Cuba is a very interesting place for so many reasons, but to us it’s all down to the cars. MotorTrend recently posted a video shot on the island, showing just what kinds of automobiles its residents drive – it’s mostly American classics from the 1950s, with a sprinkling of Ladas.
There are no new cars to speak of in the country, and the embargo imposed by the US makes sourcing parts extremely difficult (and expensive). Most of the classics on the road have had their engines swapped, with the most common units used being from the Soviet Era.
The first car MT comes across is an old Pontiac, which is being run as a taxi. Its owner had done away with the car’s factory six-cylinder engine, replacing it with a four-pot diesel out of a Hyundai, with fuel economy being quoted as the main reason for the swap.
All cars are worked on in rudimentary garages, firmly stuck in the analog age, and the equipment they use is not only outdated, but it also looks dangerous. However, having worked like this for decades now, the locals have become very skilled at this kind of thing, and some are even into racing…
By Andrei Nedelea
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