Classy Cuban Chassis

Classy Cuban Chassis March 21, 2017

One of the things that Cuba is known for, of course, is her classic American cars.  We noticed them immediately on our way into the city from the airport.   I had expected to see a few in Old Havana - but it turned out that they were everywhere!  The spiffiest of them, mostly convertibles, are used as touring cars for tourists, driven by guys wearing straw hats.

  

Many of the rest, old and rusty, sputtering along amidst clouds of exhaust fumes, are used as taxis.  We had a few rides in those, and they were an experience: no shocks, each change of gears a miracle, sharing the space with anyone else who needed a ride.  I read that after the revolution in 1959, Castro had forbidden private citizens to buy cars due to the American embargo and the lack of gasoline.  So, folks have had to hang onto the cars that they had at that point, repairing them as best they could and passing them on to family members as part of their inheritance.   

We also saw old Russian Ladas, which apparently have a less than stellar reputation in the western world. Bruce asked someone if Ladas were "cheap", referring to quality. The response was, "There are no cheap cars in Cuba." HE was referring to price, which is probably uppermost in the minds of Cuban citizens.

A patriotic Lada.

We also saw some newer foreign cars, such as Hyundais, Kias, and Peugeots. I'm guessing that they were purchased by government employees for government business, such as the official taxis ferrying passengers back and forth to the airport.

But no new modern American cars, for obvious reasons.  The old ones, both the shiny convertible touring cars and the shabby old taxis are such a testamony to the mechanical ingenuity of their owners, who must scrounge or invent parts when needed!

Here are a few others that I caught in my lens:

Love this hood ornament.

The old cars in Cuba were a bit of a trip down memory lane for Bruce and me.  I thought of my dad, who loved Pontiacs.  Mom was a Chevy gal all her life.  Aunt Nellie always bought Fords.  My family definitely bought American - until I came along!

My mom had a Chevy like this, which we named Tillie!

We think this is a Ford.

Bruce’s memories tended toward the more exotic.  He told me about his uncle Phil, a pharmacist in Southwest Harbor, Maine, who somehow got his hands on a German car, a Borgward.  Bruce tried to get his dad to buy a Citroen - without success.  His dad did purchase a British Ford, smaller and more boxy in shape than an American Ford.  My first car was a Saab, which I loved but owned for less than a year before my marriage required downsizing - to Bruce’s car!  His car at that time was a Nissan Datsun which twice took us from Maine to Arizona and back.  

The old cars in Cuba are treated gently, even reverently, befitting machines that have lasted for 60+ years and are expected to keep on going.  I noticed that no one slams the doors shut. If a driver anticipates that you might be going to shove it a bit too hard, he'll reach over and catch it and then close it like it's his baby - or his meal ticket!