If in Cuba one has to take a ride in some American cars. We managed to take ride in a pair of 1956 Chevrolets and for a comparison a 1956 Ford. This shaped up to be a classic Chevrolet versus Ford battle. Which one did we like better? Read on.
After arriving at the airport in Varadero we attempted to take a classic car to our first casa stay but were unsuccessful. There must be some kind of monopoly on who can pick up tourists as only the modern taxis like the Emgrand EC7 were on offer. Varadero is definitely a tourist town so once there we had ample opportunity to select our first vintage ride along the main street. My son had only ever been in one old American car, my 1961 Pontiac Laurentian, which is actually somewhat Canadian so we wanted something that screamed classic Americana.
We got the attention of this driver and our first sample of a classic American came in the form of this 1956 Chevrolet convertible in a bright pink.
He zipped around to pick us up.
In this short video you can see the driver operating the column shift transmission. I am not sure what engine is powering it but it is definitely not a Chevrolet six or eight.
There is definitely something enjoyable about going for a cruise in a convertible but with the mid-day sun I could understand why our driver had chosen a hat with ample coverage.
Given the tourist concentration of Varadero there were many others out enjoying a classic ride as well. Most come into town from the surrounding resorts. The next day we were off to Havana which had a totally different vibe.
Oddly our next classic American ride happened again when we were back in Varadero. Flights from Canada directly to Havana are much more expensive so we had another day in Varadero before flying home. One activity we had planned was scooter rentals which was much better suited to the laid back Varadero streets over the hustle and bustle of Havana. The rental place was at the edge of town which called for another taxi.
We attempted to get a Ford, Buick, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, or Dodge for a little variety but hailing a taxi can be a fickle thing depending on the time of day. After about half an hour of being unable to hail a new to us old car we settled on a 1956 tin top Chevrolet.
This was in better shape overall than the earlier convertible but with an automatic transmission this time.
Another short driving video.
This was apparently the only exterior shot I took of it. I guess we were too excited for our scooter adventure.
At the end of our vacation we needed a ride to the airport so we sought out to find an interesting car to take us there. We were looking for something British or German but, again in the hot mid day interesting taxis were hard to find. We eventually found this classic 1956 Ford at the last minute before having to settle for a modern Chinese car.
The Ford was a column shifted manual transmission car like our first 1956 Chevrolet. While the interior is certainly was not totally stock I would call it a reasonably faithful to the concept of the original given the limited resources available in Cuba.
Another driving video but this time on the highway.
As we got close to the airport it was a little bittersweet as our vacation was coming to the end. Reflecting back on our taxi rides I could not help compare the Ford versus the Chevrolet. While none of them were close to stock but I found that I preferred the Ford by a wide margin, at least as a passenger. I asked my son his opinion and he agreed that the Ford had the edge but neither of us could express why exactly. Old cars do not have to be rationale so I am sticking by our win for team Ford on this one.
That is a wrap for the classic American taxis in Cuba. There are a couple more taxi rides to share that are not American or European. I will have some more Cuba automotive content coming as it is amazing place to spot hundreds of working classics as well as some truly surprising finds. Just do not expect them to stock.
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Really cool. I’d love to visit Cuba.
The Ford is a ’55 (round parking lights are the clue).
Just got home from Jamaica, almost all used Japanese cars there since they both have steering wheels on the R (wrong) side.
Although isn’t the dash a ’56? Maybe it had a grille transplant.
The red car in another pic is likely a ’56 Buick Special (3-holer) 4 dr hardtop.
Yes, the dash and side trim suggest a 1956 with a ’55 grille and park/turn signal lights.
A ’55 Ford was my high school car. Judging from the dash and side trim I think it is a ’56 and the whole front clip including the trim over the top of the fenders is from a ’55.
Yes, its hard to tell in Cuba. I figure the dash would be less likely to be swapped out but hard to be 100% sure.
The pic of the ’56 ‘tin-top’ rear end has ’55 tail lamps…are you sure it was a ’56? Previous poster is correct about the ford being a ’55…both Chevys and Fords had only minor differences over those years. It’s just wonderful to see that old iron still in daily use down there!
Ford grille is a ’55 but the side trim looks like it is from a ’56. Mix ‘n match.
The first car, a ’56 Chevrolet, is not a “convertible” but rather an open top parade car. It has been clearly cut down from a two door sedan or a two door hardtop. I guess it was safe enough for the kind of work it was doing.
Unlike here the most desirable cars are the four door ones then the convertibles and lastly the two doors. It is all about being a taxi. Someone just attempted to up-cycle their two door.
David, I’ve really enjoyed this Cuban taxi series; and it’s definitely sparked my interest in visiting Cuba. Thank you!
The last video of your ride in the Ford raises one thing that I wonder about, which is how do they handle glass replacement down there? I noticed I think that the Ford had a cracked rear passenger window. I’d imagine that it’s relatively easy for these taxi drivers to handle all matter of metal bodywork when it’s necessary, but they don’t make their own glass, right? The second video of the 1956 Chevy ride shows a remarkably clear windshield…and it’s hard to believe that could be the same age as the exterior of the car. I wonder how they manage that.
Its hard to say. Side glass would be able to be cut reasonably easily but the curved glass of windshields would be harder. Around here stones in winter are usually thing that does windshields in so they possibly live longer lives in Cuba. Or they make replacement that perhaps aren’t made from safety glass?
We spent a few weeks in Cuba a couple years ago – avoiding touristy and fake Cuba in Veradero – touring from Havana, into the country-side west and south across the island. In Havana I think I threw my neck out swiveling back and forth to gawk at the vintage cars everywhere. Trying to ID them in my head was a fun, full time job. I learned that most of these classics have been rebuilt many times mostly with Russian diesel engines that were available. Lots of junk on the roads as well. Sadly Cuba – while a beautiful island with lovely friendly people – is suffering under the heel of the Communists. We stood in a line one day to buy bread only to get to the front to see a sign saying ‘no more bread’.
I went back in 2017 as well. I feel its a little better off these days but still a tough go for the average Cuban.
Nice to see those old cars still working and going for a ride they seem quieter than what I remember them to be, Old cars doing tourist duty where I used to live in Napier were all immaculate prewar Packards & a Buick or two oh and one Austin I wrote about to fit in with the art deco theme the town has.
Most of the vintage cars in Cuba are not 100% original as the owners have to be resourceful and either make parts themselves or piece parts from other models. We actually were lucky to ride in a 100% Belair convertible in Havana. Even the motor was original. All the cars are fun to drive in as the drivers are fantastic tour guides.
Drove in this beautiful car for my Birthday in November Varedo Cuba