Living Well 60+ January-February 2014

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See Classics Up
Close in Kentucky
In the United States, many
people think a 10-year-old car is
old. That’s usually the age when
we start thinking about trading
it in and getting a new car.
Don Battles, 64, of Kirksville,
said, “Classic cars represent an
era when we were young. They
bring back moments in our lives
when the world was young, safe
and happy.”
Classic Cars of Cuba
Vintage cars still ramble on island nation’s roads
by Sandra W. Plant, Staff Writer
Visiting Cuba is like going to a
classic car show. The streets and
highways are filled with vintage
cars that bring back fond memories
to those who loved the cars
that took us on first dates or
circled the drive-in restaurants
back in the 1950s and early 1960s.
With its wide streets and everyone
on the go, Cuba’s capital city
of Havana is filled with beautiful
Detroit-made cars that date
back 55 years or more. It is not
uncommon to see a sleek 1953
Buick Roadmaster used as a taxi to
transport delighted tourists.
Outside the former Presidential
Palace in Havana, the taxis that
line the plaza waiting for a fare are
an amazing array of American cars
of the past. They would be worth
a fortune if they could be shipped
to the United States. But a U.S.
embargo on trade with Cuba, in
place since the Cuban revolution
of 1959, has stopped two-way
trade. Nevertheless, these cars are
a magnet for tourists, especially
senior citizens who can’t seem to
snap enough photos. Very few of
the classic cars are factory original,
but they are still beautiful on the
outside.
Vintage cars such as 1955 Fords or
1957 Chevrolets are not limited
to Havana. They are also seen in
cities such Cienfuegos or Trinidad
de Cuba. You might even see a
Studebaker or an Edsel that has
been preserved in time.
The newer cars in Cuba are largely
from China or Russia. A few
Japanese cars are now appearing
on Cuban roadways; they have
reached Cuba through countries
friendly to the Castro regime.
A-near perfect 1953 Buick sits
near a portion of the old City Wall
in Havana. The former Presidential
Palace is in background.
So how do they keep those 55- or
60-year-old cars running? Yadi Salinas,
a guide with the Cuban tourist
agency, said proudly, “In Cuba
we call our mechanics magicians.
They make parts from empty cans,
wire, anything they can get their
hands on.”
Some of those “magicians” use
rundown cars for parts or lift complete
engines from newer cars. For
instance, a classic car might have a
Russian-made diesel engine.
If you want to be dazzled by the
array of classic cars in Cuba, U.S.
citizens can travel to the island
nation for educational purposes
through a university or on a
people-to-people tour offered by
several licensed non-profit groups.
The Roads Scholars program,
popular among U.S. seniors, offers
Cuban trips. Another licensed
group is the Grand Circle Foundation.
For more information, visit
its Web site at www.grandcirclefoundation.org.
Battles recalls days in his youth
when new cars would arrive by
train for dealers in Richmond.
He and his friends would hurry
to the station to see the new
models as soon as they rolled
into town. He has owned a
series of classic Chevrolets,
starting with a 1949 Chevrolet
pickup truck.
What does he consider to be
the best of the now-classic
cars? His favorites are the
1956 Chevrolet Bel Air, which
he calls “the most perfect of
the Chevrolet Tri-Five series.”
This series includes models
manufactured in 1955, 1956
and 1957. A newer favorite is
the 1970 Chevelle SS, which
Battles considers the “ultimate
muscle car.”
For those who want to see
classic cars without going
to Cuba, you can visit the
many car shows in the Central
Kentucky area. For locations,
dates and times, visit the Web
site Kentuckycarshows.com.
Battles and his wife, Billie,
have a special interest in the
annual classic car show held
at the Kirksville Community
Center, 664 Kirksville Road,
near Richmond. The 2014 event
is set for Saturday, April 19,
beginning at 9 a.m. For more
information, contact Mike Estes
at (859) 328-4339 or Battles
at (859) 358-3905. Or email
kirksvillecommunitycenter@
gmail.com.