Yes, it’s been done before. But, damn – you gotta love those classic American cars driving the streets of Anytown, Cuba, especially Havana. From what I hear, they’re just classic cars on the outside as most of the guts have been replaced over the past half century. I was told last time I was in Havana that the cars were mostly retrofited with Mercedes-Benz diesel engines, but I haven’t been able to clarify that.
Below are ten pictures of vintage autos that are used as everyday vehicles in the lost-in-time nation of Cuba. They truly are a sight to see. However, I do not know classic cars. If there ain’t a tag on it saying what it is, I have no idea. If, you the reader, has some insight on the year, make and model of these beasts, please enlighten us in the comments below – we will be incredibly grateful!
Classic Cars In Cuba
This car was actually in Cienfuegos and not Havana. The owner went to painstaking effort to keep this hotrod in amazing condition.
This old Chevrolet truck is used on a daily basis in the agriculture business. Most likely, it is doing the same work today as it was back in 1959 when Fidel Castro finally ousted Batista.
Havana has embraced the fact that the rest of the world loves their antiques. Like many, many others, this baby blue Chevy acts as a taxi. However, this car is definitely in need of some TLC.
I know this one. It’s a 1937 Ford convertible. How do I know this? If you zoom in closer on the windshield, it says so. For more info, check out the 1937 Ford page at Wikipedia.
This incredibly well done Chevrolet Belair was sitting on a cobblestone road in the old part of Havana. I sat here for a bit and watched many a pot-bellied baby boomer drool over this shiny blast from the past.
If you click on the image (or any of the others in this article and any other article on the site) you can see the full size shot for more detail. It’s just a standard street view but there’s a lot of little things going on. The ship leaving the harbour, in the background, is one rusty piece of shit.
Not all the classics are American. These vintage Ladas keep the pot-bellied Russian baby boomers drooling! This scene is taken from in front of the 37 story Edificio FOSCA, Cuba’s tallest building since 1956. At the top is La Torre Restaurant, offering 360 degree views of La Habana.
This purple Buick was sitting along side the Plaza de la Revolucion (Revolution Square).
I believe it’s a Ford. There are so, so many surfers in California that would give their left nut to have this wagon.
Finally, this was a movie shoot near the Capitolio. Apparently, Cubans love their car chases but there is never a car wreck scene.
Once again, if you have more info on the cars pictured here, please let us know in the comments.
Check out these other images of Havana, Cuba.
