mountainofpuppies
81136
1493
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Due to the Us embargo on Cuba.. it's essentially become a time capsule from the 1950's.. including the cars
as you can see on the horizon.. Cuba doesn't really have emissions control, this includes the cars, there're no catalytic converters on any cars any it makes a massive difference
excuse the finger
new cars are now mixed with the old, often new car parts are stolen to put into the old ones since a car is essentially worth a house to people, you inherit your car.
Makingsomedankfood
@OP I will NOT excuse the finger
Meilkor
Tell them about the shitty car collectors that offer the locals $500 usd and then resell the car in America for $50,000
NirvanaNik
Go on about the catalytic converter making a huge difference
criggie
#3 shows a lada and some japanese vans, and a suzuki too.
TheRespectedContender
Cuba was such an awesome time. Did you stay in a hotel or a casa particular?
IAmArchtects
Id love to go to Cuba. The cars are excellent.
Nettlebat
I am going to Cuba in two weeks! I am stoked! Can't wait to see the cars!
Snaggley
They're aren't catalytic converters on those types of cars anywhere unless someone really wants one and adds it. They didn't exist back then
rbwoodruff1960
I read somewhere that the majority of those cars have 4 cylinder Russian made diesel engines. The old gas engines wore out decades ago.
ChickNMcNutsac
They errr arrrr not
Theepimethean
I will not ignore the finger
PatrickRob82
It's CADILLAC converter, ya dingus.
SumdumCanadiun
I hope this is sarcasm.
PatrickRob82
Dude. Of course.
somethingsomethingsomethingsomewhere
It's not odd, it's a car collectors wet dream
kiddub
I mean, what if we all learned to service our automobiles and didn't junk our cars every 5-10 years?
marsgoose
But it doesn't have iphone 11 dongle holder and direct link to amazon so you can order new romper when you spill your frappucino in traffic.
reckless512
Sir, that comment is brilliant.
wyatt8740
then auto manufacturers might still make cars serviceable by mere mortals. Mine:
AngryRaven
I miss owning a car i can do my own work on. these days you need disgustingly expensive tools and 90 hours of spare time to change the oil.
Kabe59
Cuban car mechanics must be awesome
wyatt8740
inventive for sure. But I assume a lot of people learn to repair their own cars instead of paying a mechanic
imnotlostinlifeijustdonthaveanywheretogo
If I had the money I would go there buy as many as I could and sell them for vast profits
washyourhandsplease
vintage cars are my shit
cogs
That sidehack is a Ural, so it isn't embargoed. They can get new ones in Cuba today.
PigsCanJump
Excuse the Finger, new band name, I call it.
LegacyMuse
Mighty Car Mods did an awesome documentary about the cars of Cuba recently. https://youtu.be/ZJPqe1baowA
SpekldBirdNuts
What they lack in parts, they make up in paint. How are they not all rust buckets after 70+ years of salt air?
wyatt8740
bondo. Lots and lots of bondo. And the underbodies are probably crap too
NathanielPysklo
When did you go down to Cuba??
equityforpunks
They would probably make a fortune by selling those on world market price.. many of those convertibles in top condition are $50k car easily
LeumisRichardson
These are not in top condition. Not even close. They are frankencars under the hood.
lookinatdumbshitontheinternet
SO. MANY. LADAS.
Upub769
Not really actually
ISeeWhatIDidThere
embargo includes parts, so they have to get pretty creative with their car maintenance. Top Gear did an episode there that's worth watching.
barackyourworld
It's actually largely not because of the embargo, it started that way but they found tourists loved the old cars, thus gov encouraged it.
barackyourworld
They could have imported Japanese or euro cars... refurbishing costs more, but Cubans make money off charging tourists for rides etc
DuckPlanetKing
I doubt what you're saying is true... Any source??
ohgravitythouartaheartlessbitch
As a Cuban, nope. Mostly embargo. We have been relying on there cars way before Cuba became a tourist hotspot
wyatt8740
Internet cafe? Or back channel? 'Murican interested in Cuba.
ohgravitythouartaheartlessbitch
Not sure I get the question?
wyatt8740
I thought cubans weren't typically allowed private internet access at home.
ohgravitythouartaheartlessbitch
We're not lol. I just happen to have been living in the States for several years now. But I was born and raised in Cuba. left when I was 16
Idsertian
Top Gear did a thing on this, last series. It is, as the tag suggest, mildly interesting.
doyen
I really recommend watching this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzKO_E3D5sI
studentwallowinginselfpity
.
DjNeHi
God I would love to go on a car shopping spree there.
macthelost
Also like op said, Cars are like houses there. And probably priced accordingly.
poopnpee
Some of them now have boat engines just to keep them running, because they couldn't get or make parts.
wyatt8740
people here improve a volvo 240's horsepower by swapping in a volvo penta boat variant of it's motor.
mountainofpuppies
well.. the embargo is ending..
kanemano
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/359354-trumps-cuba-policy-allows-airbnb-stays-for-americans
flyinglunchbox
Few are left in collectible condition.
VajrapaniP
the whole point is to restore it...
will335i
No you wouldn't. A lot of them are hacked together to keep them running and far from mint condition.
DrShrinker
Doesn't matter.
FourFiveFire
Held together with bailing wire, seriously. A lot of ingenuity for sure, far from collectors pieces.
DjNeHi
I can handle rebuilding/replacing the mechanical and electrical. But rust repair sucks big hairy monkey balls.
DjNeHi
I'm not expecting to end up with an instant classic but even getting hold of a half decent body at a reasonable price would be good.
Improbabilitydrive42
You can find that in the right junkyard here in the US. I still wish I could have gotten that VW Fastback I found.
VajrapaniP
Exactly, fix it up here in the land of the free...and ebay. I wouldnt mind restore one of these babies.
RoyBattysDove
My old history professor had 100k saved so that when the embargo gets lifted he could go buy as many cars from Cuba as possible
Mk1986
He is not very smart. The cars that are left running there are hacked together garbage there are not going to be many buyers for that.
smoguli
Indeed, when I went to Cuba I saw an old 50's Chevy that had a diesel engine.
BetaWolfOcho
yes for a time chevy, well gm, made diesel engines. The 261, 263, and 350, they were not good. to bad they could have been great.
RoyBattysDove
Yeah. He mentioned they're cannibalized on the inside but it sounded like he wanted the bodies more than anything.
Iamthemonkeymansowhatevercats
Yeah, the bodies are worth money to people here in the states who have the rest but a shitted out body.
wyatt8740
'57 dodge lancer bodies were already rusty garbage when new unfortunately.
Anahatesbananas
Cuban here, do people not fully understand why all of the cars are so old? Tourists go crazy for them, but they tend to ignore the 1/2
Anahatesbananas
issues that are still incredibly prevalent in the country. I've known so many people who have visited and just do not understand the 2/3
Anahatesbananas
actual situation 3/3
wyatt8740
no one being able to afford one that is more reliable is my first guess. That close?
SomethingSomethingTraLaLa
Old school Muscle cars are HUGE in Lebanon, and quite a number of other places in the Middle East. America can't help but export itself.
wyatt8740
We have a '55 dodge custom royal lancer ('Murican). That doesn't count, does it? Too old?
SomethingSomethingTraLaLa
I'd count that, it's got a great classic profile.
wyatt8740
The car I want is swedish, unfortunately, but 2 door and looks sort of american
wyatt8740
it's a four-banger though (4 cylinder engine)
wyatt8740
Our Dodge looks exactly like the one at the top of this advert
WolkoW
How about prostitution? Any good deals? I have a couple of coworkers going there next month. They claim they go there for the women.
marsgoose
Yeah that happens when people are hungry. Cuba is actually word leader in child prostitution.
meencontreconunarusaquesabiaquenataliaoreiroerauruguaya
Asking the real questions
ImWonderingIfIllEverGetMyOwnUsername
"Coworkers"
DoctorCoktopus
"sad"
IJustLikeToArgue
I have a couple of co-workers that say they go to Thailand for the same thing.
PacificJesus
If you want an honest answer, prostitution is incredibly common, they have one of the lowest STI rates in the world, 1/2
snakeoilsalesman
They also make a shitload more money than anyone else (everyone else is on a set wage.)
PacificJesus
And authorities will either turn a blind eye or are easily bribable
mountainofpuppies
actually i saw 4 18yr old girls being dined by 7-8 60 yr olds being all gropey and stuff.. creepy AF... and v sad
imnotlostinlifeijustdonthaveanywheretogo
Yup that'll be his coworkers
jazzmatazz
Yeah but they're all from the 50's too.
kiddub
You can come to cottage country Canada and get a blowie for a drive to Tim Hortons and 10 bucks, as I was offered today.
LlamaLingo
How beat was she?
naturalborncynic
Did you accept?!
angrybook
I've got like $8.34 in canadian pennies I've collected in all my years as a cashier in the US. What will that get me?
rayvn
Not much, considering more stores won't accept pennies anymore, and bank require them to be rolled in large quantities to be exchanged
MoonbyulBias
We actually don't use pennies anymore.
TomDobs55
2 "soorrys" and a litre of maple syrup
toxcrusadr
I lol'd +1