[RJMiranda]

Hi guys, it is nice to know you Videokarma colleagues are interested in the old American and European cars in my country.
As you may be aware, there are two main classes of Classic cars here. The majority are used as private taxis, and so you have to make them move (and brake as well, if it can be so arranged). On them you can find any make of engine, not just one: Mercedes-Benz, Aro (awful Rumanian jeeps but good engine), Toyota, Peugeot, Mitsubishi, you name it. Mostly diesel. It is true that some of the lighter (not so-heavy) American cars like Studebakers and Ramblers have Lada 80 HP 4-cyl gas engines, or maybe Volga, that is a larger 4-cyl gas eng. Some of them have the brake system replaced with disk brakes on 2 or even 4 wheels. But many of these changes are poorly made, and I don´t rely on them. I like the original construction the engineers designed, period.
Some use a front "eje muerto" (dead axle), that means a rigid front axle from a Soviet jeep or small truck, as if the independent front suspension had not been invented. Back to the 1930 technology. And a makeshift steering system. Curb-side engineers that make such abominations say that our streets are so bad (they are, truly) that you better have a rigid front axle and don´t have to worry about joints and other suspension parts whose English names I don´t know.
And the body work on many of these "taxis" is awful. And you are right: some windshields are made from window glass curved exactly to the original contour. You can tell it because of the way the light is reflected. (Side windows are mostly of hand-cut safety glass. Our artisans can´t make curved windshields from safety glass, because you have to heat them to give the curvature).
Some of those cars expel so much smoke that a power plant in Africa doing the same would be banned from working. Look as if the friends that came here didn´t had the bad luck to see one. I am glad for you guys.
This said, I must tell you that the cars that are around the hotels for the forign visitors to rent are in a much better condition. They can´t be up to 2015 standards, but they are, at least, 90 to 100% as safe as when originally made. Their owners are proud of them, most drive very carefully, and in many cases they have original-brand engines and transmissions, even automatic ones. Don´t ask me how some of them have imported original classic 6- or 8-cyl gas engines, windshields and everything from United States or maybe Mexico.
And several people have classic cars, real jewels, for their private use, and keep them in near-mint condition.
This said, I have a 1953 Chevrolet Belair with its original body, engine and transmission, not to show it, nor as a taxi, but just as my (future) family car. I bought it n-th hand, and have been working on it for several years. I repaired the engine (some other owner put in Volga 92mm pistons in place of the original 3 9/16 inch, and I had to keep them), and everything else is original but the generator (it is very difficult to find the voltage regulator the dynamo needs) and the carburetor (I am repairing a Carter W) So I am a sort of middleman: I want my car as "original" as possible, but am not going to spend tens of thousands of dollars to make it look as the day it left the factory.
Lets hope that we can live as good neighbours, even if there are disagreements. I hope you can even come to Cuba soon, and see for yourselves our country and our good old classic cars.