Car shows & mind blows

Every year it seems I go to a car show and they never lose their glamour for me. It’s what’s new and cool. How fast or how long will it last? Can it handle the highway as well as the byways of gravel roads? What type of new gadgets does it have? What does the law say you have to have and what are the available colours? Is it safe or is it fast and furious? The list goes on and on.

I would say it’s especially for the boys, but the chickas are now playas and they are even more discriminating and savvy than most guys these days.

Back when I was younger I was taught how to do the most basic repairs on cars and trucks. I even changed a transmission once. Not by myself, of course, but with a lot of other guys. We all helped each other. With today’s cars and trucks this is getting harder and harder to do. It’s all the new electronics they are filled with and the ways they are patched into the vehicle.

I miss the old beat-up heaps that we all used to work on. While today’s cars and trucks are aerodynamically correct for maximum speed and fuel efficiency they just don’t look as cool as the older models did.

That’s why I loved Cuba. When it came to cars, it was the ’40s and ’50s everywhere I turned. Yes, there were some new ones but it was the older cars that stood out. Every one of them was privately owned and in great shape. Talking to the owners I found out that they helped each other with repairs and upkeep.

Now there were cars and trucks that caught the eye. Hell, just the trunk sometimes seemed it was as big as the whole interior of today’s cars. You could fit a “Smart” car in the truck and use it as a spare if you wanted too.

It’s a shame they are on the non-export list but a trip to Cuba allows you to enjoy them for an hour or two or three. Ah, the memories of a simpler past have come alive again.