De comprar a alquilar un "almendrón" en Cuba

martinoticias

Juan Juan Almeida

mayo 11, 2015

Con la flexibilización de las relaciones entre Estados Unidos y Cuba, se desató la especulación y anda haciendo de las suyas. Algunos expertos aseguran que varias compañías estadounidenses están prestas a comprar los famosos "almendrones" de la isla. Puede ser, la disposición es real, siempre existe algún trasnochado a quien la pasión, la necesidad o la desinformación, le obliga a confundir la realidad con el deseo o con la imaginación.

Absolutamente fuera de foco, el patrimonio automotriz cubano ha sido prácticamente depredado. La mayoría de lo que queda, autos Cadillac, Chevy, Studebaker, Pontiac, Thunderbird y Buick que aún circulan por la isla, fueron remotorizados para ser usados como taxis colectivos (boteros) y al perder originalidad, perdieron también la excepción.

A mediados de la década del 80, la empresa Cuba al Servicio de Extranjeros (CUBALSE, por sus siglas) capitalizó la generalidad de los autos coleccionables que existían en el país. Los adquirió usando como referencia su importancia tecnológica (Hispano-Suiza, Cadillac V16 de 190), rareza (Ford T del 18, Baby Lincoln del 30) o significación histórica universal.

No creo necesario aclarar que los compró a precios irrisorios; por un Mercedes-Benz gaviota, un Jaguar, o un Bugatti, pagó con vehículos rusos.

Varias de esas joyas rodantes se encuentran hoy en el museo del automóvil ubicado en la calle Oficios de la Habana Vieja; otros, como "Los zapaticos de rosa", están guardados y con excelente mantenimiento en garajes privados de altos dirigentes, el resto fue muy bien vendido, mayormente, a coleccionistas suizos.

A finales de los 90, casi no existían en la isla autos de colección 100% original, en manos de la población; Cubalse deja de comprar y el batón de la rapiña patrimonial lo toma un exclusivo grupo de artistas que para entonces no vendían sus obras a los precios que lo hacen ahora pero supieron aprovechar, más que el innato talento, conexiones gubernamentales para comprar autos antiguos, adornarlos con cuatro brochazos y, bajo el estatus de "obra de arte", sacarlos del país y venderlos en el exterior.

Así, vía marítima, como balseros, pero con permiso especial, salieron de Cuba autos americanos a solicitud de un extraño mercado que exigía fundamentalmente Camioneta Chevrolet del 46, Ford Mercury del 41, Buick Roadmaster del 56, Chevrolet Corvette y Chevy del 57.

A la moda del antique cuatro ruedas, se unieron cubanos con visión comercial y extranjeros residentes. Entonces, con opción económica, el Gobierno retoma el negocio con empresas como Cubataxi, que adquirió autos antiguos con cierta historia nacional no para vender sino para, a precios de prostituta, rentarlos a turistas que pagan por montar la Harley Davidson que usó Camilo Cienfuegos, el Chevrolet Impala de Almeida y lo que algunos aseguran solo es una versión falsa de la limusina Chaika que por años utilizó Fidel.

Ordenando estas simples fichas del rompecabezas comercial del automóvil en Cuba, es muy fácil comprender que, de los casi 60.000 autos antiguos que aún circulan por la isla, salvo aisladas excepciones, en posesión de algunos nacionales sólo quedan autos híbridos, armados con libérrimos criterios de una mecánica ingeniosa que sí se podrán vender pero no son, ni por aproximación, la mina de oro que sus propietarios creen tener.

In Cuba's sea of classic cars, the truly valuable are elusive

autonews

A 1959 Chevrolet Impala car is parked in Havana on Dec. 23. For every hidden gem, there are thousands of beaten up clunkers, largely stripped of their original parts.

[In Spanish >>]
Daniel Trotta / Reuters

HAVANA -- Luis Abel Bango spent seven years searching for his dream car, a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air. He finally found it on Cuba's far western tip, buying it off the original owner for $7,000.

"I went everywhere looking for what I wanted. Out in the provinces, central Cuba. I had to go to the end of the island to find this one," Bango said.

The black-and-white four-door had been kept intact by the original owner, complete with all the chrome bits such as the rocket-like hood ornaments that give a '57 Chevy its style and make it a collectors' favorite.

"The whole package was nearly complete," said Bango, although he still needed to take the car apart for a complete diagnosis and new paint job.

Around 60,000 vintage cars have run on Cuba's roads since before the 1959 revolution led by Fidel Castro, but finding a collectible of value is a challenge.

For every hidden gem, there are thousands of beaten up clunkers, largely stripped of their original parts.

Cuba and the United States agreed last week to restore diplomatic ties that were cut off after the revolution, when the tail fin was still a recent innovation in automotive design.

Under the rapprochement, U.S. President Barack Obama plans to remove economic sanctions imposed against the communist-run island. In a land of chronic shortages made worse by those sanctions, Cubans kept the pre-revolution cars on the road, using makeshift parts and considerable ingenuity.

Still, American collectors who envision a wave of classic cars coming onto the market will need to temper their expectations. Even if the U.S. completely lifted its trade embargo, a 2010 Cuban law bans cars being taken off the island.

More importantly, most of the vintage cars, the backbone of urban transit, have suffered heavily on pothole-filled roads and the repairs, although inventive, would turn off any purist.

Convertible roofs are often replaced with sheets of plastic and many original motors have been replaced with diesel engines because they are cheaper to run.

"What you see are a lot of cars that are just kind of rolling hulks held together with duct tape and chicken wire," said Lance Lambert, host of U.S. television show Vintage Vehicles.

Alejando Torres, a Cuban mechanic, bought a '57 Chevy with only 74,000 miles on it from its original owner 10 years ago.

In what would be sacrilege in the United States, he put in a Mitsubishi diesel engine because the old gas guzzlers are just too expensive to run.

Torres said he has turned down $50,000 for it, although in the United States the listed value on that car in excellent condition is $28,100.

"Maybe I'd sell it if I could buy a modern diesel car at that price," Torres said.

Under Cuba's one-party system, the new car market is tightly regulated and a brand new sedan costs upwards of $200,000. For decades, only pre-revolutionary vehicles could be bought and sold freely, which is why so many have stayed on the road.

The early 1950s Chevys seem to be the most common, though there are Fords, Buicks, DeSotos, Plymouths and Oldsmobiles. Occasionally a gigantic late '40s or early '50s Cadillac can be spotted.

"There are a lot of Americans that have the dream of finding the rare car in Cuba," said Bill Warner, founder and chairman of the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance car show. "For the most part, the cars you see on TV are really pretty hacked up. You'd find better cars here in the United States."

Some cars from Cuba might have value as novelties but "for serious collectors the novelty will soon wear off," said Phil Skinner, a collectibles editor with Kelley Blue Book, which lists new and used car prices.

More valuable in Cuba

Lifting the U.S. embargo would mostly help Cuban classic car owners buy parts.

Most of the cars are far more valuable in Cuba than they would be in the United States. Not only have they lost so many original parts that collectors crave, but the old workhorses also provide crucial income for their owners.

As taxis, their famously spacious interiors can accommodate half a dozen passengers. Cubans squeeze in for the equivalent of $0.40, while tourists like to take rides in the spiffier looking convertibles for about $30 an hour.

In the United States, the '57 Chevy Bel Air is perhaps the most coveted, with its distinct tail fin, though Cubans tend to prefer the 1955s and 1956s. All three years make up the "Tri Five" models that featured tri-colored bodies and lots of chrome.

The Kelley Blue Book Early Model Guide values a two-door 1957 convertible in excellent condition at $86,200, though the right car can go for over $100,000 to the right collector, experts say.

Roland Franz Henning, a German living in Cuba, said he owns a pristine 1957 Chevy Bel Air two-door, painted white and baby blue. In one important detail, it is the version that does not have a post or pillar separating the front and rear side windows.

"There are only three like this, in this condition, in all of Cuba," Henning said. "It looks just like the one from the 1957 brochure."

Bango, a member of Havana's V8 Club, had a '57 Chevy in mind when he decided to restore an old car for the club's weekend outings. While the two-door versions are more valuable, he likes the four-door and after his long search found one without a pillar.

On Christmas Day, he went to see his car at the garage of his mechanic, Santiago Rodriguez, another V8 Club member who loves old cars.

The black-and-white body is mostly disassembled as Rodriguez methodically puts it back together. The project was stalled for several years while he gathered the parts he needed.

Bango wanted it to have extra power, so they are replacing the original six-cylinder engine with a 1970s-era Chevy V8. That would lower its value in the U.S. market but Bango says he would not sell even if it were allowed.

"I've been offered $27,000 for it as it is, all taken apart and not finished yet," Bango said. "There's no way I'd sell. This one is for the club. This one is for me."

Mercedes-Benz 300SL Found Abandoned in Cuba

gtspirit

Despite it being 2014, classic cars from before the 1960’s, particularly American cars, are still commonplace on the streets of Cuba meaning the small island provides a glimpse into the history of motoring. One a recent trip to Cuba, photographer Piotr Degler heard whispers that there was a rare Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing sitting abandoned somewhere on the island.

For one month, Degler roamed the streets of Cuba on lookout for the abandoned Gullwing and rather mysteriously, no locals knew where the car was. After searching high and low however, Degler stumbled on the carcass of the Mercedes-Benz 300SL being sheltered by a banana tree.

When discussing the unique find with Classic Driver, Degler said, “I found many hidden treasures on my travels across Cuba – a Hispano-Suiza being one – but the Gullwing eluded me until a few days before my planned departure.

“When I first found it, I spent the whole day taking pictures, but then I realised a night shoot might be more appropriate. Finding the car was an indescribable experience,” he said.

Desfilan autos antiguos en Cuba

By Por ANNE MARIE GARCIA

The Associated Press

El ex piloto de Fórmula 1 David Coulthard manejó un Pontiac 1955 convertible

LA HABANA, Cuba -- El ex piloto de Fórmula Uno escocés David Coulthard manejó un Pontiac 1955 convertible por las calles de La Habana, como parte del Noveno Rally de Autos Clásicos realizado por un club de coleccionistas de la isla, que exhibió unos 60 automóviles incluido un Ford de 1930 y un Buick de 1939.
"Esto no es solo una celebración por la pasión que sienten todos por el deporte automovilístico y los carros en general, sino también es algo que está hecho al estilo cubano" expresó Coulthard, subcampeón mundial de Fórmula Uno en el año 2001 detrás del aleman Michael Schumacher.
Disfrutar el festivo ambiente cubano es el objetivo de Coulthard en su primera visita a la isla y de los demás concursantes del Club de Automóviles Antiguos A lo Cubano, con casi diez años de existencia y con 102 automóviles afiliado en toda la isla.
Los sesenta autos, Ford, Buick, Chevrolet, Dodge, Pontiac, Willys, Mercury, de los cuarenta o cincuenta del siglo pasado, entre otros también de marcas como Fiat, Peugeot, Lada o Moscovich, se reunieron el domingo en la mañana en el parque de Kasalta, en el municipio Playa, bajo un sol abrasador para el arranque de una carrera en la que recorrerán a velocidad moderada varios barrios capitalinos.
Lázaro Ruiz, de 53 años, es el propietario del Buick de 1939 de color beige y blanco, modelo único en la isla, según dijo a la AP. Contó que lleva solo un año integrando el club en el que satisface una pasión de toda la vida, "desde muy pequeño me gustaban los autos, hoy aquí estoy contento, disfrutando mucho".
Omar Gonzalez, diseñador de oficio y dueño de un restaurante en la capital, espera la arrancada de su octava carrera a bordo de un Dodge del año 1958 del que es dueño desde hace 12 años.
"La velocidad me encanta pero a este recorrido vengo para compartir, disfrutar, pasear por la ciudad porque este auto no es fácil maniobrarlo por estas calles porque además se calienta un poco" explicó González, quien no para de sacarle brillo a la pintura gris metalizada de su auto.
Orgulloso, al lado de su Ford del año 30 color malva, Javier Zuloara, un español fanático de autos y miembro del Club de la isla, donde vive, también tuvo como objetivo "pasar una buena jornada entre amigos" en un ambiente bien caribeño y cubano.
Alberto Gutiérrez, el presidente del Club, comentó a la AP que todos estos automóviles son considerados patrimonio del país y aseguró que en el recorrido todos deben respetar las leyes del tránsito en la ciudad, en un recorrido de unos 70 kilómetros por sietes municipios capitalinos.

Read more here: http://www.elnuevoherald.com/2013/08/18/1546570/desfilan-autos-antiguos-en-cuba.html#storylink=cpy

World War I photos found inside antique camera

By Claudine Zap | The Lookout

World War I soldiers with bomb (Courtesy of Anton Orlov)

A collector of vintage photography equipment got an extra bonus when he picked up a French camera at an antique store: never-before-seen images circa World War I France.

Anton Orlov details the story of the lucky find on his blog the Photo Palace, where all of the eight photos from the Jumelle Belllieni stereoscopic camera can be seen.

Orlov writes in his blog that he came across the images completely by accident, as he was cleaning the recently purchased camera. He opened up the film chamber and found the negatives on a stack of glass plates.

He writes, “While viewing the images in their negative form it was difficult to say for sure what was on each of them, but after scanning them it became clear that they dated back to the First World War and were taken somewhere in France. Adding, “I absolutely love finding images that likely have never been seen by anyone in the world.”

World War I soldiers on horseback with airplane remains (Courtesy of Anton Orlov)

The photography enthusiast tells Yahoo News by email, “I was very surprised when I found them. “ He noted that while he had found “plenty of undeveloped” film in old cameras before, he explained, “those are indeed ruined when exposed to light, and even if I try developing them it would be a very slim chance of getting anything usable from them.”

The black-and-white photos were taken in France, and document some of the destruction of the countryside. The images seem to be perfectly preserved, except for a couple that are marred by streaks of light.

Two of the photos seen here show the remains of the war: Two soldiers stand next to a big bomb. Another shows two men on horseback surveying the remains of a crashed airplane.

The remaining photos on Orlov’s website include train tracks that have been destroyed, an aerial view of a town showing the wear of the war. And a house that has been bombarded and fallen into a river.

JFK portrait found hidden in old frame

CBS 5 - KPHO

The Sideshow/ By Claudine Zap 

A $5 garage-sale find turned out to contain a hidden treasure worth thousands. Here's what happened.

Pam Dwyer of Glendale, Ariz., picked up a picture of a horse at a garage sale in Sun City. Dwyer's husband had a hunch they were getting something more. Dwyer told CBS 5, "He says, 'I just have this gut feeling that there's something behind that.'"

There was. An amazingly detailed and deftly drawn original portrait of John F. Kennedy, signed and dated from 1961.

The story gets odder. Dwyer did some research on the artist. Carmelo Soraci, she learned, was an infamous forger who did time for passing false checks, spending 21 years locked up in Dannemora Prison in New York, where he turned to a creative outlet of stained-glass making, which he discovered while "in college" inside.

The former forger redeemed himself by eventually building and installing stained-glass windows in the chapel at the prison, and was asked to do the same at Sing Sing Prison. He also apparently drew.

Dwyer took the portrait to an appraiser, who valued the piece at $2,500 to $5,000. "I'm happy with how much she was impressed by it," Dwyer said.

Dwyer added she would probably sell it—we're guessing not at a garage sale.

Subasta de un mapa de Fidel Castro en Ebay por $29,000 usd

El mapa "dibujado" por Fidel esta dedicado a "A mi brillante/amigo Vierita/Fidel," el 17 de mayo de 1995. La subasta comienza en los $29,000 USD. http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170192308785
Seria interesante preguntarle a Heritage Auction Galleries la procedencia de este y otros documentos que estan subastando, pues se sabe que Celia y luego la Oficina de Asuntos Historicos del Consejo de Estado -es decir, la Oficina que recopila, clasifica, almacena y conserva cuanto papelito, foto y calzoncillos alguna vez el Magnifico en Jefe convirtio en objeto sacrado y venerado-, se han encargado recoger todo lo que Fidel alguna vez rozo con sus dedos. O quizas el reciente premio nacional de edicion a Pedro Alvarez Tabio venga tambien por sus exitos en convertir papelitos en dolares.