American Cars in Cuba

[vegas paul]

Tonight at 10:00 PM eastern on HDNet, there is a 1-hour program entitled American Cars in Cuba. I assume there will be at least one Studebaker involved.

Las Vegas, NV - Stop by, coffee's on!
'51 Champion Business Coupe G899965 10G-Q4-1434

[kmul221]

Being Canadian I've been to Cuba several times on vacation.Nearly all the American cars are cobbled together from various years & makes
using whatever they could make fit,the same applies to the power plants.Not rusty but some very odd combinations to be sure.

[fstst56]

As you might guess, my '53 that I call the "Coupe from Cuba"
came from Cuba. Cuba, MISSOURI that is !!!

I don't think I get HDNet, but thanks for posting.
I'd sure be watching/recording if I did.

[Steve T]

Saw pix once from Cuba of what purportedly was a '50 Starlight. The only thing on it that looked truly Stude was the nice chrome bullet on the nose...it appeared to have been a 4dr, shortened (and sorta squared-off at both ends) into a 2dr "coupe", with a heaping helping of Eastern European componentry thrown in. It made me think of a Lark, in the sense that the Lark was arrived at, essentially, by shortening the fullsize Stude sedan. And chances are the quasi-Stude drove just fine...the Cubans' resourcefulness knows no bounds! Hope they show that TV doc up here north of 49 sometime, or a DVD of it becomes available...

S.

[53k]

quote:Originally posted by Steve T

Saw pix once from Cuba of what purportedly was a '50 Starlight. The only thing on it that looked truly Stude was the nice chrome bullet on the nose...it appeared to have been a 4dr, shortened (and sorta squared-off at both ends) into a 2dr "coupe", with a heaping helping of Eastern European componentry thrown in. It made me think of a Lark, in the sense that the Lark was arrived at, essentially, by shortening the fullsize Stude sedan. And chances are the quasi-Stude drove just fine...the Cubans' resourcefulness knows no bounds! Hope they show that TV doc up here north of 49 sometime, or a DVD of it becomes available...

I have heard that many American cars have Russian diesels for power plants.

Paul Johnson, Wild and Wonderful West Virginia
'53 Commander Starliner (since 1966)
'64 Daytona Wagonaire (original owner)
'64 Daytona Convertible (2006)
Museum R-4 engine
1962 Gravely Model L (Studebaker-Packard serial plate)
1972 Gravely Model 430 (Studebaker name plate, Studebaker Onan engine)

[StudeDave57]

For those who may not be able to watch the show Paul is talking about-
here are a few prior posts about Cuban cars~

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12271

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14982

Just tryin' to help...

StudeDave '57 [8D]

[dictator27]

There was a news feature on our Global TV channel talking about Cuba cracking down on unlicensed cabs. It showed several early '50's Chevs and a '55 Packard Clipper.

[vegas paul]

Well, I hope some of you got a chance to see it last night, I know that not everyone gets HDNet (I'm on DirectTV, since I don't get cable). Great show, mostly Detroit stuff, GM & Ford, but a few Studes and Packards briefly visible in the background shots, none featured. The best part of the show was in the description of how these owners keep the cars alive with absolutely no parts availability from USA due to the embargo. Mixing and matching is done very creatively. Fabrication of sheet metal parts (by hand) by the dozens, when for instance, only one rusty fender exists, making the parts for all the other similar cars. This is crazy... one guy mentioned that they have almost NO access to brake fluid. They use a combo of vegetable/olive oil, shampoo, and other secret ingredients, and claim it works.

Las Vegas, NV - Stop by, coffee's on!
'51 Champion Business Coupe G899965 10G-Q4-1434

[53k]

quote:Originally posted by vegas paul

Well, I hope some of you got a chance to see it last night, I know that not everyone gets HDNet (I'm on DirectTV, since I don't get cable). Great show, mostly Detroit stuff, GM & Ford, but a few Studes and Packards briefly visible in the background shots, none featured. The best part of the show was in the description of how these owners keep the cars alive with absolutely no parts availability from USA due to the embargo. Mixing and matching is done very creatively. Fabrication of sheet metal parts (by hand) by the dozens, when for instance, only one rusty fender exists, making the parts for all the other similar cars. This is crazy... one guy mentioned that they have almost NO access to brake fluid. They use a combo of vegetable/olive oil, shampoo, and other secret ingredients, and claim it works.

Years ago when I traded my '47 Dodge convertible in on a '57 Plymouth[V], the dealer brought the Plymouth to my house (yes, they used to do that) and drove the Dodge back. It had no brakes so he just filled the master cylinder with water. He said that would work in a pinch and he planned to overhaul the brakes anyhow.

Paul Johnson, Wild and Wonderful West Virginia
'53 Commander Starliner (since 1966)
'64 Daytona Wagonaire (original owner)
'64 Daytona Convertible (2006)
Museum R-4 engine
1962 Gravely Model L (Studebaker-Packard serial plate)
1972 Gravely Model 430 (Studebaker name plate, Studebaker Onan engine)