Anywhere around the world, seeing a vintage, veteran or classic car on the road is a rare occasion.
Cuba is one definite exception to all this, for in this Caribbean country, classic cars still rule the roost. Political events and policies, and their economic consequences, have combined to present afficionados with more than 60,000 old cars that still ply the Cuban roads on a daily basis.
The locals do not give a second glance to this old motoring treasure trove – unlike the thousands of tourists who go there with classic cars high on their agenda.
My mind was taken back in time to the 1940s, 50s and 60s as on a recent visit there, I stood enthralled watching the procession of mainly American models interspersed with the occasional European marque.
Chryslers, Cadillacs, Corvettes and Chevrolets brush by Pontiacs and Plymouths. Fords of all kinds heavily outnumber the Dodges, Buicks and Oldsmobiles. Sometimes a rare de Soto or a Willy’s appear on the horizon. At irregular intervals, this American monopoly is pleasantly interrupted by a solitary British Morris or MG, an Italian Fiat, a German Volkswagen or a French Simca.
To understand the present old motors situation, one has to go back to the past, basically to 1959, when Fidel Castro overthrew President Batista. Embarking on a strict Communist and Socialist strategy, which obviously did not go down too well with his US neighbours, Castro and Cuba found themselves in the midst of a comprehensive American embargo, still enforced to the present day. This meant, among other things, a ban on the importation of new cars as well as spare parts; consequently the existing vehicles of that time had to be kept running, as well as somehow maintained.
As a result, the original car owners, and their successors, have over these long years been carrying out a painstaking, tender loving restoration exercise on these vehicles.
Some have been kept in an impeccable condition, while others have been fighting a losing battle with rust and the tide of time. The Cubans are very resourceful and ingenious when it comes to keeping their old cars up and running. They come up with all sorts of improvisations. Some manufacture the required parts themselves; others use common household goods to do the trick. Cannibalisation of other vehicles, mainly Russian, is also another standard alternative.
With the soaring prices of fuel in the country, there is hardly an original engine in sight that still runs on expensive petrol. The overwhelming majority has been converted to the much cheaper diesel alternative.
Unfortunately, the thick, dense and heavily polluted air that one has to breathe bears witness to this necessary evil.
With such an old pedigree, breakdown of these old cars is a common occurance. Laid back and relaxed, the Cuban driver pushes it to the side of the road, opens the bonnet or goes under the vehicle, and starts an on-the-spot assessment or possible repair job.
I was impressed by the quick response and solidarity shown by fellow drivers and passersby, who sometimes roll up their sleeves and throw in their advice and practical help. Maybe they are driven by the fact that it might be their turn tomorrow!
A significant number of old vehicles are used as transport for tourists, who are simply fascinated by them, and jump at the opportunity of having a ride in a yesteryear car, especially in the capital, Havana. A day out in a classic car costs around €20. Considering that the average wage of a Cuban hovers round that figure, it is not a bad way to earn a living. This is also another strong motivational reason why old cars are so well maintained in the country, as tourism is gradually catching up on the traditional income generating sectors like tobacco, sugar and coffee.
Since Castro handed over to his brother Raul in 2008, some of the austerity measures have been eased. Cubans now can have mobile phones, and internet is slowly seeping in.
Last January the importation ban on new non-American cars was eased; but with such vehicles costing around €50,000 each, the vast majority of locals can only dream of driving one. Thus the majority of Cubans utilise public transport.
Bicycles, including the yaya or bicycle taxi, are also very popular, while riding on a donkey, horseback or horse-driven carriage is still a very common sight in Trinidad and Santiago.
I met Elio Segura Rodriguez in Trinidad, alongside his rare 1958, red and white Ford Edsel, in his possession for 30 years. As he showed me the huge Mercury 92 engine, he explained how it needed repairs at times, something which was not always easy to do in the prevailing circumstances.
Far from being disheartened, he defiantly continued: “For every problem, we always have a solution in hand. It may take long, but eventually we get there.”
In my opinion, most Cubans subscribe to that point of view.