In Cuba, cars aren’t merely a mode of transport; they’re an enduring obsession, a source of pride, and living relics of a bygone era. Those classic 1950s Fords and Chevrolets, though weathered and well-loved, still proudly roam Cuban streets, bearing witness to history.
Recently, I found myself engrossed in a 2015 TV series called “Cuban Chrome.” Set in Havana, this captivating docuseries revolves around automobile enthusiasts who cherish and restore classic cars in Cuba. As I watched, the parallels to my father’s obsession with restoring cars in the Bronx came flooding back. In both worlds, bargaining for spare parts, trading vintage vehicles, and sharing quips and stories over engines felt like echoes of my youth.
But there’s a stark difference. While my father tinkered in our Bronx garage, the families in the show sacrificed their life savings for expensive car parts on the black market, just to keep their vehicles running. The series offers a glimpse into the daily struggles of Havana residents as they navigate life under the Cuban government’s watchful eye. In my Bronx driveway, I remember an array of vehicles – from a vintage Rambler V8 to a teal 1964 Rambler station wagon, a Buick, and a Lincoln. Then there was the 1969 Volkswagen bus that my father once crashed on an early October morning, a tale of guardian angels. And who could forget my first vehicle, a 1969 Ford Mercury Montego, purchased with Papi’s helping hand in 1977? It was a garage full of memories, reminiscent of the passion my father shared with us from his neighborhood in Havana.
