Cuba
American Classic
What would a gallery of Cuba be without photos of vintage American cars? Much of our perceived imagery of Cuba is of classic cars rumbling down the city streets...it's true..they are ubiquitous and quite charming. I didn't grow up in the 50's but it does provide a quasi-time portal. Nostalgic for sure. The average car on the road in the United States is around 11 years old. In Cuba....65 years old.
These cars mainly exist because of the US trade embargo in 1960. New American cars have been off-limits for purchase. Also the parts. No parts for these cars are manufactured anymore and even if they were, they wouldn't have been imported into Cuba. The result, a very imaginative and industrious bunch. Throughout Cuba, you see people perpetually working on their cars. They take pride in them, and they also require constant maintenance. You basically have to be your own mechanic and be able to fashion or improvise some sort of fix when a part malfunctions. I was told a Lada, which is a really basic Russian car can go for $10-15,000 in Cuba whereas these old American cars are virtually rendered worthless based on their hodgepodge of cumulative often homemade parts. Lada's run "forever" and parts are easy to find. It is hard to imagine a Cuba without these American classics. They are woven into the cultural fabric of our imagination.
