Check out this link...a pretty interesting read. http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080718/FREE/844003623/1065
Looks like that caddy is on some kinda truck chassis, can't wait until the old fool[castro] dies so we can see what's down there.
I go to Cuba twice a year. Once in May and will be going in october again. The best beach I have ever been on in the world. I mentioned in the past that if people are interested in a License Plate let me know and I will try to bring a few more back this time.
When the Russians were supporting Cuba they had a lot of military vehicles, jeeps, trucks, etc etc in Cuba. Unfortunately for the Russians the miltary vehicles were made from 50's tooling bought from Chysler Corp. So it was really common for the miltary vehicles to get the running gear "pilfered" and used as replacements for worn out stuff in the old american iron. That is why a lot of the old chevys, fords etc down there have flathead dodge sixes, adapted three speeds from dodges, truck rear ends and whatever else could be used. Imagine how difficult it would be to keep a 60 year old car on the road if no legitimate replacement parts were available.
I have an old dvd called "Carros classicos de cuba" It gives testiment to what the guys do with the cars. Shows how they survive. They are true craftsmen. Shows a guy that is stealing wire from his cyclone fence to weld his cars back together. Another made an oven to heat up windshields to reshape them to fit other cars. Another hand makes stainless trim and grills by hand. truly good work too.
When the powers that be in cuba admit that castro has kicked the bucket, what we're "going to find down there" is that beauty is only skin deep. A lot of that old tin is being powered by Russian drivetrains, and the origianal runnig gear, frames, and suspension is long gone ........
I ran a truck shop in TAMPA for a while. I had 13 MARIELITO's working for me , as mechanics helpers etc. Sometimes they would just wear me out trying to make parts and fix broken parts, instead of replacing them. I actually had one make a working carb for a 6 cyl. FORD pump motor out of a quart can , and so help me it worked....They were quiet a bunch of craftsmen.....
I just watched the "Yank Tanks" DVD. Amazing what they can make from nothing. The guy making the Asbestos brake pads in his garage was crazy.
most of the cars are to far gone to fix, some are just beautiful, there are lots of new cars as well, all the world trades with cuba but the US, a crapy old lada goes for over 5 grand. Americans do go there, how i'm not sure but they do.
You can fly out of Toronto or go from Cancun, Mexico. The Mexicans have been known to stamp your passport in some way that doesn't alert U.S. customs.
If I were to ever get a hold of a Cuban-registered US car and somehow export it to the US, I'd leave it as-is and show it whenever possible. They have done incredible things with the old iron there that really has to be seen to be fully appreciated.
The Jalopy Journal
