I’ve been looking through my photo album, and thought I’d share this handful of Cuban trucks with you.
This Chevy truck is in remarkable condition considering that the country has been starved of spares for the best part of 50 years. GM cars and trucks are held in high regard by Cubans, having proved to be more reliable than both Ford and Chrysler products of the same era.
Having said that, the original petrol engine in this early 50s truck has been replaced by a Russian-built diesel that kicks out plumes of carcinogenic smoke.
Continued below
There are quite a few modern Internationals on Havana’s streets, which were presumably all built in Mexico or Canada. They would have been brought in after the collapse of the USSR – which hit Cuba far harder than the US embargoes.
Check out the three-wheel CV closest to the camera.
This appears to be a KrAZ, one of the most rugged vehicles to ever roll out of the USSR.
The driver of this 1970s Spanish-built Pegaso was happy for me to take the photograph, just so long as I paid him 10 convertible pesos (£6.50) for the privilege! Considering that the average Cuban truck driver earns £7.50 a month I thought this was a bit extortionate. In the end we settles on a fee of one peso and a ballpoint pen!
The Camel was introduced in the early 1990s as a temporary measure.
Designed to carry 300 passengers, they are hot, overcrowded and rather dangerous. Any tourist who is brave enough to board one will almost certainly have his pockets picked. It’s only saving grace is its price – about 1p for a return journey!
Comments (2)
A Cuban doorman told me that the Camel is described locally like the back of an 18 rated DVD. - Contains strong language, drug abuse and scenes of a sexual nature.
Posted by Dylan | August 28, 2007 3:01 PM
Posted on August 28, 2007 15:01
Hi, I think you will find that the 3 wheel cv is the breakdown vehicle sent to tow the International out of the mess he's got himself in.That's the driver/fitter telling the other truck driver he,s about to get underway.The other cv is there just in case they need a bit more of a pull.
Posted by mick green | September 3, 2007 6:16 PM
Posted on September 3, 2007 18:16