Most non-Cubans visiting Cuba are limited to a very small area that Castro presents to outsiders as the "real" Cuba, when in reality, it is anything but. If there is one good thing to say about the Communist regime, is that had importation of cars and trucks not been banned by Castro in early 1960, none of these cars would likely exist today for people outside Cuba to drool over. Other than that, Communism must die in Cuba and a friendly-to-the-West leader elected to replace Castro, if any American wants to see these cars (and their owners) personally.
Not gonna get into politix....but visiting Cuba isn't that hard if you have a little moxie. I have not, but not because of any law. Fidel has outlasted, let's see, Ike-JFK-LBJ-Nixon-Ford-Carter-Reagan-Bush1-Clinton-Bush2....and will only be 89 when Obama goes. Father Time will ultimately end Castro's regime (Raoul won't last long after Fidel dies) and probably the embargo will end there. However, Cuba may stay very poor and subject to domestic government market interference after that for a long time. The embargo is not why the country is desperately poor since they do business with the entire ROW. As in the former Eastern Bloc, recovery will take generations.
A customer of mine is a fairly famous artist in the Philly area and all over the world really. He just visited Cuba last month for a art exhibit. When he came home to the states he came to my shop and told me all about the sweet cars they have there. I'll see if he has any pictures he can email me. I'll post them up.
Just checked out Cuba's idea of Craigslist, revolico.com - here are a few goodies: '55 Bel Air hardtop with complete Hyundai drivetrain: '55 Buick Roadmaster convertible with original drivetrain: '56 Chevy 210 moredoor with a 6: '31 A Tudor on later Kelseys, original 4-banger, seats from ?? '52 Chevy with Peugeot drivetrain (and a fart can. Note the '59 Lark behind it): '53 Ford with a Peugeot diesel and diamond pleats: '57 Belvedere, Hyundai engine and trans, Volga differential: '58 Buick Special, '53 engine, gets 18-21 mpg (same as a Moskvitch): '58 Pontiac with a '58 Olds front bumper, 4-cyl Perkins diesel and Toyota 5-speed: '54 Ford Crestline Victoria with Continental kit, V8, one of two known to be in Cuba: And finally, '54 Pontiac hardtop with Olds grille bar, original straight 8 and Hydramatic: Don't get too excited; as far as I know they can only be sold to other Cubans...
From what i understand they dont own the cars the govt does they buy the rights to drive it or something like that Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
The ingenuity of Cuban mechanics is just incredible. One time when I visited I brought a suitcase full of parts with me; my neighbor in Orlando was Cuban and had family there and I brought his cousin lots of stuff, you'd have thought that I was the Pope! Cars are imported to Cuba and have been for a very long time but the thing is that only pre-embargo cars can be privately owned. Fwiw, I've seen high dollar cars there, late model BMWs and the like. Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
not sure anyone posted this....ever seen yanktanks? i hope Cuba opens up.....would love to go there for cars food surfing and yes women!.....be a fun trip
Sometimes there is something very cool about a stock looking car. Maybe we get to carried away with always customizing everything to just see the classic lines of beauty in a car. Jimbo
I once smoked a fresh Monte Christo direct from Havana. We need to get rid of that damned embargo...I worked with a Cuban lady a few years back. She was a sweetheart. We would save small boxes to send things like aspirin and tampons and basic goods like that down there. If it can fit in the suitcase, they could get it in. It's sad. Makes me happy to be here.
Not to get into any politics but only looking forward to the day when the USA and Cuba are real neighbors again.
When i bought my Chevy 2dr ht -53 i was told that my car was imported to sweden from cuba. It then was a 4dr -54. And later here in Sweden they changed it to a 2dr ht -53 body. Thats not a lot of car that comes from Cuba. I need to get more info of the history of my car.
Howdy! I was checking out the Facebook page with pictures of Cuban cars,and come across this: I'm wondering if anyone recognize the make and model of this car, i've been scratching my head and can't figure out what it could be.
I don't think Cuban law permits them to be exported to anywhere and besides most are pretty overpriced for what they are. Actually I got to thinking that if you could smuggle a lot of old four doors from here no one wants they probably would be glad to have them. I assume they are corrupt enough that the paperwork could be fudged once the car was in country. Personally I like four doors. Most don't.
Correct. Cuban law forbids the export of these cars. I am told there are ways to circumvent this, but why would you want to? These cars are worth far more in Cuba than they would be anywhere else.
I’m finally getting to visit next Easter after 20 years of waiting. Not sure how it works for your guys but I was in the British Army for a long time and there were five actively communist countries we were not allowed to visit, Cuba being one of them (the other were/are Yemen, N Korea, and China. I have been itching to go for all sorts of reasons but most of all just to soak up the atmosphere. We have 4 nights in Havana to look forward to and I am just gonna plant my ass in the fist drop top I see, flip the driver $20 & light up huge ceeegar!! Can’t wait!!
When its free, I'll go over and Mojito and ceegar till my lungs bleed. Till then, you will only see what the regime wants you to see, its a prison. Very little research will yield mucho info. Very rich culture and the greatest music. I dated a Cuban gal in high school. Her family had escaped, losing an uncle on the way. Those folks had the fire of life in them and were very grateful to be here.
Thanks, I found the article and the video quite interesting. Anybody this talented should be welcomed here with open arms.
Was there a Buick with a similar conversion? I totally agree -- we can use people with this skill and determination in the USA.
Going to throw a few pics from a couple of weeks ago while in Cuba. These shots only scratch the surface of how many older cars are driving around. They are all over!
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