Should A Car Collector Go To Cuba

I own a classic car.

It is a 1970 Buick GS 450 convertible, and baby, it is cool.

I put the top down and cruise around and enjoy its old school personality and the horn

honks that I get from other drivers.

But good classic cars can be hard to find.

Perhaps now there is a new opportunity for classic car enthusiasts to find the old beauty

of their dreams...Cuba.

Cuba and the United States have not had diplomatic relations of any degree since the United States imposed its embargo on Cuba

back in 1962.

This embargo has made it very

difficult for Cuba to import things

like U.

S built cars and trucks.

That is why, as we have all seen, the roads in Cuba are full of vintage cars that date back

to the 1940s and 1950s.

Is The Door Open For Car Collector Enthusiasts

So now, with the United States and Cuba finding themselves on better terms, might U.

S classic car collector see Cuba as a viable

source for the purchase of some of these older vehicles.

The embargo that was put in place that made the purchase of American made

vehicles impossible, also made the purchase of replacement parts impossible as well.

Therefore, there is only one reason that these cars in Cuba that are 50 to 60 years old

are still on the road and that is Cuban ingenuity.

What Should A Car Collector Pay For A Cuban Classic Car

Take for instance a 1958 Chevy Cadillac.

If you find one of these in the United States and its condition has been well maintained

over all these years that car could easily cost upwards of $50,000 to purchase.

But what about the same vehicle in Cuba.

The owner of that vehicle would be lucky if he or she could sell their 1958 Cadillac for

1/10th if that price.

Why? Since the owner of that vehicle who lives in Cuba has not been able to purchase factory replacement parts, the owner has had to use duck tape, glue and Bondo to

keep it running.

The 1958 Cadillac in Cuba is no longer a true 1958 Cadillac, it has been, out of necessity, turned into a mutant version of its original

self.

Perhaps an American market will evolve over time for individuals who will think that it is cool to own one of these mutated classic

Cuban vehicles, who knows.

But a true car collector is most likely to keep looking for that sweet ride right here in the

good old classic car USA.