I just came back from Cuba,for some vacation to Varadero and decided to go to Havana city to shoot some cars and architecture and more,so I decide to show you some of them... there some many 40s,50s, and some 30s. these cars are built most of them with : diesel or other kind of motors, parts,accessories and the most important things that they probably have more plastic filler,and most weight some 40 & 50 pounds more than the do originally ...So if you appreciated let's say so ... Let's me tell you , is a lot of works done to keep them the way they are...Don
Cuban mechanics are arguably the most creative on the planet. There was a great documentary called "Yank Tanks."
Looks like some nice ole American iron there, and maybe a lil Cuban bondo, as you say. But they sure look pretty good from 30 feet.
They really look good even at less then three feet, and 51 bird ,mechanically these guy's are amazing...
It looks like over 90% of the non-convertibles are 4 doors but that sure beats walking. Thanks for taking the pics and posting them here....
I read that at one point Havanna had more Cadillacs than any other city in the world, per-capita. That was a real bragging right. It's great to see these cars so beloved by their owners, even what we here would consider the least desirable body styles and models. I also read that most of them are family heirlooms because of some kind of law against reselling cars.
A second vote for that documentary "Yank Tanks". It's a real slice of daily life living with old cars and fabbing up all your parts. You can see them making their own windshield molds, asbestos brake pads, trim, plus cruising with chicks, good music - it's worth buying off amazon. Thanks for posting these pics Don! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
just to add one gentleman from Cuba built several cars into boats one was a 48 Mercury airport lemo and another was a 49 or so Chevy 1.5 ton truck both were sunk by the navy after taking all aboard the navy ship. He made it on his 3rd try. He now works for Mr Felix Sabits at his Chevy agency. I have a friend who is a missionary who has been to Cuba many times had me pick up some spark plugs for a Ford. She did not know what type engine so I sent all 3 types of plugs to her. I have my hat off to the car guys in Cuba because they can repair what a lot of us would not use for a parts car.
Major props to Cuban mechanics/car enthusiasts for keeping old American iron rolling down the streets of Cuba, albeit with Russian and Chinese parts and donor drive trains for the most part in the last half century with the exception of the influx of "Miami Vice" era custom wheels. It's hard enough keeping a car of that era running and driving here in the US with the ease and fairly widespread availability of parts. I hope the recent political changes in the past few years lets Cuban car enthusiasts restore their cars to their once glorious original "period correct" status, minus the Miami Vice wheels of course.
Jimmy2car....there aren't any parts because their ain't any money. Cubans could get parts from Canada...China...but agree with their resourcefulness...necessity breeds invention. Cool pics!
Chevy dominated over,with some 49-52...and then come the Tri-fives in abondance, there is a lots of Dodges and Plymouths 49-52, and some 57 -58s... Didn't get the chance to take pictures of big trucks,Ford and Chevy and even see some Autocar...