Xceler8x
Xceler8x GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
10/5/10 12:24 p.m.

I watched this documentary last night.

Yank Tanks - The Trailer

Pretty cool! A lot of these cars are 45 years old and they're still running around Cuba without the benefit of new parts being shipped in. Some serious grassroots repairs going on there.

dsycks
dsycks New Reader
10/5/10 1:27 p.m.

I recall seeing some good footage of folks who work on these old cars and how they know what farm tractor parts plug into what motors and tricks for making just about anything work for a given job.

mw
mw HalfDork
10/5/10 2:30 p.m.

I've been to Cuba 7-8 times. One of my favorite parts is seeing all the old cars. It's amazing the resourcefulness they have. I don't think there is a single car with dampers that still damp. I'll probably go again in a month or so if anyone wants pics or info on particular cars.

mndsm
mndsm Dork
10/5/10 3:12 p.m.

The more pics the merrier. I want to see what kind of homebrew genius these characters have.

Xceler8x
Xceler8x GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
10/5/10 3:29 p.m.

MW! How can you go over? Do you have relatives there? I'd love to travel in Cuba.

In this documentary they talked about the ingenuity. They make replacement windshields out of glass shards. Some guy, who they later gave a respirator to, makes brake shoes...by freaking hand. Other guys take waste steel and recreate body panels and repair rust spots. I was blown away.

DeadSkunk
DeadSkunk Reader
10/5/10 3:57 p.m.

Xceler8x, Canadians travel to Cuba all the time. It's a nice cheap place to go.

RossD
RossD Dork
10/5/10 4:10 p.m.

A friend from Mexico said he brings American candy there and it's like an aphrodisiac to the young Cuban women. Of course thats what he said.

Inner Child
Inner Child New Reader
10/5/10 6:24 p.m.

I saw this recently, too.

Warning: Do not watch if you're not prepared to spend the next few hours sifting through ebay and craigslist looking for the perfect '46-'55 American project car. The cars in the film are incredible and you will want one.

It is amazing the solutions those people invented with minimal resources. Further proof that the best tool for any job is a brain. It's almost enough to make me stop complaining that I don't have a garage.

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