Tourist rides, Central Havana © Neil Langford, SV Crystal Blues
While Havana has thousands of beautifully restored tourist taxi's, the city also has many more un-restored versions, doing just what they were built for, more than 60 years ago.
A fair number of them have been skillfully re-worked under the hood, and improved to boot. An aussie friend in Havana runs a private tour operation using a beautiful 1956 Chevrolet - only it has a Toyota diesel engine, Toyota five speed gear box and four wheel disk brakes. Its also air conditioned, a rare luxury. On top its a '56 Chevy - underneath its a Toyota SUV. The only five speed column shift I've ever seen!
Don't get too excited - dreaming of buying one of these and bringing it home? The Cuban government has banned the export of these classics. They'll stay in Cuba forever.