Jim Shea

Where were these pictures taken?








Maybe this one will help!


These pictures were taken by me two weeks ago in Havana and sorrounding areas. Here are some interesting facts about Communist Socialism in Cuba.
Cuban citizens are prevented from owning any vehicles! However, if someone owned a vehicle before the revolution (1959 or earlier) than they are grandfathered and may keep that one. A car can never be sold. There is no way to transfer a title. So the cars are passed around without official documentation as to sale or ownership.

You see more modern Toyotas, Hyundis, BMWs, etc. on the streets but they must be (owned?) by party officials or are being used by tourists. One rule for party members, another set of rules for the common man.
Jim

ragtop00

It won't be long! God help us.

Alan 71

Hi Jim,
Interesting pictures!
Isn't it true too that that lots of the cars from the U.S. have 'homemade' parts on them to keep them running since service parts couldn't be imported?
Regards,
Alan

MN-Brent

Cuba, beautiful island, full of decay. These idiots have ruined a beautiful place and turned it into a complete sheethole, compared to what it could be today.

oldsarge

Alan,
I spent some time working there, back in the nineties, and saw alot of the old cars, guys would make alot of the parts they needed in machine shops, because they can't get parts, I saw them make valves and even a piston. It was primative, but they worked, a little talent can go a long way. I was done there for the Westmont Hospitality Group, from Houstin.

Jim Shea

As you can see, a few of the cars are really in good condition. The rest have a million miles or more on them. Most have been used as taxis and as daily transportation by the common Cuban. Little if any rust, but the interiors are usually in really rough shape. A real tribute to the ingenuity of the Cubans in keeping them running with virtually no replacement parts from the States. A lot have been converted to diesels because the fuel is so much cheaper than gasoline. Most are running on bald tires.

Jim

...Roger...

Definitely interesting , lots of old rust free iron ,Thanks for posting.

sweeet76

I wonder where some of the cars got their newer looking wheels?

turtlevette

sounds like my car.

...Roger...

How's that old dog doing ,haven't heard you mention much about racing her lately ?

jordan89

Alan 71

Hi Again,
Look at the trunk of the 57 Chevy (NOT the 57 Ford).
So Cuba is where the ULTRA rare TURBO option car went. I heard it's 1 of 1.
Regards,
Alan

mrvette

Hey Jim!!.....did you see '53 Corvette Sn 00001 down there, hidden in a barn all these decades.....that's where it IS you know....

Jim Shea

BTW, the U.S. allows visits to Cuba on humanitarian grounds.

I do not recall seeing any 2-doors. 1954 through 58s are very common. I did see a 59 Catalina, diesel, taxi in really rough shape but still carrying passengers. (I don't know what vintage diesel engine.) Old U.S. cars are almost 1 to 1 with newer European, Korean, and Japanese passenger cars on the highways.

Three lane roads with a center suicide passing lane are common. On rural 2 lane roads you have large trucks, horse drawn wagons, bicycles, people walking, people hitchhiking, chickens, dogs, and cows all in your lane. At night you have people on bikes (without even a reflector) riding right down the middle of your lane. I never saw any accidents but there must be a horrendous number of people killed.

Note on the 1957 Chevrolet above, the high level turn signal lamps on the rear fenders. They are quite common on most old vehicles. I don't know if they are needed because dual filament bulbs are difficult to find or if they are just decoration. For sure it isn't because of Cuban NHTSA safety requirements.
Jim