INDEX

“Today I offer the Cuban people a hundred thousand ’94 Ford Explorers for one ’57 Chevy.” Larry Trepel

accessories, 130–131

Alfa Romeo Spider, 176

Ambar Motors, 23, 146, 152, 152–153, 156

Audi, 35

Austin-Healey, 100-4 BN4, 109–110

auto parts, 127-129., See also repair methods

auto racing

beginnings of, 63–64

1957 Cuban Grand Prix, 67, 69–70, 74–75

1958 Cuban Grand Prix, 75, 77–78, 80, 82

1960 Cuban Grand Prix, 82–84, 86–89, 92

Formula Junior races, 84

Midget racing, 65

post–World War II, 66

road rally in Havana, 96–97

stock car racing, 64, 65

under Batista, 66–67

Autódromo Nacional, 66

Automobile Club of Milan, 67, 69

automotive market in Cuba

early twentieth century, 56–57, 60–61

new cars, 157

E. C. Sherman on, 60

trucks and, 61

Baker, Christopher, 122, 124

Barletta, Amadeo, 152, 156

Batista, Fulgencio, 66–67, 75, 102–103

black market, 49, 53

BMW 507, 121

Brabham, Jack, 86, 87

Buick, 42

convertible, 43

foor-door hardtop, 44–45

Riviera, 180–181

Roadmaster, 16

Skylark, 122, 177, 179

Super Convertible, 179

Cadillac, 17, 102, 103, 172

brass-era, 172–173, 172

Cuban market and, 56, 60, 61

Eldorado Coupe de Ville, 179

modified four-door convertible, 97

modified station wagon, 36

Esterio Segura’s submarine car, 103–104

Camp Liberty (La Cayuga), 83

car insurance, 160, 163

Carricaburu, Ernesto, 60, 63–64

Castillo del Morro, 179

Castro, Fidel

1950 Chevrolet of, 21–22

car during Cuban revolution, 22–23

cars while in power, 171

1960 Cuban Grand Prix and, 88

Cuban Revolution and, 25

resignation of, 157

Castro, Raül, 21–23, 157, 171

Celestrin, Ivan, 112–115

Chaika, 116

limousines, 23, 116–117

Chevrolet, 49

210 two-door, 40

Bel Air, 16, 100–101, 172

convertible, 114

Corvair, 146

Corvette, 104, 104–106, 106, 107–108, 125

Cuban market and, 55, 60–61, 157

Cuban revolutionary leaders and, 21–22, 172

four-door, 97, 140

Impala, 154–155, 176–177

popularity of, 157

sports sedan, 65

Tri-Fives, 54–55, 157

Chimeri, Ettore, 87

Chinetti, Luigi, 67, 74

Chrysler

300, 16

dealership after embargo, 29

Ernest Hemingway’s New Yorker, 147–149

Ghia Special Coupe, 118, 120, 120

taxi, 36

Cienfuegos, Camilo, 172

Cifuentes, Armando Garcia, 80

Clyne, Richie, 125

Coaches Classico, 124

Coco Cabs, 39, 142

Coleman, Ken, 82–84, 88, 92

condition, of Cuban cars, 37, 40–41

Constantine, George, 87

CubaCar, 159–160

Cuban embargo, 25, 145–146

Cuban Grand Prix

1957, 67, 69–70, 74–75

1958, 75, 77–78, 80, 82

1960, 82–84, 86–89, 92

Cuban National Races, 67, 80

Cuban Revolution, 21–23, 25, 102–103

“Cuban Way” repair methods, 136. See also repair methods

De Dion Bouton, 60

Depósito del Automóvil, 169, 171–173, 176–177

Dodge, 60, 176

Dolittle, C. M., 61

Donaldson, Duke, 66

driver’s licenses, 60

Eastern Air Lines, 13

economic system, 16, 48–49, 53

exporting/importing, 183

Fangio, Juan Manuel

Corvette imports and, 108

1957 Cuban Grand Prix and, 62–63, 69–70, 74–75

1958 Cuban Grand Prix and, 77–78

1957 Cuban Grand Prix and, 77

1958 Cuban Grand Prix and, 79

1957 Cuban Grand Prix and, 81

kidnapping of, 79, 81

Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), 67, 69, 83

Ferrari

Cuban Grand Prix and, 69

decals, 15, 130

Fiat, 60, 136, 176

Arbath 750 “Double Bubble,” 118

Ford, 25, 52

coach-built steel station wagons, 49

Crown Victoria, 118

Cuban market and, 56, 60–61

dealerships after embargo, 29

Edsel Pacer, 42

Model T, 56, 60

Ranch Wagon, 16

Victoria, 65

vintage racer, 57

Ford assembly lines, 147

Formula Junior race (1960), 84

Foxx, Anthony, 185

Geely, 35, 160, 162–163

General Motors

Cuban market and, 61

dealerships after embargo, 29

Havana assembly lines and, 146–147

See also Ambar Motors

Giambertone, Marcello, 67

go-kart racing, 96

Grancar, 142–143

Gregory, Masten, 69, 80, 82, 88, 89, 92

Guevara, Ernesto “Che,” 23, 53, 172

Havana assembly lines, 146–147

Healey Silverstone, 118, 123

Hemingway, Ernest, 147–149

Hispano-Suiza, 124

Hotel Lincoln, 79

Hotel Nacional de Cuba, 35

Hotel Parque Central, 15–16

International Association of Automobile Racing, 63

Jaguar

appropriated by Guevara’s assistant, 23

Mark 9 sedan, 124

XK120, 66

XKSS, 119

Jeffords, Jim, 84, 86

Karmann Ghia, 179

Kedenburg, Jake, 66

La Sierra horseracing track, 64

Lada, 35, 124, 131

Lainé, Dámaso, 63

Lansky, Meyer, 102

license plates, 123

Lincoln, Vegas race car, 64

Locomobile, 57, 60

López, Germán, 60

Machado, Gerardo, 64

Mack Senior truck, 171, 173

Maserati, 69, 173

Maya (Cuban), 177

Meliá Cayo Santa María Resort, 166–167, 179

Mena, Alfonso Gomez, 84

Mercedes-Benz, 35

190SL, 115

300SL Gullwing, 118, 119

300SL Roadster, 118

Mercury

Comet, 108–109, 108

convertible, 177

Mesejo Maestre, Eduardo, 127–128, 146

MGA, 123

Miari de Casas, Armando (Austin-Healey owner), 109–110, 109

Midget racing, 65. See also auto racing

modifications, 41, 43

Morales, Dick, 121

Moss, Stirling, 69–70, 78, 80, 82, 84, 87, 89, 92, 94–95

Nesslein, David, 13

NostalgiCar, 143

Obama, Barack, 183, 185

Oldsmobile, 41

Castro’s car during revolution, 22

Rocket 88, 172

Packard, 60

Panhard et Levassor, 60

Parisienne, 57

Parque Baconao, 177, 179

Parque Oriental (Hippodrome), 64

Perez Dominguez, René, 107–109, 107

Pinar del Rio–Havana rally, 67

Plymouth, 17, 25, 46–47, 128

police checkpoints, 163

Polish Fiats, 136

Pontiac, 48, 129, 134

Porsche

356 Carrera GS, 112–113

550 Spyder, 122–123

de Portago, Alfonso, 69, 70–71, 74–75, 74, 77

punte controle, 163

Rambler, 25, 29

El Relámpago, 136

repair methods, 43, 132–133, 136–137, 140

road conditions, early, 56–57, 60

road rally (Havana), 96–97

Roberge, R. I., 61

Rochet-Schneider, 57, 60

Rodriguez, Pedro, 84, 87, 89, 90–91

Rolls-Royce, 168–169

Phantom, 172

Silver Ghost, 125

SASA stores, 127–129

Segura, Esterio, 103–104, 104, 106

Shelby, Carroll, 69–70, 72–73, 74–75, 82

Sherman, E. C., 60

Shnitzler, Richard, 133

Škoda, 35

speed limits, 163

Stadium Tropical, 65

stock car racing, 64, 65. See also auto racing

Studebaker 1935 coupe, 37

TailLight Diplomacy, 133

taxi services, 60, 141–143

tractor components, 132–133. See also repair methods

Triumph Vitesse, 98–99

underground economy, 49, 53

US embassy, 182–183

Valiant Motors, 147

Vegas, Roberto, 64

Veguilla, Diego, 78

Villoldo Motors, 147

Volga, 35

Wartburg, 35