Model A in Cuba

[mhsprecher]

I am sure that everyone is aware that a large percentage of the vehicle fleet in Cuba is old American cars that they keep going. A guy in my neighborhood just came back from a trip to Cuba. This street shot shows what looks like a '31 Model A in traffic.

[Gary WA]

Yellow sign in window pass side? Possibly a Taxi!!! Very nice cars tho in Cuba.

[Clem Clement]

When Cuba opens up , I don't recommend racing there to lbuy one of those jallopies. Too many beer cans gave it up for body panels

[ken ct]

I also see a 53 or 54 chevy,a 56 chevy and a 55 chevy. ken ct.

[Joe K]

Originally Posted by Clem Clement

When Cuba opens up , I don't recommend racing there to lbuy one of those jallopies. Too many beer cans gave it up for body panels

Maybe so, but when cars are so expensive relative to the wages one receives, one TAKES CARE of their car. That Chevrolet in the foreground looks VERY cherry.

See, Marxism has it's merits - freedom of choice just isn't one of them.

And who says they're ever going to open up?

Kidding on the last - free enterprise is a force of nature - and it exists in Cuba whether they admit it or not.

Sorry - straying to the political - this a TECHNICAL board.

Shame on me!

Joe K

[mhsprecher]

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I understand that these cars have been heavily modified over the years and that some of the engines have been replaced with diesels. The guy who took this picture took a bunch of others, mostly 50s American iron. This was the only one that was directly relevant to this group. Still, it's amazing that so many of these cars are still on the road.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Saw a pic of an "escape" boat from Cuba, they mounted the front of the frame & the engine from a '49 Chev to power the boat!!! Bill W.

[Mike V. Florida]

A converted 1951 Chevy pickup truck on July 16, 2003. The truck's drive shaft was attached directly to a propeller and the craft could reportedly reach a leisurely 7 knots (8 mph). 55-gallon oil drums were used for flotation. The dozen or so Cubans in the truck were caught just south of Key West. Unfortunately, instead of being rewarded for their cleverness, the Cubans were repatriated back to Cuba. Sadly, the pickup truck was also later sunk (reportedly through the copious application of machine-gun fire!) by the U.S. Coast Guard.

One of them tried again in 2004 using a 1959 Buick, the interior was welded to be watertight, the prow of a boat was attached to the front of the car, and, amazingly, the car was fully functional and still had its tires.

It too spotted and sunk.

In 2005, once again one of the original "truckonauts" tried once again. His craft, a converted 1949 Mercury station wagon, appears to follow the design of the second-attempt 1959 Buick car boat. It carried 13 people and was stopped at the usual area just off Key West. The Mercury was apparently originally a taxi.

No Model A's. I guess the oil slick from leaky real engine bearings would give it away too soon.

[Tom Wesenberg]

That truck should never have been sunk. It should have been put in a freedom museum, or on display in a park.

[ursus]

A few years ago a friend showed me photos of a Model A coupe that he saw in Cuba. It had a few external modifications but was still running the stock drive train. It had been brush painted in that lurid pink color so popular in those latitudes. As with all Model A's, the driver was flashing a big grin.

[59mgaguy]

A lot of the old cars have gone by way of South America to get here in the states and overseas. And their not as nice as what you saw in the picture.

2X with mhsprecher

[Chris in WNC]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

That truck should never have been sunk. It should have been put in a freedom museum, or on display in a park.

agreed. whenever I hear this story, I get spitting mad at whoever created the ignorant regulation that forced the Coast Guard to sink this ingenious boat. too bad some commander didn't take a chance and ignore the rule. public adoration would have forced his vindication!!

[Joe K]

Originally Posted by Chris in WNC

agreed. whenever I hear this story, I get spitting mad at whoever created the ignorant regulation that forced the Coast Guard to sink this ingenious boat. too bad some commander didn't take a chance and ignore the rule. public adoration would have forced his vindication!!

This true. We (our nation) should celebrate our freedom. And those willing to risk their lives to be one of us.

Something wrong here in the US though.

I'll leave this here as to not bring yet another political thought to a technical board.

Joe K

[luckyal]

I have friends that visit Cuba often Via Canada. I am forever giving them parts such as a fan belt, gas cap, oil cap and wipers. The parts are just not available. When you see the cars up close they are usually quite grim and many are a combination of several cars just to keep it on the road. My one friend told me that he had seen a roll of toilet paper in a cannister being used as an oil filter cartridge !
Al

[Joe K]

Actually there are kits you can use to adapt the high technology of toilet tissue roll paper to your modern car. I put one on a tractor at the farm I used to work at as a diesel mechanic.

I'll see if I can find one...Yup... still there...

http://www.frantzoil.com/TOILETPAPER.html



Joe K

[juke joint johnny]

I went to Havana 3 years ago ,
I saw 3 Model A's in the Havana Car Museum and a 30-31 Cabriolet being used on the street plus lot's of American Cars from the 40-50's.

Some of the Old Taxi's have had the engines replaced with a 3 cylinder Diesel
[ Lot's of Vibrations and a Huge plume of smoke when they pull away from a stop light ] Quite a Spectacle to See !!!!

It's a Credit to the ingenuity of the Cuban's that they can keep these cars running with no parts readilly available!! I imagine they might get a few things from Argentina but we all know how good the parts from there are.

John Cochran

[johnbuckley]

Like Juke Box Johnny we Limeys are fortunate to be able to visit Cuba whenever we want.
Just got back from 2 weeks self -drive round the western end of the island (in a modern Geely). Most of the old vehicles are in a dire straits but they keep going b y hook or by crook. Many Chevrolets and Buicks from the 50s. Plenty of pollution coming out of the exhaust of all vehicle. Several have had engine transplants for instance we had a taxi ride in a 56 Buick with a Zil. Only saw one Model A in use on the road though.

[msmaron]

it is a well known fact that cuba is basically a Time warp for auto, radio, HUMANITY, health car, etc....

[Juggler]

I've been a couple of times, and loved every minute

As others have said, the later 50's cars have had their V8's replaced by diesels, in fact most of the taxis are now running around on Chinese truck chassis.

Still a few A's being used as day to day transport. There's a TT truck in the foyer of a brewery/bar in the Old Square in Havana, and I even found a Model B

The Auto Museum in Habana Veija is worth a visit

























Cheers

Juggs

[Chris Haynes]

Originally Posted by Joe K

Actually there are kits you can use to adapt the high technology of toilet tissue roll paper to your modern car. I put one on a tractor at the farm I used to work at as a diesel mechanic.

I'll see if I can find one...Yup... still there...

http://www.frantzoil.com/TOILETPAPER.html



Joe K

Here is a real easy way to mount a Frantz Oil Cleaner on a Model A.