Rent a classic car in Cuba?

[sxtasy]

Heading to Cuba and one thing on my bucket list is to cruise the beach roads in a 50's Chev convertible . Anyone done this or know if its even possible to rent a classic car down there? Google hasn't really come up with any info

[davidI]

Most of the taxis are classics. I don't think you can really "rent" one per se, since they always seem to be breaking down, but you could probably pay a taxi driver to let you take their car for a spin.

I cruised the beach in a 33' Ford Convertible and went to Havana in a mid-30's Ford Sedan with suicide doors. Pretty cool! Riding home from the bar in 30's & 40's classics is a lot of fun!

[ReasonOne]

I've done this. Some will let you take it for a spin for nothing if you talk them up nicely or give them something that isn't easily available in Cuba. Others MAY let you take the wheel if you bribe them with a few pesos.

I've managed to take several of the old "Yank tanks" for a spin. Be prepared to deal with 3-speed and 4-speed column shifted and floor mounted gearboxes as well as a wide variety of other makeshift transmissions such as clutchless semi-automatics or double clutch engagement systems. Many of these cars are repaired using whatever components are available, so it's not surprising to see a pristine '56 Desoto with a Soviet diesel engine under the hood.

Here's a couple of the vehicles I had the privilege of driving through the streets of Havana a couple years back. These are the only pics I could find in a rush. They were taken just outside of the Capitolio in downtown Havana. After some shrewd and significant negotiation I was able to go on one hour tours with each of these cars.

First up was this '52 Chevy Bel Air convertible:


Then this '56 Buick Special convertible:


Followed up by this '57 Ford Fairlane convertible:


But BEWARE!! There is a high element of risk involved with driving in Cuba. If you get involved in an accident over there usually the tourist is considered guilty until proven innocent, and you may be FORCED TO REMAIN IN THE COUNTRY until your trial date occurs (which could take MONTHS). SO BE CAREFUL!

Risky? Yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely! So few people who have ever been down there have the courage to try it so it's a great memory for a car guy!

My two cents.