Whatʻs Wrong With These Pics?

[JGK 940]

from rgrant_97 @ Flickr:



two views of the same car from SqueakyMarmot @ Flickr:




and another from SqueakyMarmot:




I love these [8D] and want to share them ONLY because I think it's amazing what CASOs can come up with regardless of who they are or where they live or what they do or do not believe.

Although all three of these cars are in Cuba, this is NOT a political post and I DO NOT WANT any of us to have to deal with any flames about it from anybody. Just enjoy the view and the ingenuity, 'k?


Keoni Dibelka / HiloFoto
In Hawai'i; on Hawai'i; on the Windward Side
If da salt air never chew 'em up bumbye da lava will...

[JBOYLE]

I'd expect no less from a country where some very resourceful guy turned a 50 Chevy truck into a super Weasel to float/drive to Florida!

BTW: A couple of years later, Car and Driver did a story on the guy who built it. He was given a job as a mechanic at a Chevy dealership owned by an expartriot Cuban in Miami and had a nice apartment with his wife and son.
He was making a go of the American dream.
(Hope that's not too political...just a reminder that this is a great country).

63 Avanti R1 2788
1914 Stutz Bearcat
(George Barris replica)

Washington State

[JGK 940]

quote:Originally posted by JBOYLE

I'd expect no less from a country where some very resourceful guy turned a 50 Chevy truck into a super Weasel to float/drive to Florida!(Hope that's not too political...just a reminder that this is a great country).[/i]

[8D]

Keoni Dibelka / HiloFoto
In Hawai'i; on Hawai'i; on the Windward Side
If da salt air never chew 'em up bumbye da lava will...

[Sdude]

I wonder why the rear doors were changed to eliminate the suicide set up? I would suspect that it was done out of necessity rather than aesthetic preference. Isn't that the reason most Cuban cars have been modified? No parts available so they make due with what they can find...



Jon Stalnaker
Editor, Hawk Talks
Karel Staple Chapter SDC

[ChampTrucking]

Check out the door handles on the Lark,and the Superlift springs on that ride.

[Invalid User Name]

The headlights on the Lark don't seem quite right either.

Doug
Venice, Florida
1950 Champion
9G F1

[Guido]

Note the 2 Canadian references on the dash of this car. Note that while it has an automatic steering column, there is no shifter. [:0] Looks like a replacement ignition switch, modern radio and aftermarket turn signals. Not sure about the wires hanging down to the left, but it does have a metric speedometer.



Guido Salvage - "Where rust is beautiful" and real Studebaker horsepower lives

See pictures here: http://community.webshots.com/user/GuidoSalvage

Hiding and preserving Studebakers in Richmond, Goochland & Louisa, Va.

[jimmijim8]

Is that quad headlight set-up unique to only that Lark. I think possibly that front piece originally had 59- 1960 Lark parking lights. It has one wiper. I think it started life as a 59- 1960 Taxi cab. Check out the rear door trim. Is that 59? Modified bumpers and what looks to be reworked rocker panels or homemade. Turn signal-park lights looks to have been the light portion of the 59-60 fresh air and trn-park light assembly. What is any body else's take. jimmijim

Stude Junkie+++++++Do it right the f$$$$ Time. Never mind. Just do it right. When youre done your done. You'll know it.

[StudeRich]

[quote]Originally posted by jimmijim8

I think it started life as a 59- 1960 Taxi cab.

I don't think so, both the Yellow '50 or '51 and the Green Lark have modified rear door windows with vent type windows added to regular short W/B cars! [:0] That makes the Lark resemble a Long W/B Taxi, it even has newer car dished door handles.

StudeRich

[52hawk]

In the first pic,the girl in the red cap is too far away.

Oglesby,Il.
" He's not happy unless there's some piece of $#%& in the driveway to work on"

[kurtruk]

Biggs is gonna hafta go to Cuba to get that wooden horn button for his collection.[:0][][][^]

KURTRUK
(read it backwards)




Nothing is politically right which is morally wrong. -A. Lincoln

[Steve T]

Now those are cool. I'd hail that taxi in a heartbeat, backward-opening rear doors or no!

The nose of the early Lark mimics the '61 Deluxe "face", but isn't (and indeed really couldn't be, given that it was the events of 1959 that led to Cuba's present wonderful "Constant Cruise Night" car inventory! There won't be any '61 Studes there)...

Looking at the proportions of the emerald-green "roadster", I wonder, is that a modified 2dr sedan, rather than a C/K? The nose just looks that bit too tall to be a "Loewy lowboy", to me anyway. Whatever it started out as, it's a neat ride now. The Canadian touches on the dash are, I don't doubt, "zap" souvenirs from a Canadian tourist and old-car fan: many Canadians vacation in Cuba, and a good number of those who do are drawn to the country partially by the "Constant Cruise Night". (In fact, a local SDCer I tried to interest in that Reedsville '59 Lark is on holiday in Cuba right now. He'll go bonkers if he spots any of these beauties.)

Thanks for the post!

S.

[ozarkman]

I would love to go to Cuba to see all the cars and drink a mojito!

From deep in the Ozarks...

Fred

[Steve T]

...Just noticed, the green roadster and the yellow taxi both sport the same logo on their doors...guessing both are in use as taxis! You'd get an unparalleled view of the city from the topless car, for sure.

I wonder if there are any SDCers in Cuba? Boyyyy they'd have plenty of interesting "jazz repair" stories and suggestions for us CASOs. Picture it. (In Spanish, of course):

"Why yes, it's an R2...sort of. Supercharger's off that diesel truck over there though, and I built the V8 out of two Lada 1600 fours"...

(Reminds me I saw a Lada at a cruise night last year. Owner had an excellent sense of humour. Had a sign in the windshield proclaiming the little neo-Fiat 124 a "Russian Muscle Car"!)

S.

[stude62]

I've always wondered what will happen when the Castro era ends (and it will, like all cults of personality do), the economy is opened up and travel to Cuba will be possible. All those cars and all these Americans just waiting to get down there and score big. Do you think that US government would allow these cars in, given the amount of creativity placed into them to keep them running?

Just my thoughts; of course, your mileage may vary...

Stu K


'63 Lark Regal, "Miss Rose"