I just got back from 2 1/2 weeks in Cuba. It was an amazing trip, and of course for lovers of old cars, it's non-stop entertainment. I saw a handful of Studebakers, perhaps not too far off from the ratio you'd see in 1959 of Studes to other makes. Most were Larks, with the pick of the litter being this one:
Despite the “American Muscle” graphics and “NOX” badge on the rear, I’m pretty sure there's nothing souped up in there, though I could be wrong. But the majority of the old American cars are running replacement small European engines, most frequently seeming to be either Russian Lada/Moskvitch plants, or Peugeot diesels. This Lark has a hand-painted Peugeot badge on the fender, indicating what’s under the hood:
Car owners are VERY proud of everything about their cars there, even the replacement engines. But if it still has its original plant, the owner will definitely brag to you about that. One cab driver (nearly all the American cars are taxis, whether legally or not) used the fact of his ratted out ’55 Dodge having its original engine as a selling point to try and charge us more!
As a side note, while we were there, the first Hollywood production since the revolution was being filmed and it was…Fast And Furious 8! They closed down stretches of the Malecón - Havana’s most famous boulevard - to film some days. I saw they had a bunch of fake Cuban cars on the set. And you could tell they were fake because once we heard them all leaving for the day, and every one sounded like a Chev 350 - not a sound usually heard in those parts!
I saw maybe a half dozen late 40’s/early 50’s Studes, including this nice, and mildly modified Land Cruiser, I believe?
There was another similar era Studebaker in a small town we were staying in for a few days, and it was easily the most rattle-trapped car in the whole place - you could always hear it coming from a block away, all over town in its endless taxi duties! That being said, we rode in a ’53 Dodge there that literally had parts falling off as we bounced down a country road…clunk.
I only spotted two C/K bodies, and both were '56 Hawks of the non-Golden variety. One looked pretty nicely restored, but the other one, oh man, they did a STELLAR job modifying it - and you usually won't hear me say such a thing. I really dig stock-looking cars, but I was really impressed with this one (though the interior was kind of an abomination...).
Never got a chance to ride in Cuban Stude, unfortunately, but plenty of interesting rides in other old American boats. Maybe next time - and I'm really hoping there is a next time!
Dave
Despite the “American Muscle” graphics and “NOX” badge on the rear, I’m pretty sure there's nothing souped up in there, though I could be wrong. But the majority of the old American cars are running replacement small European engines, most frequently seeming to be either Russian Lada/Moskvitch plants, or Peugeot diesels. This Lark has a hand-painted Peugeot badge on the fender, indicating what’s under the hood:
Car owners are VERY proud of everything about their cars there, even the replacement engines. But if it still has its original plant, the owner will definitely brag to you about that. One cab driver (nearly all the American cars are taxis, whether legally or not) used the fact of his ratted out ’55 Dodge having its original engine as a selling point to try and charge us more!
As a side note, while we were there, the first Hollywood production since the revolution was being filmed and it was…Fast And Furious 8! They closed down stretches of the Malecón - Havana’s most famous boulevard - to film some days. I saw they had a bunch of fake Cuban cars on the set. And you could tell they were fake because once we heard them all leaving for the day, and every one sounded like a Chev 350 - not a sound usually heard in those parts!
I saw maybe a half dozen late 40’s/early 50’s Studes, including this nice, and mildly modified Land Cruiser, I believe?
There was another similar era Studebaker in a small town we were staying in for a few days, and it was easily the most rattle-trapped car in the whole place - you could always hear it coming from a block away, all over town in its endless taxi duties! That being said, we rode in a ’53 Dodge there that literally had parts falling off as we bounced down a country road…clunk.
I only spotted two C/K bodies, and both were '56 Hawks of the non-Golden variety. One looked pretty nicely restored, but the other one, oh man, they did a STELLAR job modifying it - and you usually won't hear me say such a thing. I really dig stock-looking cars, but I was really impressed with this one (though the interior was kind of an abomination...).
Never got a chance to ride in Cuban Stude, unfortunately, but plenty of interesting rides in other old American boats. Maybe next time - and I'm really hoping there is a next time!
Dave
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