Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Model A (1928-31)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 07-13-2015, 02:57 PM   #1
mhsprecher
Senior Member
 
mhsprecher's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Takoma Park, MD
Posts: 2,811
Default OT - Show on maintaining old cars in Cuba

Not Model A, but Discovery Channel is starting a new "reality" show on how Cubans keep their old cars running, starting tonight at 10 Eastern. It should be fun watching:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifest...593_story.html
mhsprecher is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2015, 03:11 PM   #2
Sparky
Senior Member
 
Sparky's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 649
Default Re: OT - Show on maintaining old cars in Cuba

Thanks, should be interesting. I'll check it out!
Sparky is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 07-13-2015, 05:47 PM   #3
C26Pinelake
BANNED
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Michigan / Ontario border, Sarnia, Ontario. 50 miles from Detroit and 150 from Toronto.
Posts: 5,800
Default Re: OT - Show on maintaining old cars in Cuba

Quote:
Originally Posted by mhsprecher View Post
Not Model A, but Discovery Channel is starting a new "reality" show on how Cubans keep their old cars running, starting tonight at 10 Eastern. It should be fun watching:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifest...593_story.html
No matter what the show might suggest let me tell you the answer is " very poorly " ! I have travelled to Cuba many times and the condition of most cars is deplorable ! Wayne
C26Pinelake is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2015, 05:57 PM   #4
Jeff/Illinois
Senior Member
 
Jeff/Illinois's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,787
Default Re: OT - Show on maintaining old cars in Cuba

Never been to Cuba but I also have heard what Wayne is saying, the cars are pretty shoddy. A lot of the Chevy's from the 50's are running some kind of Russian diesel engine the originals were just too worn out to rebuild anymore.


Pictures Model A's I've seen........ well Carumba to quote Desi Arnaz not good.....
Jeff/Illinois is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2015, 08:10 PM   #5
C26Pinelake
BANNED
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Michigan / Ontario border, Sarnia, Ontario. 50 miles from Detroit and 150 from Toronto.
Posts: 5,800
Default Re: OT - Show on maintaining old cars in Cuba

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff/Illinois View Post
Never been to Cuba but I also have heard what Wayne is saying, the cars are pretty shoddy. A lot of the Chevy's from the 50's are running some kind of Russian diesel engine the originals were just too worn out to rebuild anymore.


Pictures Model A's I've seen........ well Carumba to quote Desi Arnaz not good.....
Wooden door panels. License plates bolted together as fenders, 2 or 3 different sized tires, sand bags and boxes for seats, but they all have a loud radio ( lol ) ! Wayne
P.s. 8 days all inclusive with flights, motel and food, drinks and cigars are to be had for less than. $600 dollars.
C26Pinelake is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2015, 11:29 PM   #6
ursus
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,369
Default Re: OT - Show on maintaining old cars in Cuba

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
A relative working in Canada had occasion to visit Cuba on business several times over the past few years. He reports seeing a number of Model A Fords in rural areas and thought they sounded like they were powered by the original 4 cylinder engines although he had no opportunity to verify what was under the hood. He even saw one parked with a " For Sale" (Se Vende) sign on the windshield.

I have to wonder if the Soviet Bloc unloaded some of the older Russian made GAZ engines down there and this is what the Cuban A's are running on? The Cubans are truly masters of keeping things running under any and all circumstances.
ursus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2015, 12:31 AM   #7
Mike V. Florida
Senior Member
 
Mike V. Florida's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: South Florida
Posts: 14,054
Send a message via AIM to Mike V. Florida
Default Re: OT - Show on maintaining old cars in Cuba

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff/Illinois View Post
Never been to Cuba but I also have heard what Wayne is saying, the cars are pretty shoddy. A lot of the Chevy's from the 50's are running some kind of Russian diesel engine the originals were just too worn out to rebuild anymore.


Pictures Model A's I've seen........ well Carumba to quote Desi Arnaz not good.....
That's the fist thing they do, rip out the gas (fuel cost too high) and put in diesel.
__________________
What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them. - Henry Ford II
Mike V. Florida is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2015, 08:06 AM   #8
Terry, NJ
Senior Member
 
Terry, NJ's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Bucks Co, Pa
Posts: 3,740
Default Re: OT - Show on maintaining old cars in Cuba

I watched the show called "Cuban Chrome" and it took me back! A 52/53 Oldsmobile with a diesel marine engine. $30 dollar bearings for a steering box! A 58 belair 4 dr hardtop with half the parts missing! These were just the problems that Cuban car owners face. Then there was the Cuban Car club and they had Mod A s and a hot rod. The purpose of buying the 58 Chev. for $9000 was to restore it! In the US, it would have been a parts car. Actually, instead of taking cars out of Cuba, the money is in getting pre 59 parts into Cuba.
Terry
Terry, NJ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2015, 08:16 AM   #9
mlp623
Senior Member
 
mlp623's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Chatham, NJ
Posts: 136
Default Re: OT - Show on maintaining old cars in Cuba

I had to turn it off as soon as they introduced the first car as a 1934 Ford Model A.
mlp623 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2015, 08:29 AM   #10
Jeff/Illinois
Senior Member
 
Jeff/Illinois's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,787
Default Re: OT - Show on maintaining old cars in Cuba

Quote:
Originally Posted by ursus View Post
? The Cubans are truly masters of keeping things running under any and all circumstances.
Yeah, I WILL give them that they have been pretty creative with what they had to work with.

Terry, in their quest for pre-1959 parts if they start getting Vintique parts from some of the U.S. vendors, that will start a riot and all of the work towards normalizing relations will have been for not
Jeff/Illinois is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2015, 10:52 AM   #11
mhsprecher
Senior Member
 
mhsprecher's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Takoma Park, MD
Posts: 2,811
Default Re: OT - Show on maintaining old cars in Cuba

Yes, the 34 Model A with what looked like a Dodge or Plymouth grille. I also enjoyed the steering bearings that turned into a u joint. How hard would it have been to have gotten their facts right? It is possible that the Cubans thought they had a 34 Model A. More than a few Americans would get that wrong, too. I still enjoyed it. Discovery Channel HQ is right down the street from me. Supporting the local company!
mhsprecher is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2015, 11:58 AM   #12
RobertB
Senior Member
 
RobertB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Santa Teresa, NM
Posts: 133
Default Re: OT - Show on maintaining old cars in Cuba

Quote:
Originally Posted by mhsprecher View Post
Yes, the 34 Model A with what looked like a Dodge or Plymouth grille. I also enjoyed the steering bearings that turned into a u joint. How hard would it have been to have gotten their facts right? It is possible that the Cubans thought they had a 34 Model A. More than a few Americans would get that wrong, too. I still enjoyed it. Discovery Channel HQ is right down the street from me. Supporting the local company!

The "reality" car shows are usually just too much BS put together quickly by a producer.

"restored" cars selling for high prices with no headliner installed.

An explaination of Turbocharging by the owner of the shop informing us that the turbo takes the spent exhaust gas and runs in back up to the exhaust to be used again. LOL

Chasing Classics is pretty good, but all the cars are out of my price range.

I'd love to see a series about home restorations, with the TV folks supplying all the parts and a couple of helpers.

__________________
RobertB
Santa Teresa, NM
RobertB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2015, 01:48 PM   #13
Tom Wesenberg
Senior Member
 
Tom Wesenberg's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Mpls, MN
Posts: 27,582
Default Re: OT - Show on maintaining old cars in Cuba

Quote:
Originally Posted by mlp623 View Post
I had to turn it off as soon as they introduced the first car as a 1934 Ford Model A.
Someone at Iola asked my friend if he had any parts for his 1936 Model A?

I knew he meant 1936 Ford, but Model T and Model A sure get hung on a lot of cars.
Tom Wesenberg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2015, 01:55 PM   #14
Jeff/Illinois
Senior Member
 
Jeff/Illinois's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,787
Default Re: OT - Show on maintaining old cars in Cuba

Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertB View Post
The "reality" car shows are usually just too much BS put together quickly by a producer.

"restored" cars selling for high prices with no headliner installed.

An explaination of Turbocharging by the owner of the shop informing us that the turbo takes the spent exhaust gas and runs in back up to the exhaust to be used again. LOL

Chasing Classics is pretty good, but all the cars are out of my price range.

I'd love to see a series about home restorations, with the TV folks supplying all the parts and a couple of helpers.

Exactly my thoughts to a 'T' (or is that an 'A'?) Fantom Works is half way palpable, Wayne Carini yeah OK but outside of those shows I flip the channel anymore. Big waste of time. They get pretty stupid. Fast and Furious gets under my skin anymore those guys are too much. Forget Am. Pickers I haven't watched that nonsense in a LONG long time don't know if it's even on anymore.............
Jeff/Illinois is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2015, 02:34 PM   #15
C26Pinelake
BANNED
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Michigan / Ontario border, Sarnia, Ontario. 50 miles from Detroit and 150 from Toronto.
Posts: 5,800
Default Re: OT - Show on maintaining old cars in Cuba

My last trip a month ago, I took 3 gas caps, 2 rad caps and five points and condenser. Along with pencils, eyeglasses and band aids! They would rather have car parts than food. Wayne
C26Pinelake is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2015, 04:13 PM   #16
Terry, NJ
Senior Member
 
Terry, NJ's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Bucks Co, Pa
Posts: 3,740
Default Re: OT - Show on maintaining old cars in Cuba

Roller bearings seem pretty high on their lists too! It reminds me of when my Mother got all but airfare, paid trip to Venice in 1965. She took (At her hosts request) about a half a suitcase full of spark plugs for Evinrude and Johnson out board motors. In Italy, then, they cost about the equivalent of $5.00 apiece.
Terry

Quote:
Originally Posted by C26Pinelake View Post
My last trip a month ago, I took 3 gas caps, 2 rad caps and five points and condenser. Along with pencils, eyeglasses and band aids! They would rather have car parts than food. Wayne
Terry, NJ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2015, 06:40 PM   #17
bambooboy
Senior Member
 
bambooboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: joppa maryland
Posts: 209
Default Re: OT - Show on maintaining old cars in Cuba

wayne, I have been under the impression that cuba's car parts are scarce because of lack of funds.we are the only country that has an embargo with cuba.american car parts are available everywhere.(most are now made in china). tom
bambooboy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:02 AM.