TheSamba.com :: View topic - Are There Barndoors In Cuba? Is It Truth or Myth.

Sun Jul 09, 2006 3:25 pm

Ive heard the stories and myths about Cuba. I know there are a lot of old American classic cars down there still on the road, some with Russian motors running around still to this day due to all the embargos etc..
How much truth is there to old VW's mainly busses still in Cuba. Has anybody been there to se any of this?

Sun Jul 09, 2006 7:11 pm

interesting i would be interested too know to.

Sun Jul 09, 2006 8:40 pm

I know there are quite a few 356 Porsches they even have a 356 club in Cuba an Italian collector bought some one was a early Carrera and shipped them back to Italy for restoration. If they have early Porsches I bet there are alot of early VWs including Barndoors rolling around.

Sun Jul 09, 2006 8:56 pm

I think a guy in Cuba owns that real nice walkthrough highroof Vintage parts used to have.

Sun Jul 09, 2006 9:58 pm

I have seen a collection of photos from a Cuban VW dealership that documented all the logo buses they sold with photos. There were dozens of photos of Barndoor buses in that collection. I imagine the buses may still be around just like the American metal that is down there.

Sun Jul 09, 2006 11:45 pm

Last year in Santa Cruz I saw a flyer for this trip to Cuba. It would be interesting to see the photos or videos from these trips.

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/05/09/18221051.php

Mon Jul 10, 2006 3:56 am

That would be great to see some Barndoors in Cuba. How would you get it here? Maybe have some Cuban refugees float one over on there home-made rafts :D All joking aside I here you can catch a flight from Mexico to Cuba. But as far as shipping cargo "I know nothing, nothing!" Keep up the search.

Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:26 am

i'll bet there are. the only problem is americans can't go there (ok, i know we can under certain circumstances....yes, i know people that have gone there too)

i looked in the david eccles book and didn't see any country code for cuba. there probably are buses there and i can guarantee you that someone from europe will buy a plane ticket and go start looking.

Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:38 am

If you want to go to Cuba you can go via Mexico City

Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:51 am

You cannot legally get ANY car out of Cuba, Fidel owns them all, along with all the property on the island, he owns EVERYTHING. Now, with that being said, there are ways of getting "things" out of Cuba, including cars, just like most Lating American countries, you have to know who to pay off, you've got to have contacts on the island that will help you along, it can be done, the question is: is it worth the hassle????????

Mon Jul 10, 2006 9:16 am

I was in Cuba back in 88, and I did not see no Barndoors there!! ?? Americans are not supposed to venture into the island, but you can. I went via Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. Word out on the street is if the INS sees a cuban stamping in your passport...........your gonna get it in da booty! But any of you who travel know that non of those gov. officials don't pay attention where you have been. Just like Linda's booty!?? I'd be really surprised to know if there are actually any old BD's out there? If there are.............they are going to be BEAT DOWN like the rest of the old cars over there! Probably having Ruski motors pushing them around? And since it is an island, everything rusts out there. EVERYTHING there is run down.......cars, buildings......everything.

About 8 years ago Аэрофлот ( Aeroflot Airlines ) used to have a direct non-stop flight from LAX to La Habana, Cuba. But that didn't last too long. American Propaganda scared the tourism.

Castro is an Arse-hole! When that kid is gone, I hope the right people take control and open it up! That island is literally a money pit just waiting to be opened. If any of you been to CANCUN, MEXICO?? It's exactly like that! Well, 25 years ago. MAN - I can tell you guys some sad ass stories and things I have seen out there.

GIBBS - When are we going down to Central & South America? And I don't want to visit the midget either!

Mon Jul 10, 2006 9:37 am

funny to hear you guy talk about cuba, and how you're not allowed to go there...

for us in Quebec, its one of the most visited place during winter vacation.

Mon Jul 10, 2006 10:08 am

spookymulder wrote: If you want to go to Cuba you can go via Mexico City

like i said.

johnny, no, we will not be visiting with any midgets nor doing transactions with them.

Mon Jul 10, 2006 10:09 am

enkiel wrote: funny to hear you guy talk about cuba, and how you're not allowed to go there...

for us in Quebec, its one of the most visited place during winter vacation.

It's a no, no for us Yanks! But free game for everyone else aye! Go figure? Maybe because there isn't any oil on the island???

Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:14 am

No shit Johnny, I was last there in '98 just to check out the architecture. I didn't see one VW but if I had a dime for how many 57 Chevy's I saw I could have paid for the whole trip. But I did anyway with the contraband smokes I brought back with me, LOL.

Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:39 am

spookymulder wrote: No shit Johnny, I was last there in '98 just to check out the architecture. I didn't see one VW but if I had a dime for how many 57 Chevy's I saw I could have paid for the whole trip. But I did anyway with the contraband smokes I brought back with me, LOL.

JF - the craziest thing I saw there was all these people lined up in the middle of the street with any kind of container they can get their hands on!!! Buckets, bottles, tin cans, etc............you get what I am saying. Any hoot everyone was lined up, then around the corner where the line ends is an old 40's Chevy Gasoline like container truck. They weren't handing out gas, but RUM!!!! They were distributing the rum from that old Chevy Tanker! CRAZY!

The saddest thing I saw there was all the Mekkies who fly over there for Street Booty! Lots of beautiful big booty girls out there being taken advantage of. But aside from all this BS, it really is a nice country/island to visit. And no shit! Tons of Chevy's out there! But no Greasers!!

Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:48 am

According to Eccles, BD's were imported into Cuba starting in '52. Approximately 200 were imported through the end of '54. They were continued to be imported for a period afterwards, as evidenced by this Hannover era bus seen in Havana. Note the pressed bumper in the rear. High hinges, probably semaphores, "three prong emblem" <g>.... (This picture was taken in '03 I guess.)

I recently had a long discussion w/ a Canadian who frequents Cuba who swears up and down that there are BD's down there in regular use. Given the nature of "recycling" down there, this seems very plausible.

Mon Jul 10, 2006 2:12 pm

there you have it^^

Mon Jul 10, 2006 3:19 pm

shiat I remember playing MiamiVice or some shit on the x-box and you can pick Cuba....there were tons of vws there.... :lol:

Mon Jul 10, 2006 4:24 pm

Ya if you want to visit Cuba, alot of people go thru panama(my home town). Delta had flight down there a couple of years ago, We had to fly our own mechanics down there we could leave the airport and werent suppose to buy anthing in the airport, Damn Embargo!