shot in Havana, Cuba by Rivera Notario
And another bonus shot from Havana:
I would not be surprised if this “Renault 4” now had a front engine. The four bolt wheels indicate a different chassis.
Cohort Pic(k) of the Day: Powered by Mitsubishi, I Assume
– Posted on June 2, 2020
Wow, that red Chevy Fleetline up to could almost be a Where’s Waldo kind of puzzle where we have to pick out the actual original parts of the car.
They are not the one-piece windshield, modern parallel action wipers, door handles, mirrors, headlights, or front fender bulges. I have to admit that all of these features have been incorporated into the old Chevrolet quite nicely.
This is the exact opposite of retro like the new Beetle, T-bird and Fiat 500. In this case a real old car is redone to appear modern. Excellent work.
If the shaped headlights had been rounder, or more vertical, the car would have migrated from 1949 back to 1939 instead of forward to 2019. When trends are recycled, it’s hard to tell which of the cycles you’re imitating.
1949 – 1952 Chv all the way, except for the modifications. My first car (51 Chev 4 dr.).
I wonder if these sorts of Frankencars will become popular with Cubans tired of tracking down 60+ year old American car parts.and instead build these retromods of a sort. They remind me of Argentinian Ford Falcons that kept getting endlessly modernized long after the Americans and even Australians had thrown in the towel.
These cars the went way beyond economical restoration long ago and owners have inflated ideas of their worth because of their earning power as tourist taxis. Think of what your car would look like after 60 years of not having the correct parts…
Having visited Cuba about five years ago, I’m pretty sure most of the old cars there are already “Frankencars” to varying degrees. Many of them might look original cosmetically, but I can almost guarantee there’s some sort of more modern engine under the hood. And I rode in a 1957 Buick Special that had a floor shifted manual transmission. As far as I know Buicks of that vintage would have had a column shift, but the floor shifter really looked like it belonged there. Whoever installed it really did a good job integrating it. I assume it (and the transmission it was attached to) came from some more modern car.
In that sense most Cuban yank tanks have been “Frankencars” for decades, but the last time I was there there was at least effort given to make them look like restored or original American cars, despite the hodgepodge of borrowed or purpose-made parts underneath. The be-your-own-designer ethos seems to be new though.
…and the car:
Ah yes, the wonderful Argie Falcon, a favorite of the right wing military junta (fun fact, they used green ones – if you saw one pulling up to you, that usually meant an instant change of plans)
With Ford Ranger/Explorer wheels, no less.
At what point does modernized turn into retro themed? Regardless, I like these. I’m one of the few fans of retro themed cars beyond the Challenger and Mustang, I get something out of most of them.
I’d be all for Chevy building something like this, sans the Mitsu logo, of course!
Are you sure the first picture isn’t a photoshop?
It’s not. Cuba has developed a an ever-more sophisticated body work industry that not only keeps these old bodies on the streets but updates them very substantially. These guys have the same skills that some of the prominent retro-mod shops do.
It’s not my cup of tea, but these are used as taxis and they certainly stand out.
I’ll take your word for it but that right headlight really looks like a photoshop….
Wonder what those headlights are from? They look like F150 headlights, but probably aren’t.
Possibly a Hyundai Atos/Amica? (these were sold here in the UK)
That “Renault 4” is really weird. Wherever it has its engine, the doors were also changed much, as the front ones were suicide. The roof looks weird, the fenders don’t look attached to the body but more welded or epoxied or whatever. I wouldn’t be surprised that the “original” Renault in there is deep inside, perhaps the floor or some structure.
From the position of the driver’s arm he looks to be sitting higher than normal, which explains why the roof has been raised. To fit a front engine into this tiny shell you would need to get space from somewhere. I’m wondering if it’s on a light truck or 4wd underpinnings, though it would have to be a tiny one like a Daihatsu Terios or a Mitsubishi Pajero Jr.
This really makes me appreciate the fact that I can go to a dealer, go on Craigslist, whatever, and buy a car whose manufacturer designed its components to work together!
Some years ago I had a book about old American cars in Cuba. I passed it on to a friend and don’t remember the title. It said some guy in a Cuba was making reproduction windshields for a particular ’50s American car, using a wooden mold he’d made.
I keep staring at the red one.
I am drawn to it but I don’t know why.
It is kind of terrible and kind of wonderful.
It is not the least bit dull. Quite striking.
The polar opposite of the white Mali-Boo from yesterday.
Didnt the Renault 750 have suicide front doors? Chevy likely has a blend of Mitsubihi/Fuso truck under that paint job hey its not all that unusual over here Mitsubishi ute is chassis of choice for old Ford and Chevy pickups you can circumvent a lot of modification laws that way, I just recabbed it bro shes all stock bro,
That’s the retro 2022 Mitsubishi Mirage G4. Isn’t it? There is something oddly intriguing about this car.