans employ to keep these old cars in daily use, often as taxis. Many of them, especially the taxis, have long had their engines replaced by Russian diesel engines or such. This old Buick looks like it’s sitting on VW-sized tires.
This is an interesting rig. It’s obviously a 55-57 Chevy, but that body is not an original Suburban – panel truck affair, starting right with the lack of a dog-leg windshield. Wait a minute! As I look at it closer, it’s obvious that the whole front end is a tilt-up; probably a fiberglass re-creation. I don’t have the time this morning to jump down a convoluted wiki/google rabbit hole, but maybe someone out there does. Is this a Barzilian or other South American version, or is it something else? Inquiring minds want to know.
This Austin Somerset is the real thing. Nice the way it’s sitting on a hill, to make it look level despite its obvious forward rake. Makes for a superb shot. Yes, I’ve often called Eugene the Havana of the West Coast, but it takes a pretty distant second place, at best.
Thanks, Flat-Black66. If you have any more shots from Cuba to share, we’ll gladly post them.
And since we’re on the subject, I’ll post this picture of a Cuban craftsman making brake cylinder seals out of an old solid-rubber tire. Recycling indeed.
[Update: Flat-Black66 has posted a number of more excellent shots in the comments below. Click them on for full size]
There were a trickle of new American cars sent to Cuba through into 1960, but it is nice to see so many on the roads and the ingenuity of the Cubans to fabricate/transplant other parts to keep these machines going. Much like the U.S. Coast Guard does with it’s aging cutter fleet!
True, the embargo starts in 1961, I’ve seen a picture of a Corvair sedan in Cuba, but it may have been the only one that made it.
I saw a photo of Castro greeting his minions shaking hands out of the window of a ’60 Olds 98.
Corvair in Vedado, a section of Havana…
Once the revolution happened I doubt too many people spent money bringing in cars. One the most striking things about Havana is how much money must have been there before the revolution. The houses and buildings from the pre-revolution era are mostly really gorgeous and elaborate. But no one has any cash to maintain anything.
Nice! What jumps out at me is how they jacked up the rear of that Corvair without lots of negative camber. Ralph Nader wouldn’t have approved!
It seems to be a pattern there; I’ve noticed quite a few of the old cars are riding ass-high, like the little red Austin. I can see the point if you’re carrying eight fares in a taxi, but the Corvair? By any chance, do you have a shot of that Corvair from the front or rear?
BTW, read “Waiting For Snow In Havana” if you want a great read about a kid growing up in the pre-revolutionary era.
I don’t remember seeing too many 1955-59 Chevrolet pickups that had the front clips one-pieced like this, but it was a pretty common thing to do on 1953-1956 Ford pickups, common enough to make me think the original hood hinges must have been gimp. I don’t know for sure…never owned one.
That body from the cowl back looks completely different from anything I’ve ever seen too, but it’s certainly designed to fit the shape of the front clip. I’ll check back later to see if anyone has ID’ed it….
The first pic – yeah, she’s pretty nicely put together, isn’t she? Otoh, the Buick with its bumper off something else, homemade grille, and skinny tires, probably drives a lot more like its likely Lada-diesel-powered present incarnation than an actual Buick.
Seeing the effort the locals put in to keeping these cars running is beyond impressive. It would be kind of nice to mount a new-parts “lifeline” to Cuban vintage auto enthusiasts. Heck, lots of our junkyard parts would be useful to them. Think of all the tail-light housings, side mirrors, chrome spears, headlamp bezels, door handles, etc. which are still attached to old American junkers that nobody will ever fix. A “humanitarian” effort, but for cars -and their dedicated keepers!
Somebody save that ’58 Roadmaster (and the late ’60’s Mopar pickup) from the 21st century crusher and China scrap trade!!
Do you own the copyright to this image?
I’m sure some of you have seen this–it’s a great documentary on the Cuban penchant for ancient American cars:
http://www.amazon.com/Yank-Tanks-Carros-Classicos-Cuba/dp/B0001LYFRC
Not sure what the embargo has actually achieved relative to its intent, but it has made for an interesting mutant car culture.
Lived there for a year in the mid 70’s. There was a different type of car culture on base as well. A chain across a door would suffice. Drive till they drop.
The base was continually updated by folks transferring in who left their car behind. The locals had no such luck. Nasty place to live for a local but just a break in the routine for us Military folk.
The on base car culture would be worth an article if someone in our readership is currently there. I went from there to the land of the Guam Bomb. Returning to the US was quite a culture shock.
Guam bombs/boonie cars could LOOK like hell, but still had to pass safety. Holes in floors, doors, roofs OK. Had to stop, steer and have a non-leaking exhaust system (easily patched), no broken glass, lights and wipers working. Hafa Adai, you pass! Lots of “Flintstone cars” in Guam (usually Nissan Sentras when I was there 1990-93).
I’m distracted by that floral blur in the top pic. I get the impression of the smell of something sweet and inviting as she passes by… 😛
Yeah, the wrong things are in focus on that pic!
Well at my age I’ve seen lots of good looking old cars. However, that being said…one can’t help but notice those pretty legs.
They used to call New Zealand an automotive museum not long ago for the same reason as Cuba we kept ancient cars alive simply due to the shortage of new cars Our govt restricted the supply and had hard finance laws. This has been solved by the used Jap import and a loan shark on every corner, but luckily the old cars have mostly stayed. The US Deep Freeze Antarctic base in Christchurch was a menace to old cars with Americans scooping plane loads of cars up and taking them home but that seems to have stopped now. Id love to go to Cuba and see the old cars cruising around but more likely Ill be doing that on CC good work.
Glad you guys like the pictures. I’ve been to Cuba 3 times now and love all the cars. The cubans work hard to keep them on the road. A lot of them are used as communal taxi’s. Cuban’s are not allowed to buy or sell cars built after 59 or so. That’s why they work so hard to keep these cars on the road. There are no other cars to be had. The cars are all pretty butchered.
Mikey and Educatordan I am always told when that when taking pictures, find a point of interest that will draw the viewer in…….
Here’s a few more pics from this trip.
I think this one gives a pretty good idea of the condition of a lot of these cars.
Love that steering wheel! (Peugeot?)
Nice; thanks for posting these. I recognize that dash, as I just did the CC on the ’55 Plymouth.
Same for this one..
I liked this one..
This one is cool too. Check out the car in the background….
Whatever it is that’s parked on the right hand side of the carport actually looks fairly recent (possibly an SUV of some sort).
I’d say a small Euro fwd van
I blew it up and it appears to wear a 3 pointed star
Yes, a MB van, one of several that starts with a V: Viano, or Vito, or?
One last one..
Theres an old Ford up the driveway but I like the 100E Thames van oh yeah theres some 4wd POS as well
Don’t know if I will be able to upload this one as it is pretty big… But this is where they are all parked waiting for work to let out.. This goes on for a few blocks.
I’ve never been to Cuba, but the sight of all that old Detroit iron still on the road is amazing. I’ve also heard of a few auto clubs here in Canada who’ve met Cubans while on vacation and send them used and new aftermarket parts to help keep their cars rolling. I’ve seen a few episodes of a show called “$100 Taxi Ride”. The host travels to different cities around the world and hires a cab to take him as far as they can with a US $100 bill. In Havana he got driven around in a 1957 Dodge with a drivetrain from a Russian Volga sedan.
That guy making the brake cylinders, it looks like the motor to drive the grinding wheel is automotive in origin.