We had the same cartoon in our Denver paper. The artist must like 59's Plymouths as he drew all the correct details (other then the cinder blocks the car is on)
I think we need a barge to bring back all those 50's cars from Cuba!
Well guys, i think you'd all be pretty disappointed! I was in Cuba in March and found that pretty much every one of the so called classic cars there and have all been rebuilt with a lot of homemade parts, and are retrofitted with Japanese, Korean, and it some cases Soviet era diesel engines and transmissions!
Pretty much every one of them has tuck and roll upholstery as well. We stayed in Varadero and took a day trip to Havana, and while there i was talking to a guy with a 56 Chev Bel Air sedan (Pretty much all the old cars are used as taxis for the tourists) and he told me, "Senor, the only thing about this car that is from the 50's is the body and the dashboard, everything else has been rebuilt or remanufactured to keep them going!" This one had a Nissan diesel engine and manual transmission, but was rigged up so the column shift could be used, Those of who have me on Facebook, check my photo album entutled 'Cuba Trip, March 20 to 27'
Nighthawk wrote:Well guys, i think you'd all be pretty disappointed!
I don't know that disappointed is the right word - perhaps the purist would be disappointed. But what a trip, to see so much old stock rolling around. I, for one, am putting it on my bucket list!
Well, i would say go for the culture, the people, the sights,the beautiful beaches and of course the weather, but don't go just because of the cars!!
And in case you don't know, there's nothing stopping any of you who are U.S. citizens from going there now! All you have to do is make arrangements through a Canadian travel agency, then come to Toronto and go there from here!
Dick Koch passed on this note. What wonderful pix - thanks Dick!
A Vermont Automobile Enthusiasts Car Club member wrote:Two years ago we went to Cuba because I wanted to see it before it changed, due to Castro dying or improved US relations. My timing was good. Most of the cars there are really junkers, some are good, but only a very few are collector worthy. The best one I saw was an Edsel convertible of which there were only 2 in the whole country. I thought you might enjoy seeing what is there.
Dan wrote:
From: Morton, Dan
Sent: Monday, May 18, 2015 2:03 PM
Subject: 1959 Plymouth
Greetings from Philadelphia in the United States.
I run a website for 1959 Plymouths, https://59plymouth.net. I recently learned of the auto in the attached photo. Is there any way for me to contact the owner? I would very much like to invite him to join, and to send more photos. Membership is free, and we have members from all over the world. We help each other find parts and keep our cars in top running condition.
Hope to hear from you soon!
Many thanks
Dan
And received this reply:
Alex wrote:
From: Alex Cruz Rangel
Sent: Monday, May 18, 2015 9:55 AM
Subject: Re: 1959 Plymouth
Hi Dan, is a pleasure to hear from you !! Well, I must tell you that it will be very difficult to find this person only with this photo. You have more information related? Where you took the photo?
Otherwise, access to internet is almost impossible from Cuba so I cannot see clear that this person, if it appears, can access your website. Good website BTW.
Best,
Alex
Matthew, you've got eagle eyes! This picture has been copied many times - do you know where it originated on the web, so I can try to track down where in Cuba the photo was taken?
The California Auto Club has organized a trip to Cuba, and plans to meet with members of Los Amigos del Fangio Auto Club at Parque La Piragua on October 10th. I'm arranging my own trip as a "journalist" for 59plymouth.net (you may have heard of them) that same weekend. As such, I can fly directly to Havana from Miami. My flight is booked, and I've made arrangements to stay in an apartment overlooking the Malecon, where I'm told there is a constant parade of old cars late into the night:
It was very expensive to rent ($39 an night), but I figure it's worth it. (!)
Mary Kay won't be joining me, she gets a trip to Iceland in March out of this. I'll be a shutterbug all weekend!
