Top Gear (US) s06e10 Episode Script
Cuba
[eerie music.]
[engine coughing.]
- I'm screwed.
I was gonna-- do you want to do this? Do you want to do this? - Yeah, feast your eyes, brother.
- Take a look.
- Oh, I'm so nervous.
My hands are sweaty.
- [speaking Spanish.]
Go! [dramatic music.]
- Look at--look at that building right there.
- Wow.
This is amazing.
- Can you guys believe it? We are in Havana, Cuba.
- This is the last living, functioning celebration of what was one of the greatest times in American automotive history.
- Absolutely.
- Cuba: For more than 50 years, this island paradise has been forbidden to Americans.
The two countries are only 90 miles apart, but Cubans and Americans live in very different worlds.
It wasn't always like this.
In the 1950s, Cuba was a top destination for American tourism and business.
Cubans welcomed Americans with open arms and fell in love with American cars.
- We are gonna see cars from the '50s all over this place.
- Like this one right here? - Yeah.
- Then came the Cuban Revolution, and everything changed.
Fidel Castro's socialist government took over, and Cuba was isolated by one of the strictest embargoes in modern history.
Since 1960, it's been illegal to import cars, parts, and tools from the U.
S.
Cuban car culture was stuck in the '50s, creating the world's greatest automotive time capsule.
Then in 2014, President Obama announced the U.
S.
would resume diplomatic relations with Cuba.
- We have done the same thing for 50 years, and nothing's changed.
We should try something different if we want a different outcome.
- And in 2016, he was the first sitting U.
S.
president to visit Cuba since Calvin Coolidge in 1928.
- I have come here to bury the last remnant of the Cold War in the Americas.
- But we got here first.
We're in Havana to find out how these cars from the golden age of American manufacturing are still on the road.
We each picked one classic car to test and then drive in the only government-approved auto race.
That's right; we could be the first Americans to legally race in Cuba in over 50 years if we make it.
[energetic music.]
- This is just a taxi parking area.
In the States, this would be a car show.
- Absolutely.
- That's a great point.
- We need well-maintained and dependable cars, so we borrowed three classics from local taxi drivers.
In Cuba, there's nothing more precious than a functioning car.
In fact, driving a taxi is more lucrative than being a doctor, so we have to handle these cars with great care, something we're not used to doing.
- Wow, they are big.
They are big.
- Wow.
- Oh.
- Muchas gracias.
- Gracias, amigo.
- Gracias, amigo.
- Adiós.
- Who do you think got the wagon? - Yeah, seriously.
- Wow.
- Did you just pick the biggest possible car you could find? - Boys, let me introduce you to the quintessential American car and one of the most popular here in Cuba.
This is the 1957 Chevy Bel Air.
The '57 Bel Air is big and beautiful, but it's also a piece of living history.
The Bel Air was the most popular American car in Cuba, and revolutionary leader Che Guevara famously drove a mint green 1960 model.
Back home, a well-restored Bel Air with original parts can fetch six figures, but here cars are held together with whatever parts are available and Cuban ingenuity.
This would have come with a six-cylinder or an eight-cylinder, but it now has four-cylinder diesel out of a HINO, which is a Chinese truck.
I mean, how cool is this? [lively music.]
- Is yours original? - Part of it is, yes.
Allow me to introduce you to the '55 Ford Fairlane.
And it's friggin' beautiful.
I want to be comfortable, so I went with the most luxurious car I could find.
- It's like new inside.
- Look at the seats.
The seats are brand new.
Look at the headliner.
There is not a tear in this thing.
- Look at the wood grain that somebody painted themselves to look like wood grain.
- Originally, this car came with a 272 Y-block V8.
Now, it's a Toyota diesel.
In Cuba, most of the original American engines have been replaced by Japanese or Korean diesel engines because they require less maintenance, they're more efficient, and diesel fuel is less expensive.
- You've done a great job at picking working man's taxi cars.
Let's say you want a little different lifestyle, a little salsa.
You choose this.
- Come on.
We're gonna get a little salsa in our lives.
- Yes.
- Oh, boy.
- Allow me to introduce the 1952 Mercury Monterey.
Back in the day, this was the Corvette of cars.
This was a sport coupé.
This is for the man who wants to play hard and work hard.
Under the hood you might expect to find some sort of diesel, as most cars have out here.
However, in this machine, you have-- - Look at it.
- That's right, a Y-block.
- The original? - V8.
- I think that's a 292 Y-block.
- The Ford 292 Y-block, also called the Thunderbird V8, is most often found in high-end models.
A Cuban car with what could be its original engine is extremely rare.
There's over 60,000 classic American cars on the island, and very few still have their original parts, especially the engine.
I hope I don't break it.
Just under 200 horsepower.
Over 270 foot-pounds of torque.
Gas-guzzling machine right here.
Of course, fuel costs 6 bucks a gallon.
- Keep in mind, have you ever driven a car this old before? - No, you haven't.
Oh! - As someone that owns a '53 at home--you've got old cars-- They don't drive like new cars.
- Mm-mm.
- You can't whale on 'em.
- What are you guys worried about? I'm gonna be gentle to this thing.
- Gonna be totally fine.
- Ugh.
- What are you worried about me? - Hey.
We can stand here all day and talk about these cars, or we can do one of the coolest things we've ever done - Let's go drive 'em.
- And experience Cuba in these classic cars.
- Mount up! - This is gonna be awesome.
- [laughing.]
- Oh, boy.
Hey, these use a key, Tanner.
Like, an actual key.
In a few days, we're competing in Cuba's only authorized auto race.
Shockingly, it's drag racing on a public road, so before race day arrives, we're testing our cars in a series of challenges to see if they need any repairs or modifications, and there's a twist.
Whoever wins the most challenges gets to test-drive a Soviet-built Lada that's been painstakingly modified for street racing.
This is as Cuban as it gets.
There are so many stories about the number of '50s American cars over here, and I just didn't believe it, and now that I'm here, I actually still can't believe it.
This is--this is unlike anything I've ever seen.
- This is amazing.
Is that that one from "Ghostbusters" right there? - No, that's-- the "Ghostbusters" Was a '59 Caddy hearse.
That's a Plymouth.
- Look at this old Cadillac here.
- That's an Olds 88.
- Eh, whatever.
What I don't get is how they're keeping 'em running.
I mean, it's like chewing gum, duct tape, and rubber bands are somehow keeping these things on the road.
So first impressions on driving this car.
First of all, I'm glad it's a drag race, 'cause the steering is a little loose, and the brakes are-- they're trying.
The brakes are trying.
They really--they want to stop.
But it is a struggle.
- The owner of the car told me that you should have a special license to drive this car, and I see why.
It's more like a boat than a car; that's for sure.
You don't exactly have to worry about buckling your seat belt, since there isn't a seat belt, and you don't have to worry about the adjusting the seat, since the seat doesn't move.
- I've always wanted to own a '57 Chevy Bel Air wagon, so that's what I've got, but it's really just in namesake alone, 'cause underneath this thing, it's got a Chinese four-cylinder diesel.
The rear end and the suspension underneath this thing is from sort of Soviet truck, because you got to improvise.
I thought I knew a lot about cars.
You come to Cuba, and it will break you of that thought.
Do you guys know where we're driving right now? - Yeah, this is the actual racetrack of the Grand Prix, right? - Can you believe this was the straightaway with the water right there? - Yeah, that makes it a perfect place for us to race.
In the late 1950s, Havana's famed Malecón was home to the short-lived Cuban Grand Prix.
In 1958, the race was marred by two disastrous events when revolutionaries kidnapped the world's most famous driver, Formula One champion Juan Manuel Fangio, and then a car crashed into the crowd, killing at least six spectators.
The race was red-flagged, and British driver Stirling Moss was declared the winner.
Gentlemen, if we're gonna do a drag race, it feels like we need to test the acceleration on these puppies, right? - I like your thinking.
You in, Rut? - I'm in.
Let's do it.
- Three, two, one, go.
- Come on.
Come on.
Come on.
Come on.
- Come on, baby.
Come on! - [laughing.]
- What? - See you.
- And I'm out.
- Oh, man.
- V8 power! That's what I'm talking about right there.
Hell, yeah.
Victory for the American V8.
- Wow, this thing is slow.
I'm going so slow, there's people honking at me behind.
- Rut's way back there in 1957.
- Slow is an understatement.
It's like saying Tanner is "vertically challenged.
" To have any hope in the drag race, I need to make some modifications.
- There's got to be a place where we can actually turn the wheel a little bit, not all potholed up and trafficked out.
- Okay, let's drive around till we find one.
You coming, Rut? - Oh, yeah, I'm coming.
- I had no idea there'd be so many cars down here.
- And people.
And taxis and bicycles.
They got dogs running around.
- I mean, they haven't changed the cars in 50 years, and they haven't fixed the roads in 50 years.
You want to race? Sí? Oh, it's on.
Diesel-powered Chevy Bel Air wagon versus Coco Taxi.
Rutledge Wood versus total stranger.
Only the strong survive.
- Drop the hammer, big daddy! - Oh, now I've got him.
- Hey, Rut? Think you could take that Coco Taxi? [honking horn.]
- You want to race? Sí? - Drop the hammer! - Oh, now I've got him.
Oh! I got--whoa! [laughter.]
Look at-- well, that went poorly.
How's that possible? - Oh.
- [laughing.]
- Just pitiful.
- We head out of Havana for the second test of our Cuban-maintained classic American cars.
Our cars will be pushed to their limits when we compete against the locals in the country's only government-sanctioned drag race, so we need to make sure they'll hold up.
This challenge is all about handling, and we found the perfect place.
- Oh, check out the stadium, guys.
This place is really cool.
- Wow.
- Yeah, this place is insane.
Whoa, watch the potholes.
- Tanner, make a right by the cow.
- Moo.
[cow lowing.]
You guys know where we are, right? - Yeah.
- Cuba.
- And a--and a stadium in Cuba.
- It's not just any stadium.
This is the stadium they built for the Pan American Games.
It was here in 1991.
Now, this was a huge symbol not only to Cuba but for them to the rest of the world to show them that "You know what? "We're gonna be okay without all the support "and all the money from the Soviet Union after their fall," so this is what they made.
[crowd cheering.]
Now, here's a crazy thing: They basically abandoned this place after '91.
The only people that are ever here using it are the track-and-field athletes that still train here for the Olympics today, so, really, if you think about it, this is the perfect place where we could actually see what these cars are made of.
I don't know, turn left and right rather than just drive in a straight line? - I'm turning left and right to go straight.
- [laughing.]
- Our racecourse around the Pan American stadium is simple.
Up a ramp, along a road that runs right next to the stadium, then one lap around the entire complex, and finally a hairpin turn into the straightaway to the finish.
Fastest time wins, putting the victor one step closer to driving the fastest Soviet Lada on the island.
There's potholes that'll swallow these things.
You hit 'em, you're gonna break the car.
- And you lose.
- Why don't you go first? - Vámonos.
Okay, so this may not be the fastest car here, but I know my steering is better than Tanner's.
I mean, he's, like, steering with a roulette wheel.
- Here's the great news about Adam in someone else's car: He's gonna drive maybe just with a little more caution than normal.
- Which means that there's gonna be precious concentration taken away from the route, and he will get lost for sure.
- That's possible.
- All right, hermanos, let's do this.
- Three, dos, uno, go! - That was pretty good.
Look at that.
That's full throttle.
- Lumbering into the first turn.
There you go.
- This is the first road race held in Cuba since 1960.
- That's true.
- Yeah.
- Es verdad.
- Yeah.
- That's it, big girl.
Look at this place.
This is ama--oop.
Hole.
Hole.
There we go.
- Oh, the backdoor just swung open.
- Don't hit something with it.
- Look at this place.
This is amazing.
- Uh, your back left door is open.
Just so you know.
Don't hit it on anything.
- He's about to have a three-door.
- I can't take a chance.
Climb, baby, climb.
- Do you hear a weird noise? - Like a Toyota diesel in a '50s Ford? - Oh.
This has not been maintained, and lift going through the water.
That was good.
Okay.
Left.
Good girl.
Good girl.
By the way, in 1955, seat belts were an option, and I don't think whoever bought this car ordered them.
I have no idea how fast I'm going.
I have a speedometer.
Probably hasn't worked since '58.
Look at that.
Can you see in there? Ah.
Ah.
- Watch the pothole.
- Cross the agua.
- Have you no respect? - Okay.
Oh, missed the S.
- He's lost.
- Yup.
- He was supposed to turn right back there.
- Yeah, don't worry.
Look at that thing go, huh? - Ha ha! - Three-point turn, 'cause you got to come through the start/finish this way.
- Aw.
- I think the three-point turn would have been better, but here he goes.
- Ha ha! Eh? - Look at you.
- Really.
Pretty good time, I think.
- What is it? - 3 minutes and 10 seconds.
- Hmm.
- How do you say that? Tres? - Tres minutos y diez, uh-- - Segundos? - Mm.
- Pretty sure that's it.
- That's not it.
No se.
- 3 minutes and 10 seconds.
Who's going next? - I'm going next.
- [bleep.]
- Adiós, amigos.
- Did you just call him a [bleep.]
? - This is gonna be fun.
- I either called him a goat or a ham sandwich.
- Let's be honest: this is definitely not the fastest vehicle here, but it may end up being the best-handling, because underneath, it really is like a pickup truck.
So there's a lot of potholes.
I should be able to just go right over 'em.
- At least it's super heavy and slow.
- All right, big daddy.
How you feeling? - Muy bien.
Gracias.
- Tres, dos, uno, go! [engine rattling.]
There he goes.
- There we go.
First turn.
Slow down a little bit.
There it is.
Ooh.
That's tighter than I thought.
All right, feels good so far.
Oh, there's some potholes already.
Oh, boy.
- Here he comes.
- Look at that thing.
He's just bouncing along.
- [laughing.]
- 6 miles an hour.
I wish we had a radar gun on that.
- This might be the fastest I've been yet.
Here come the potholes.
Ooh, [bleep.]
.
It is bouncing now.
- You see those, like, wispy ones that are really high? Those are cirrus clouds.
Those are-- Those are actually ice.
That's why they're just wispy.
- I have no clue how fast I'm going-- Or how slow, as it were.
- Oh, that is him.
Oh, my God.
[horn honking.]
- Whoo! Nailed it.
Whoo! Dios mío.
I don't want to say it was faster than I thought, but once it gets up to speed, it's fine with hanging there.
You just got to dodge potholes left and right.
How'd I do? - It seemed like a long time, but on the clock, it was at 2:57.
- No way.
- Good job.
- Yes, which makes it the time to beat.
- Mi buen amigo.
Mi coche's mi buen amigo.
That's right; I'm saying the car is my very good friend.
- Just to go straight, l got to do all this steering.
I mean, it's got a great engine, but the steering is gonna be a challenge.
- This is really his first time driving anything older than what, 1970? - Yeah.
Baptism by fire.
- I'm worried he's gonna destroy it.
- Don't be worried.
He's gonna break it.
- Gentlemen, let's do this.
- Are you ready? Tres, dos, uno, go! - Man, that thing sounds great, doesn't it? - All right, and we're off.
- Coming up - Are you ready? - You ready? - I was born ready! - [laughing.]
- Go! - Yes! - We're in Havana to compete in the only government-sanctioned drag race on the island, but first we're testing the handling of our cars on the roads around the abandoned Pan American stadium.
- Gentlemen, let's do this.
- Tres, dos, uno, go! - Man, that thing sounds great, doesn't it? - All right, and we're off.
Whoa, brakes.
A little bit wet.
- Easy, easy.
- All right, up the hill we go.
- Oh, he's gonna miss that turn.
- Ooh, ooh, he went in the hole.
I went around the hole.
- Over, okay, lots of steering here.
Oop.
Don't shift that.
Where's the--there it goes.
Potholes.
I got [bleep.]
flying everywhere.
There's a puddle.
Whoa! The water came through the windshield onto my face.
Left turn, left turn.
Come on, baby.
You can do it.
- Oh, he's booking.
- It's running pretty good, actually.
Looking for pedestrians and potholes--oh, crap.
Oh! Both: Ooh! - Big puddle.
- That's gonna be my downfall, is I'm trying to save the car.
- No--oh, he's gonna miss this turn.
Yeah, this part's a little tricky here.
You missed that, but I promise it's tricky.
- Missed the whole thing.
- Go, baby, go.
Come on.
Come on.
Come on.
And stop.
- Oh.
- You know, it wasn't that bad.
- No? - I thought l was almost gonna get a little wheel spin off the line.
That didn't happen.
What was the time? What was the time? - 2:26.
- That was almost a minute faster.
- But you skidded.
You--you been--don't-- You got to take it easy on the car.
What if something breaks on this? We just can't go to the auto store.
- I was going around all the potholes and stuff.
I was trying to take care.
Did you see how much play there is on the steering wheel? You can barely turn the thing.
My two victories in the Mercury give me a chance to test-drive a true piece of Cuban ingenuity, the Soviet-built Lada that's been modified for street racing.
But right now, we need to sort out a little maintenance on our classic cars.
- Listen, if we're gonna race these things, we got to get 'em into shape.
I mean, I know I'm gonna need some-- Some kind of work on the brakes.
- How are we gonna work on these things? - Oh, there's people.
And garages.
- How do you--how do you think that all these people kept these things running since the '50s? - Repairing, restoring, or modifying a car in Cuba is almost impossible.
There's no auto parts stores, but there are some of the best mechanics in the world.
[musical car horn honking.]
- [laughing.]
- So we head back into Havana to visit one of them, a man named Fernando, and like most mechanics here, he works out of his home.
Hola.
Is Fernando aquí? - Sí, it's me.
- Hablas Inglés? - More or less.
- We've got a race in a day that we're all gonna drag race three different cars, and we would love to get your help to-- To kind of get our cars ready for it.
- Which car do you have, guys? - I have a '55 Ford with a--a diesel in it, and I know--l know the brakes need to be looked at.
- I've got a '57 Chevy Bel Air wagon that has a four-cylinder diesel.
Cómo se dice "very, very slow"? - Muy lento.
- Sí, muy lento.
- What car you have? - Mercury Monterey.
- Which still has a V8 in there.
- Oh, really? - Yeah.
Yeah.
- Still has the gas V8.
- Oh.
- We could just leave it here, and you guys can take care of everything, or how does it work? - Yeah, of course.
- Could you take a look for us? - I can show you where to go to look for some parts in order to help us.
- Oh, we'll get the parts.
Perfect.
- Gracias.
- Adam's Ford and Tanner's Mercury need the most work, so we leave their cars with the mechanics.
Luckily, my Bel Air wagon is roomy.
- Holy crap, that's how you have to shift this thing? - Yeah.
- Those kids are laughing at you.
- They're also--oh.
They're also beating us.
- Oh, man! - Watch out.
My bad on that bump.
So we head out together.
And since our U.
S.
phones don't work here, we've got an old-school paper map-- Ah, the good old days-- and the list of parts, which includes O-rings, spark plugs, and brake shoes.
We're finding out exactly what it takes to keep these American classics on the road.
- What happens if it just doesn't happen? What happens if the cars don't get fixed? We asked for it in a day.
That's a lot for all that stuff.
- All we can do is what we can do.
Let's find these parts, get to where we need to get to.
The rest are in the hands of the gods.
- Look out.
- Whoa! - Potholes here.
I'm sorry.
- The first stop is a perfect example of Cuban ingenuity.
This mechanic fabricates O-rings from worn-out forklift tires using an old refrigerator compressor as a lathe.
- [speaking Spanish.]
Por a Ford, es un '55-- Por, uh, front brakes? - [speaking Spanish.]
- Sí, sí.
- He's gonna carve it? - Those are old forklift tires.
These are old-- - Holy crap, he's lathing it.
- All right, so he's gonna measure it out.
- He just knows the dimensions from the year and the model.
- Look at that! - Oh, sí.
- Yes.
- Sí, es perfecto.
Uno más, por favor? - Yes, yes.
- What if this just fits perfectly? - It's probably gonna.
- Oh, muchas gracias.
- Let's look at them.
- That's perfect.
- I don't-- - Uh, cuanto cuesta? - $1.
- Sí? - Yes.
Seeing how these guys work so far, I can't wait to see the guy that reconditions spark plugs.
In Cuba, it's the typical wear-and-tear parts that need to be replaced most often that create the biggest headaches.
Can you help us get those working? - [speaking Spanish.]
- Oh, it's like a little sandblaster.
- Look at that.
He just puts that in there, and it cleans the threads and gets all the carbon and stuff off it.
[air blowing.]
- Got it in my mouth.
- I don't know what's gonna happen now.
- Oh, he's gonna make--oh! Look at that! - Nuevo.
Is that "new"? - New, yeah.
- Yeah.
- [speaking Spanish.]
- So that is 20¢ for two of them.
Can you believe that? Gracias, amigo.
- After one last stop to pick up reconditioned brake shoes for my Ford - Look at that Cadillac.
- That's a Plymouth.
- It's a Plymouth.
We head back to Fernando's shop so we can get the work done before tomorrow's drag race.
How's my Ford? - We got pretty much everything.
We got some gaskets.
We got the spark plugs reconditioned for my car, the drums for the Ford.
- [speaking Spanish.]
- Some of them are old, but they will fit.
Your brakes will work.
Okay? So-- - Gracias.
- If you don't mind, go enjoy Havana.
Do something else.
We'll be working on it now.
- Okay.
Thank you.
- Gracias.
- Sweet.
- See you later, guys.
- Gracias.
- Thank you.
- Gracias, amigo.
- That's the nicest way anyone's ever said, "Get out of my hair.
" - Yup.
- They are so kind here.
- Coming up, it's a race across Havana between a modified Soviet Lada and public transportation.
- Racing in the streets here is not ideal.
We haven't even gotten into traffic yet.
- We're in Havana, Cuba, to compete against locals in the only government-endorsed auto race, street drag racing.
[people shouting.]
But while our classic American cars are being worked on, Tanner's driving a Soviet-made Lada, so Adam and I are racing him across town.
All right, he ought to be here.
- What time is it? - Wait a second.
Is that him right there? [engine roaring.]
- Huh? - This is the car? - Yeah.
It's a 1974 Lada Sport.
Between the Cuban Revolution in 1959 And the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the USSR was Cuba's major trade partner.
Ladas were imported at a subsidized price, and by 1980, 1/3 of the cars in Cuba were Ladas.
They're so durable and easy to fix, about 250,000 are still on the road, but this is no ordinary Lada.
The engine, brakes, and pretty much everything else has been replaced with performance upgrades.
That's no small feat in Cuba, and it's super light, which is great for going fast.
It's the fastest Lada on the island.
- Okay.
Tell you what.
See the capitol building right there? - There's a cool little bar called Siá Kará.
It's in the old Hotel Americano.
- Okay.
- First one there wins.
- How are you getting there? - Oh, we'll be fine.
We got a plan.
- You're going around.
We're going across.
- You're gonna swim? - Something like that.
All right.
- When's it start? - It starts now.
- Whoa! - Nope.
Right over here.
It's on the right.
- We're racing to a little café called Siá Kará.
It's in the shadow of the capitol building on the other side of the bay.
Rut and Adam are taking the public ferry across, while I'm taking the longer route around the bay.
I would say racing in the streets here is not ideal.
The potholes are crazy.
Whoa, that was a big one.
The people just walk out in front of you.
The Lada has a pretty storied past.
Supposedly, Ra l Castro drove one of these up until 2006.
It doesn't exactly track straight, but you know what? Considering what's on this island to make this car, it's incredible how well it runs.
Oh, this is the wrong turn.
Hope that boat is slow.
- This is my first time.
- Taking the ferry? - Yeah.
- You know what's-- you know what's weird? - No, what? - Me too.
- Can you hold onto me like in the "Titanic"? I just want to look.
- All right, thanks.
- You all right? - You know I'm nervous if I'm not wearing a life jacket.
Stick with me.
Stick with me.
Hold on.
- Don't you worry.
- Oh, that's good.
- We're here.
[phone ringing.]
- How's that Spanish treating you? - Yo Español estoy muy bonito.
- Don't forget, if you get lost, just tell people, "Dónde están mis pantalones?" - You know, you're a real friend for sharing that with me.
- See you.
We're gonna need a taxi.
- Damn it! Missed my turn.
There's no way I'm losing this race.
- All right, what are you gonna do? - Come on, come on, come on.
Right here.
- A bike taxi? - It's the only thing that's here.
[speaking Spanish.]
- Es possible? - Sí, sí.
- Oh, great.
Great, great.
Get on.
- Okay, we're almost around the bay.
Now I just need to turn into town and find the capitol.
Oh, my gosh, their ferry is right there, and I'm stuck in traffic.
Hola.
Come on.
- Oh, oh, yeah.
- There it is.
- That's nice on the cobblestone.
- Nice.
Okay.
- Great, and we got a dog chasing us.
This should be good.
- There was the capitol.
They have some ground to cover.
This is gonna be close.
- I don't want to seem like I'm passing judgment, but could you have found a slower mode of transportation for us to take? - Okay.
We cut across the bay.
We're making good time.
We're in the lead.
- Just as fast as you can, por favor.
Perdoneme.
Dónde está, uh, cabal? Es capitol? - Uh, no idea.
- Okay.
Gracias.
Muchas gracias.
This is gonna be way harder than I thought.
Old-town Havana is pretty cool, but, man, don't bother bringing your super-fast Lada.
- Go, go, go.
Oh.
- Okay.
Okay.
- Oh.
Oh.
That's him right there.
- That's him? - Um It--okay.
[speaking Spanish.]
- Do you see street signs? And now we're turning around.
That doesn't seem good.
- Okay.
- This street was blocked.
The best thing we can hope for is that Tanner is completely lost.
- Pardon, pardon.
Siá Kará? Gracias.
I just went there.
There's the capitol right there.
- Coming up - Ready to rock.
35 miles an hour.
What the hell is in that thing? - He's in trouble.
- Yeah.
[engine roaring.]
- What? - Ohthere it is! Yes.
I got to ditch the car.
- Right there.
Right there.
- You pay him.
- Gracias.
- Come on.
This has to be it.
- Perdón.
You have a map? Mapo? Do you have a mapo? Mapo! Aha.
Dónde Siá Kará? Dónde? Yeah! Gracias! - Oh, nice picture.
That looks great.
- Come on.
It's here.
- Sí, aquí, aquí.
This is it.
This is it.
- Aw.
- That's great.
- Pardon me, sir.
- Hola, amigos.
Welcome.
- Thank you.
- You guys made it.
- Gracias.
- What? - You seem like you've been running.
- Yeah, we been running.
- We've been over water.
We've been on bikes.
Running through the streets.
How'd you get here so fast? - I just drove.
- Where's your car? - It's right around the corner.
It's up at the capitol.
Right next door, basically.
You guys know what this means, right? - Hmm? - That's three para me.
Doughnut for you guys.
Love Cuba.
- Cheers.
- I'll drink to Cuba.
- To Cuba.
- To Cuba.
Both: To Cuba.
- I say we go grab some dinner.
First thing tomorrow, we go get our cars, and we will go race.
- I like it.
- You're gonna have to pay for these.
- Yeah.
- Can I-- You spot me a little currency? - No.
- No dinero.
- I'll just drink theirs.
It's cool.
- By morning, our American classics are put back together and running better than ever, proving once again that Cuba has some of the best mechanics in the world.
Now there's only one thing left to do to take our place in history as the first Americans to legally race in Cuba in over 50 years.
- Holy crap.
- Hell, yeah! - Oh, this is cool.
- Look at all of these cars.
- Muy bueno.
- This is completely legal, right? - Car racing was banned in 1962.
The Castro regime found it to be elitist and dangerous.
But underground drag-racing flourished, and remarkably, after significant pressure, the government recently approved it.
- What the hell have we just stepped into? - We're at a certified-by-the-government drag race on a highway.
Is this incredible or what? - I love it.
I love the fact that there are car enthusiasts even if they're put together with chewing gum and rubber bands.
They are car enthusiasts through and through.
[engines roaring.]
This is insane.
- Local car owners come here from all over to test their beloved cars.
Due to the embargo, maintenance is an everyday struggle, so our American classics are actually comparable to some of the other cars racing.
Almost all the other drivers are amateurs, so Rut and I have a shot.
- Who knew that drag racing could be this big here? - Okay, we have to race locals, obviously.
[all shouting.]
Ooh, that means--that means you're up.
- Me? - That means you're first.
Yup.
Good luck.
- Watch me roll some coal, boys.
- All right.
Good--oh, God.
- That's gonna be fun to watch.
- Did he say "roll coal"? - It's single elimination, so we only have one chance to win.
In the first round, we go head-to-head with a local.
If more than one of us actually wins, we may face off against each other in the next round.
Then the winner faces the local champion in the final showdown.
- We've just let Adam make history.
You know that, right? Because he's the first American to legally race here in over 50 years.
- Now, they told me that this is a daily driver class, so that's the car that he drives every day.
- You better win, Adam.
- Let's do this.
- [speaking Spanish.]
Go! both: Yeah! - Here we go.
All right, now he's-- all right, so '57's out first.
Oh.
Oh.
Shift.
Shift.
There it goes.
- That is a--that's depressing.
- [laughing.]
- It's catching up.
- Is he beating him? - It's catching up.
- Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! - I think he won.
I think Adam just won.
- [laughing.]
Bueno! [clattering.]
- Hola.
Andale! Vámonos! Dónde están mis pantalones? - [speaking Spanish.]
Go! - Oh, go Rut! - Go Rut! - Got a jump on me! He got a jump! - Oh, my God.
Ah! So much smoke.
- Oh, it's neck-and-neck.
Come on, baby! Come on! - It's actually a tight race.
He's coming down the way.
- Go Rut! - He can't find third gear.
- Go, Rut! - Yeah! Soy Cuba! Viva Cuba! Oh! Oh.
Dios mío.
Mí corazón! I just drag-raced a '55 Chevy wagon, and I lived to tell about it.
This is awesome.
[engine revving.]
- Ready to rock.
35 miles an hour.
[engine roaring.]
What the hell is in that thing? - This is-- - Do you hear that? [engine roaring.]
- Okay.
What? What? [laughter.]
What? [laughter.]
What the-- - He's in trouble.
- Yeah.
- [speaking Spanish.]
- Oh.
- Oh! Oh! - Jumped the start.
- What? What? - He's in trouble.
- Yeah.
- [speaking Spanish.]
- What? - Oh.
- Oh, no! - Oh, dude, that other guy shifted hard.
- What happened? No! It's so close! - Cómo se dice say "you lost"? - "Perdiste.
" - Perdiste? - Perdiste.
- Perdiste.
- Perdiste.
- Sad day for the American V8.
Clearly, I was set up, but it's too late to do anything about it now.
Since Rut and Adam somehow won in their first round, now they race each other.
The winner takes on the local champion if they survive.
- Mano y mano.
- Are you ready? - I was born ready! - [laughing.]
- [speaking Spanish.]
- Ready.
- Come on, Rut or Adam.
- Go! - Oh, it's a jump from Rut! Yes! Whoo! It's dead even.
- Oh! Oh, I got the jump on him! How is that possible? - Aw, come on.
Come on, baby.
Show me what you're made of.
- This is amazing! How is this possible? - No! [engines roaring.]
- That is crazy.
- Hey, champ.
Yeah, swing on back around here.
I got one more race for you.
- Okay.
- Yeah, feast your eyes, brother.
- Take a look.
[engine revving.]
- Yeah.
- What's he got? - From the sound of the engine, I can tell this guy means business.
I'm screwed.
- Are you good? - Do you want to do this? Do you want to do this? - All right, let's step back just a little bit.
- [laughing.]
- I mean, that is the fastest car on the island.
I'm not sure why I'm racing it in this.
Oh, I'm so nervous.
My hands are sweaty.
- [speaking Spanish.]
Go! - Oh! - Oh, there he goes! - Unbelievable.
- It's over already.
- My man just kicked my ass handily.
- See you! He's still going.
- I didn't even get to third gear, and he was gone.
You know, a lot of people like smoking Cubans, and I just got smoked by a Cuban.
[relaxing music.]
How do you say "the champ is here" in Spanish? - I don't know.
How do you say "two to one"? - El champion is aquí! Es mío! - If there's one thing to take away, it's driving old cars is cool.
Like, it doesn't have to even be a muscle car.
- See? Look who got it finally.
- Just low and slow.
- You just cruised around in a Mercury in Cuba.
- It feels like we are in a time warp.
I mean, look at this.
How many of these-- 60,000 of these cars running around this entire city? - The fact that they are still running is the first thing that's mind-boggling.
How they're still running is the real trick.
I mean, you think it's gonna change when the embargo goes away? - Get better parts, right? - You know what? I don't think these cars and these people are gonna be changed that much.
Yeah, there'll be more tourists.
There'll be more shops and restaurants, stuff like this, but what makes these cars so special is what they represent to the people, the fact that they've been passed down for years and years, the fact that they've done whatever it took to keep 'em running.
I mean, these represent the heyday of this country.
These cars will still be as important in the future as they are right now.
- One word: rematch.
Let's just line up on this straightaway right here.
- We're on our way out.
Drop the top.
Enjoy a little more Cuba.
- Fine.
- All right.
- We're racing, right? - Okay.
Let's go.
- This one is winner takes all.
- Oh, is it? - Yeah.
- Yeah, the other ones he lost don't count.
[lively music.]
[engine coughing.]
- I'm screwed.
I was gonna-- do you want to do this? Do you want to do this? - Yeah, feast your eyes, brother.
- Take a look.
- Oh, I'm so nervous.
My hands are sweaty.
- [speaking Spanish.]
Go! [dramatic music.]
- Look at--look at that building right there.
- Wow.
This is amazing.
- Can you guys believe it? We are in Havana, Cuba.
- This is the last living, functioning celebration of what was one of the greatest times in American automotive history.
- Absolutely.
- Cuba: For more than 50 years, this island paradise has been forbidden to Americans.
The two countries are only 90 miles apart, but Cubans and Americans live in very different worlds.
It wasn't always like this.
In the 1950s, Cuba was a top destination for American tourism and business.
Cubans welcomed Americans with open arms and fell in love with American cars.
- We are gonna see cars from the '50s all over this place.
- Like this one right here? - Yeah.
- Then came the Cuban Revolution, and everything changed.
Fidel Castro's socialist government took over, and Cuba was isolated by one of the strictest embargoes in modern history.
Since 1960, it's been illegal to import cars, parts, and tools from the U.
S.
Cuban car culture was stuck in the '50s, creating the world's greatest automotive time capsule.
Then in 2014, President Obama announced the U.
S.
would resume diplomatic relations with Cuba.
- We have done the same thing for 50 years, and nothing's changed.
We should try something different if we want a different outcome.
- And in 2016, he was the first sitting U.
S.
president to visit Cuba since Calvin Coolidge in 1928.
- I have come here to bury the last remnant of the Cold War in the Americas.
- But we got here first.
We're in Havana to find out how these cars from the golden age of American manufacturing are still on the road.
We each picked one classic car to test and then drive in the only government-approved auto race.
That's right; we could be the first Americans to legally race in Cuba in over 50 years if we make it.
[energetic music.]
- This is just a taxi parking area.
In the States, this would be a car show.
- Absolutely.
- That's a great point.
- We need well-maintained and dependable cars, so we borrowed three classics from local taxi drivers.
In Cuba, there's nothing more precious than a functioning car.
In fact, driving a taxi is more lucrative than being a doctor, so we have to handle these cars with great care, something we're not used to doing.
- Wow, they are big.
They are big.
- Wow.
- Oh.
- Muchas gracias.
- Gracias, amigo.
- Gracias, amigo.
- Adiós.
- Who do you think got the wagon? - Yeah, seriously.
- Wow.
- Did you just pick the biggest possible car you could find? - Boys, let me introduce you to the quintessential American car and one of the most popular here in Cuba.
This is the 1957 Chevy Bel Air.
The '57 Bel Air is big and beautiful, but it's also a piece of living history.
The Bel Air was the most popular American car in Cuba, and revolutionary leader Che Guevara famously drove a mint green 1960 model.
Back home, a well-restored Bel Air with original parts can fetch six figures, but here cars are held together with whatever parts are available and Cuban ingenuity.
This would have come with a six-cylinder or an eight-cylinder, but it now has four-cylinder diesel out of a HINO, which is a Chinese truck.
I mean, how cool is this? [lively music.]
- Is yours original? - Part of it is, yes.
Allow me to introduce you to the '55 Ford Fairlane.
And it's friggin' beautiful.
I want to be comfortable, so I went with the most luxurious car I could find.
- It's like new inside.
- Look at the seats.
The seats are brand new.
Look at the headliner.
There is not a tear in this thing.
- Look at the wood grain that somebody painted themselves to look like wood grain.
- Originally, this car came with a 272 Y-block V8.
Now, it's a Toyota diesel.
In Cuba, most of the original American engines have been replaced by Japanese or Korean diesel engines because they require less maintenance, they're more efficient, and diesel fuel is less expensive.
- You've done a great job at picking working man's taxi cars.
Let's say you want a little different lifestyle, a little salsa.
You choose this.
- Come on.
We're gonna get a little salsa in our lives.
- Yes.
- Oh, boy.
- Allow me to introduce the 1952 Mercury Monterey.
Back in the day, this was the Corvette of cars.
This was a sport coupé.
This is for the man who wants to play hard and work hard.
Under the hood you might expect to find some sort of diesel, as most cars have out here.
However, in this machine, you have-- - Look at it.
- That's right, a Y-block.
- The original? - V8.
- I think that's a 292 Y-block.
- The Ford 292 Y-block, also called the Thunderbird V8, is most often found in high-end models.
A Cuban car with what could be its original engine is extremely rare.
There's over 60,000 classic American cars on the island, and very few still have their original parts, especially the engine.
I hope I don't break it.
Just under 200 horsepower.
Over 270 foot-pounds of torque.
Gas-guzzling machine right here.
Of course, fuel costs 6 bucks a gallon.
- Keep in mind, have you ever driven a car this old before? - No, you haven't.
Oh! - As someone that owns a '53 at home--you've got old cars-- They don't drive like new cars.
- Mm-mm.
- You can't whale on 'em.
- What are you guys worried about? I'm gonna be gentle to this thing.
- Gonna be totally fine.
- Ugh.
- What are you worried about me? - Hey.
We can stand here all day and talk about these cars, or we can do one of the coolest things we've ever done - Let's go drive 'em.
- And experience Cuba in these classic cars.
- Mount up! - This is gonna be awesome.
- [laughing.]
- Oh, boy.
Hey, these use a key, Tanner.
Like, an actual key.
In a few days, we're competing in Cuba's only authorized auto race.
Shockingly, it's drag racing on a public road, so before race day arrives, we're testing our cars in a series of challenges to see if they need any repairs or modifications, and there's a twist.
Whoever wins the most challenges gets to test-drive a Soviet-built Lada that's been painstakingly modified for street racing.
This is as Cuban as it gets.
There are so many stories about the number of '50s American cars over here, and I just didn't believe it, and now that I'm here, I actually still can't believe it.
This is--this is unlike anything I've ever seen.
- This is amazing.
Is that that one from "Ghostbusters" right there? - No, that's-- the "Ghostbusters" Was a '59 Caddy hearse.
That's a Plymouth.
- Look at this old Cadillac here.
- That's an Olds 88.
- Eh, whatever.
What I don't get is how they're keeping 'em running.
I mean, it's like chewing gum, duct tape, and rubber bands are somehow keeping these things on the road.
So first impressions on driving this car.
First of all, I'm glad it's a drag race, 'cause the steering is a little loose, and the brakes are-- they're trying.
The brakes are trying.
They really--they want to stop.
But it is a struggle.
- The owner of the car told me that you should have a special license to drive this car, and I see why.
It's more like a boat than a car; that's for sure.
You don't exactly have to worry about buckling your seat belt, since there isn't a seat belt, and you don't have to worry about the adjusting the seat, since the seat doesn't move.
- I've always wanted to own a '57 Chevy Bel Air wagon, so that's what I've got, but it's really just in namesake alone, 'cause underneath this thing, it's got a Chinese four-cylinder diesel.
The rear end and the suspension underneath this thing is from sort of Soviet truck, because you got to improvise.
I thought I knew a lot about cars.
You come to Cuba, and it will break you of that thought.
Do you guys know where we're driving right now? - Yeah, this is the actual racetrack of the Grand Prix, right? - Can you believe this was the straightaway with the water right there? - Yeah, that makes it a perfect place for us to race.
In the late 1950s, Havana's famed Malecón was home to the short-lived Cuban Grand Prix.
In 1958, the race was marred by two disastrous events when revolutionaries kidnapped the world's most famous driver, Formula One champion Juan Manuel Fangio, and then a car crashed into the crowd, killing at least six spectators.
The race was red-flagged, and British driver Stirling Moss was declared the winner.
Gentlemen, if we're gonna do a drag race, it feels like we need to test the acceleration on these puppies, right? - I like your thinking.
You in, Rut? - I'm in.
Let's do it.
- Three, two, one, go.
- Come on.
Come on.
Come on.
Come on.
- Come on, baby.
Come on! - [laughing.]
- What? - See you.
- And I'm out.
- Oh, man.
- V8 power! That's what I'm talking about right there.
Hell, yeah.
Victory for the American V8.
- Wow, this thing is slow.
I'm going so slow, there's people honking at me behind.
- Rut's way back there in 1957.
- Slow is an understatement.
It's like saying Tanner is "vertically challenged.
" To have any hope in the drag race, I need to make some modifications.
- There's got to be a place where we can actually turn the wheel a little bit, not all potholed up and trafficked out.
- Okay, let's drive around till we find one.
You coming, Rut? - Oh, yeah, I'm coming.
- I had no idea there'd be so many cars down here.
- And people.
And taxis and bicycles.
They got dogs running around.
- I mean, they haven't changed the cars in 50 years, and they haven't fixed the roads in 50 years.
You want to race? Sí? Oh, it's on.
Diesel-powered Chevy Bel Air wagon versus Coco Taxi.
Rutledge Wood versus total stranger.
Only the strong survive.
- Drop the hammer, big daddy! - Oh, now I've got him.
- Hey, Rut? Think you could take that Coco Taxi? [honking horn.]
- You want to race? Sí? - Drop the hammer! - Oh, now I've got him.
Oh! I got--whoa! [laughter.]
Look at-- well, that went poorly.
How's that possible? - Oh.
- [laughing.]
- Just pitiful.
- We head out of Havana for the second test of our Cuban-maintained classic American cars.
Our cars will be pushed to their limits when we compete against the locals in the country's only government-sanctioned drag race, so we need to make sure they'll hold up.
This challenge is all about handling, and we found the perfect place.
- Oh, check out the stadium, guys.
This place is really cool.
- Wow.
- Yeah, this place is insane.
Whoa, watch the potholes.
- Tanner, make a right by the cow.
- Moo.
[cow lowing.]
You guys know where we are, right? - Yeah.
- Cuba.
- And a--and a stadium in Cuba.
- It's not just any stadium.
This is the stadium they built for the Pan American Games.
It was here in 1991.
Now, this was a huge symbol not only to Cuba but for them to the rest of the world to show them that "You know what? "We're gonna be okay without all the support "and all the money from the Soviet Union after their fall," so this is what they made.
[crowd cheering.]
Now, here's a crazy thing: They basically abandoned this place after '91.
The only people that are ever here using it are the track-and-field athletes that still train here for the Olympics today, so, really, if you think about it, this is the perfect place where we could actually see what these cars are made of.
I don't know, turn left and right rather than just drive in a straight line? - I'm turning left and right to go straight.
- [laughing.]
- Our racecourse around the Pan American stadium is simple.
Up a ramp, along a road that runs right next to the stadium, then one lap around the entire complex, and finally a hairpin turn into the straightaway to the finish.
Fastest time wins, putting the victor one step closer to driving the fastest Soviet Lada on the island.
There's potholes that'll swallow these things.
You hit 'em, you're gonna break the car.
- And you lose.
- Why don't you go first? - Vámonos.
Okay, so this may not be the fastest car here, but I know my steering is better than Tanner's.
I mean, he's, like, steering with a roulette wheel.
- Here's the great news about Adam in someone else's car: He's gonna drive maybe just with a little more caution than normal.
- Which means that there's gonna be precious concentration taken away from the route, and he will get lost for sure.
- That's possible.
- All right, hermanos, let's do this.
- Three, dos, uno, go! - That was pretty good.
Look at that.
That's full throttle.
- Lumbering into the first turn.
There you go.
- This is the first road race held in Cuba since 1960.
- That's true.
- Yeah.
- Es verdad.
- Yeah.
- That's it, big girl.
Look at this place.
This is ama--oop.
Hole.
Hole.
There we go.
- Oh, the backdoor just swung open.
- Don't hit something with it.
- Look at this place.
This is amazing.
- Uh, your back left door is open.
Just so you know.
Don't hit it on anything.
- He's about to have a three-door.
- I can't take a chance.
Climb, baby, climb.
- Do you hear a weird noise? - Like a Toyota diesel in a '50s Ford? - Oh.
This has not been maintained, and lift going through the water.
That was good.
Okay.
Left.
Good girl.
Good girl.
By the way, in 1955, seat belts were an option, and I don't think whoever bought this car ordered them.
I have no idea how fast I'm going.
I have a speedometer.
Probably hasn't worked since '58.
Look at that.
Can you see in there? Ah.
Ah.
- Watch the pothole.
- Cross the agua.
- Have you no respect? - Okay.
Oh, missed the S.
- He's lost.
- Yup.
- He was supposed to turn right back there.
- Yeah, don't worry.
Look at that thing go, huh? - Ha ha! - Three-point turn, 'cause you got to come through the start/finish this way.
- Aw.
- I think the three-point turn would have been better, but here he goes.
- Ha ha! Eh? - Look at you.
- Really.
Pretty good time, I think.
- What is it? - 3 minutes and 10 seconds.
- Hmm.
- How do you say that? Tres? - Tres minutos y diez, uh-- - Segundos? - Mm.
- Pretty sure that's it.
- That's not it.
No se.
- 3 minutes and 10 seconds.
Who's going next? - I'm going next.
- [bleep.]
- Adiós, amigos.
- Did you just call him a [bleep.]
? - This is gonna be fun.
- I either called him a goat or a ham sandwich.
- Let's be honest: this is definitely not the fastest vehicle here, but it may end up being the best-handling, because underneath, it really is like a pickup truck.
So there's a lot of potholes.
I should be able to just go right over 'em.
- At least it's super heavy and slow.
- All right, big daddy.
How you feeling? - Muy bien.
Gracias.
- Tres, dos, uno, go! [engine rattling.]
There he goes.
- There we go.
First turn.
Slow down a little bit.
There it is.
Ooh.
That's tighter than I thought.
All right, feels good so far.
Oh, there's some potholes already.
Oh, boy.
- Here he comes.
- Look at that thing.
He's just bouncing along.
- [laughing.]
- 6 miles an hour.
I wish we had a radar gun on that.
- This might be the fastest I've been yet.
Here come the potholes.
Ooh, [bleep.]
.
It is bouncing now.
- You see those, like, wispy ones that are really high? Those are cirrus clouds.
Those are-- Those are actually ice.
That's why they're just wispy.
- I have no clue how fast I'm going-- Or how slow, as it were.
- Oh, that is him.
Oh, my God.
[horn honking.]
- Whoo! Nailed it.
Whoo! Dios mío.
I don't want to say it was faster than I thought, but once it gets up to speed, it's fine with hanging there.
You just got to dodge potholes left and right.
How'd I do? - It seemed like a long time, but on the clock, it was at 2:57.
- No way.
- Good job.
- Yes, which makes it the time to beat.
- Mi buen amigo.
Mi coche's mi buen amigo.
That's right; I'm saying the car is my very good friend.
- Just to go straight, l got to do all this steering.
I mean, it's got a great engine, but the steering is gonna be a challenge.
- This is really his first time driving anything older than what, 1970? - Yeah.
Baptism by fire.
- I'm worried he's gonna destroy it.
- Don't be worried.
He's gonna break it.
- Gentlemen, let's do this.
- Are you ready? Tres, dos, uno, go! - Man, that thing sounds great, doesn't it? - All right, and we're off.
- Coming up - Are you ready? - You ready? - I was born ready! - [laughing.]
- Go! - Yes! - We're in Havana to compete in the only government-sanctioned drag race on the island, but first we're testing the handling of our cars on the roads around the abandoned Pan American stadium.
- Gentlemen, let's do this.
- Tres, dos, uno, go! - Man, that thing sounds great, doesn't it? - All right, and we're off.
Whoa, brakes.
A little bit wet.
- Easy, easy.
- All right, up the hill we go.
- Oh, he's gonna miss that turn.
- Ooh, ooh, he went in the hole.
I went around the hole.
- Over, okay, lots of steering here.
Oop.
Don't shift that.
Where's the--there it goes.
Potholes.
I got [bleep.]
flying everywhere.
There's a puddle.
Whoa! The water came through the windshield onto my face.
Left turn, left turn.
Come on, baby.
You can do it.
- Oh, he's booking.
- It's running pretty good, actually.
Looking for pedestrians and potholes--oh, crap.
Oh! Both: Ooh! - Big puddle.
- That's gonna be my downfall, is I'm trying to save the car.
- No--oh, he's gonna miss this turn.
Yeah, this part's a little tricky here.
You missed that, but I promise it's tricky.
- Missed the whole thing.
- Go, baby, go.
Come on.
Come on.
Come on.
And stop.
- Oh.
- You know, it wasn't that bad.
- No? - I thought l was almost gonna get a little wheel spin off the line.
That didn't happen.
What was the time? What was the time? - 2:26.
- That was almost a minute faster.
- But you skidded.
You--you been--don't-- You got to take it easy on the car.
What if something breaks on this? We just can't go to the auto store.
- I was going around all the potholes and stuff.
I was trying to take care.
Did you see how much play there is on the steering wheel? You can barely turn the thing.
My two victories in the Mercury give me a chance to test-drive a true piece of Cuban ingenuity, the Soviet-built Lada that's been modified for street racing.
But right now, we need to sort out a little maintenance on our classic cars.
- Listen, if we're gonna race these things, we got to get 'em into shape.
I mean, I know I'm gonna need some-- Some kind of work on the brakes.
- How are we gonna work on these things? - Oh, there's people.
And garages.
- How do you--how do you think that all these people kept these things running since the '50s? - Repairing, restoring, or modifying a car in Cuba is almost impossible.
There's no auto parts stores, but there are some of the best mechanics in the world.
[musical car horn honking.]
- [laughing.]
- So we head back into Havana to visit one of them, a man named Fernando, and like most mechanics here, he works out of his home.
Hola.
Is Fernando aquí? - Sí, it's me.
- Hablas Inglés? - More or less.
- We've got a race in a day that we're all gonna drag race three different cars, and we would love to get your help to-- To kind of get our cars ready for it.
- Which car do you have, guys? - I have a '55 Ford with a--a diesel in it, and I know--l know the brakes need to be looked at.
- I've got a '57 Chevy Bel Air wagon that has a four-cylinder diesel.
Cómo se dice "very, very slow"? - Muy lento.
- Sí, muy lento.
- What car you have? - Mercury Monterey.
- Which still has a V8 in there.
- Oh, really? - Yeah.
Yeah.
- Still has the gas V8.
- Oh.
- We could just leave it here, and you guys can take care of everything, or how does it work? - Yeah, of course.
- Could you take a look for us? - I can show you where to go to look for some parts in order to help us.
- Oh, we'll get the parts.
Perfect.
- Gracias.
- Adam's Ford and Tanner's Mercury need the most work, so we leave their cars with the mechanics.
Luckily, my Bel Air wagon is roomy.
- Holy crap, that's how you have to shift this thing? - Yeah.
- Those kids are laughing at you.
- They're also--oh.
They're also beating us.
- Oh, man! - Watch out.
My bad on that bump.
So we head out together.
And since our U.
S.
phones don't work here, we've got an old-school paper map-- Ah, the good old days-- and the list of parts, which includes O-rings, spark plugs, and brake shoes.
We're finding out exactly what it takes to keep these American classics on the road.
- What happens if it just doesn't happen? What happens if the cars don't get fixed? We asked for it in a day.
That's a lot for all that stuff.
- All we can do is what we can do.
Let's find these parts, get to where we need to get to.
The rest are in the hands of the gods.
- Look out.
- Whoa! - Potholes here.
I'm sorry.
- The first stop is a perfect example of Cuban ingenuity.
This mechanic fabricates O-rings from worn-out forklift tires using an old refrigerator compressor as a lathe.
- [speaking Spanish.]
Por a Ford, es un '55-- Por, uh, front brakes? - [speaking Spanish.]
- Sí, sí.
- He's gonna carve it? - Those are old forklift tires.
These are old-- - Holy crap, he's lathing it.
- All right, so he's gonna measure it out.
- He just knows the dimensions from the year and the model.
- Look at that! - Oh, sí.
- Yes.
- Sí, es perfecto.
Uno más, por favor? - Yes, yes.
- What if this just fits perfectly? - It's probably gonna.
- Oh, muchas gracias.
- Let's look at them.
- That's perfect.
- I don't-- - Uh, cuanto cuesta? - $1.
- Sí? - Yes.
Seeing how these guys work so far, I can't wait to see the guy that reconditions spark plugs.
In Cuba, it's the typical wear-and-tear parts that need to be replaced most often that create the biggest headaches.
Can you help us get those working? - [speaking Spanish.]
- Oh, it's like a little sandblaster.
- Look at that.
He just puts that in there, and it cleans the threads and gets all the carbon and stuff off it.
[air blowing.]
- Got it in my mouth.
- I don't know what's gonna happen now.
- Oh, he's gonna make--oh! Look at that! - Nuevo.
Is that "new"? - New, yeah.
- Yeah.
- [speaking Spanish.]
- So that is 20¢ for two of them.
Can you believe that? Gracias, amigo.
- After one last stop to pick up reconditioned brake shoes for my Ford - Look at that Cadillac.
- That's a Plymouth.
- It's a Plymouth.
We head back to Fernando's shop so we can get the work done before tomorrow's drag race.
How's my Ford? - We got pretty much everything.
We got some gaskets.
We got the spark plugs reconditioned for my car, the drums for the Ford.
- [speaking Spanish.]
- Some of them are old, but they will fit.
Your brakes will work.
Okay? So-- - Gracias.
- If you don't mind, go enjoy Havana.
Do something else.
We'll be working on it now.
- Okay.
Thank you.
- Gracias.
- Sweet.
- See you later, guys.
- Gracias.
- Thank you.
- Gracias, amigo.
- That's the nicest way anyone's ever said, "Get out of my hair.
" - Yup.
- They are so kind here.
- Coming up, it's a race across Havana between a modified Soviet Lada and public transportation.
- Racing in the streets here is not ideal.
We haven't even gotten into traffic yet.
- We're in Havana, Cuba, to compete against locals in the only government-endorsed auto race, street drag racing.
[people shouting.]
But while our classic American cars are being worked on, Tanner's driving a Soviet-made Lada, so Adam and I are racing him across town.
All right, he ought to be here.
- What time is it? - Wait a second.
Is that him right there? [engine roaring.]
- Huh? - This is the car? - Yeah.
It's a 1974 Lada Sport.
Between the Cuban Revolution in 1959 And the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the USSR was Cuba's major trade partner.
Ladas were imported at a subsidized price, and by 1980, 1/3 of the cars in Cuba were Ladas.
They're so durable and easy to fix, about 250,000 are still on the road, but this is no ordinary Lada.
The engine, brakes, and pretty much everything else has been replaced with performance upgrades.
That's no small feat in Cuba, and it's super light, which is great for going fast.
It's the fastest Lada on the island.
- Okay.
Tell you what.
See the capitol building right there? - There's a cool little bar called Siá Kará.
It's in the old Hotel Americano.
- Okay.
- First one there wins.
- How are you getting there? - Oh, we'll be fine.
We got a plan.
- You're going around.
We're going across.
- You're gonna swim? - Something like that.
All right.
- When's it start? - It starts now.
- Whoa! - Nope.
Right over here.
It's on the right.
- We're racing to a little café called Siá Kará.
It's in the shadow of the capitol building on the other side of the bay.
Rut and Adam are taking the public ferry across, while I'm taking the longer route around the bay.
I would say racing in the streets here is not ideal.
The potholes are crazy.
Whoa, that was a big one.
The people just walk out in front of you.
The Lada has a pretty storied past.
Supposedly, Ra l Castro drove one of these up until 2006.
It doesn't exactly track straight, but you know what? Considering what's on this island to make this car, it's incredible how well it runs.
Oh, this is the wrong turn.
Hope that boat is slow.
- This is my first time.
- Taking the ferry? - Yeah.
- You know what's-- you know what's weird? - No, what? - Me too.
- Can you hold onto me like in the "Titanic"? I just want to look.
- All right, thanks.
- You all right? - You know I'm nervous if I'm not wearing a life jacket.
Stick with me.
Stick with me.
Hold on.
- Don't you worry.
- Oh, that's good.
- We're here.
[phone ringing.]
- How's that Spanish treating you? - Yo Español estoy muy bonito.
- Don't forget, if you get lost, just tell people, "Dónde están mis pantalones?" - You know, you're a real friend for sharing that with me.
- See you.
We're gonna need a taxi.
- Damn it! Missed my turn.
There's no way I'm losing this race.
- All right, what are you gonna do? - Come on, come on, come on.
Right here.
- A bike taxi? - It's the only thing that's here.
[speaking Spanish.]
- Es possible? - Sí, sí.
- Oh, great.
Great, great.
Get on.
- Okay, we're almost around the bay.
Now I just need to turn into town and find the capitol.
Oh, my gosh, their ferry is right there, and I'm stuck in traffic.
Hola.
Come on.
- Oh, oh, yeah.
- There it is.
- That's nice on the cobblestone.
- Nice.
Okay.
- Great, and we got a dog chasing us.
This should be good.
- There was the capitol.
They have some ground to cover.
This is gonna be close.
- I don't want to seem like I'm passing judgment, but could you have found a slower mode of transportation for us to take? - Okay.
We cut across the bay.
We're making good time.
We're in the lead.
- Just as fast as you can, por favor.
Perdoneme.
Dónde está, uh, cabal? Es capitol? - Uh, no idea.
- Okay.
Gracias.
Muchas gracias.
This is gonna be way harder than I thought.
Old-town Havana is pretty cool, but, man, don't bother bringing your super-fast Lada.
- Go, go, go.
Oh.
- Okay.
Okay.
- Oh.
Oh.
That's him right there.
- That's him? - Um It--okay.
[speaking Spanish.]
- Do you see street signs? And now we're turning around.
That doesn't seem good.
- Okay.
- This street was blocked.
The best thing we can hope for is that Tanner is completely lost.
- Pardon, pardon.
Siá Kará? Gracias.
I just went there.
There's the capitol right there.
- Coming up - Ready to rock.
35 miles an hour.
What the hell is in that thing? - He's in trouble.
- Yeah.
[engine roaring.]
- What? - Ohthere it is! Yes.
I got to ditch the car.
- Right there.
Right there.
- You pay him.
- Gracias.
- Come on.
This has to be it.
- Perdón.
You have a map? Mapo? Do you have a mapo? Mapo! Aha.
Dónde Siá Kará? Dónde? Yeah! Gracias! - Oh, nice picture.
That looks great.
- Come on.
It's here.
- Sí, aquí, aquí.
This is it.
This is it.
- Aw.
- That's great.
- Pardon me, sir.
- Hola, amigos.
Welcome.
- Thank you.
- You guys made it.
- Gracias.
- What? - You seem like you've been running.
- Yeah, we been running.
- We've been over water.
We've been on bikes.
Running through the streets.
How'd you get here so fast? - I just drove.
- Where's your car? - It's right around the corner.
It's up at the capitol.
Right next door, basically.
You guys know what this means, right? - Hmm? - That's three para me.
Doughnut for you guys.
Love Cuba.
- Cheers.
- I'll drink to Cuba.
- To Cuba.
- To Cuba.
Both: To Cuba.
- I say we go grab some dinner.
First thing tomorrow, we go get our cars, and we will go race.
- I like it.
- You're gonna have to pay for these.
- Yeah.
- Can I-- You spot me a little currency? - No.
- No dinero.
- I'll just drink theirs.
It's cool.
- By morning, our American classics are put back together and running better than ever, proving once again that Cuba has some of the best mechanics in the world.
Now there's only one thing left to do to take our place in history as the first Americans to legally race in Cuba in over 50 years.
- Holy crap.
- Hell, yeah! - Oh, this is cool.
- Look at all of these cars.
- Muy bueno.
- This is completely legal, right? - Car racing was banned in 1962.
The Castro regime found it to be elitist and dangerous.
But underground drag-racing flourished, and remarkably, after significant pressure, the government recently approved it.
- What the hell have we just stepped into? - We're at a certified-by-the-government drag race on a highway.
Is this incredible or what? - I love it.
I love the fact that there are car enthusiasts even if they're put together with chewing gum and rubber bands.
They are car enthusiasts through and through.
[engines roaring.]
This is insane.
- Local car owners come here from all over to test their beloved cars.
Due to the embargo, maintenance is an everyday struggle, so our American classics are actually comparable to some of the other cars racing.
Almost all the other drivers are amateurs, so Rut and I have a shot.
- Who knew that drag racing could be this big here? - Okay, we have to race locals, obviously.
[all shouting.]
Ooh, that means--that means you're up.
- Me? - That means you're first.
Yup.
Good luck.
- Watch me roll some coal, boys.
- All right.
Good--oh, God.
- That's gonna be fun to watch.
- Did he say "roll coal"? - It's single elimination, so we only have one chance to win.
In the first round, we go head-to-head with a local.
If more than one of us actually wins, we may face off against each other in the next round.
Then the winner faces the local champion in the final showdown.
- We've just let Adam make history.
You know that, right? Because he's the first American to legally race here in over 50 years.
- Now, they told me that this is a daily driver class, so that's the car that he drives every day.
- You better win, Adam.
- Let's do this.
- [speaking Spanish.]
Go! both: Yeah! - Here we go.
All right, now he's-- all right, so '57's out first.
Oh.
Oh.
Shift.
Shift.
There it goes.
- That is a--that's depressing.
- [laughing.]
- It's catching up.
- Is he beating him? - It's catching up.
- Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! - I think he won.
I think Adam just won.
- [laughing.]
Bueno! [clattering.]
- Hola.
Andale! Vámonos! Dónde están mis pantalones? - [speaking Spanish.]
Go! - Oh, go Rut! - Go Rut! - Got a jump on me! He got a jump! - Oh, my God.
Ah! So much smoke.
- Oh, it's neck-and-neck.
Come on, baby! Come on! - It's actually a tight race.
He's coming down the way.
- Go Rut! - He can't find third gear.
- Go, Rut! - Yeah! Soy Cuba! Viva Cuba! Oh! Oh.
Dios mío.
Mí corazón! I just drag-raced a '55 Chevy wagon, and I lived to tell about it.
This is awesome.
[engine revving.]
- Ready to rock.
35 miles an hour.
[engine roaring.]
What the hell is in that thing? - This is-- - Do you hear that? [engine roaring.]
- Okay.
What? What? [laughter.]
What? [laughter.]
What the-- - He's in trouble.
- Yeah.
- [speaking Spanish.]
- Oh.
- Oh! Oh! - Jumped the start.
- What? What? - He's in trouble.
- Yeah.
- [speaking Spanish.]
- What? - Oh.
- Oh, no! - Oh, dude, that other guy shifted hard.
- What happened? No! It's so close! - Cómo se dice say "you lost"? - "Perdiste.
" - Perdiste? - Perdiste.
- Perdiste.
- Perdiste.
- Sad day for the American V8.
Clearly, I was set up, but it's too late to do anything about it now.
Since Rut and Adam somehow won in their first round, now they race each other.
The winner takes on the local champion if they survive.
- Mano y mano.
- Are you ready? - I was born ready! - [laughing.]
- [speaking Spanish.]
- Ready.
- Come on, Rut or Adam.
- Go! - Oh, it's a jump from Rut! Yes! Whoo! It's dead even.
- Oh! Oh, I got the jump on him! How is that possible? - Aw, come on.
Come on, baby.
Show me what you're made of.
- This is amazing! How is this possible? - No! [engines roaring.]
- That is crazy.
- Hey, champ.
Yeah, swing on back around here.
I got one more race for you.
- Okay.
- Yeah, feast your eyes, brother.
- Take a look.
[engine revving.]
- Yeah.
- What's he got? - From the sound of the engine, I can tell this guy means business.
I'm screwed.
- Are you good? - Do you want to do this? Do you want to do this? - All right, let's step back just a little bit.
- [laughing.]
- I mean, that is the fastest car on the island.
I'm not sure why I'm racing it in this.
Oh, I'm so nervous.
My hands are sweaty.
- [speaking Spanish.]
Go! - Oh! - Oh, there he goes! - Unbelievable.
- It's over already.
- My man just kicked my ass handily.
- See you! He's still going.
- I didn't even get to third gear, and he was gone.
You know, a lot of people like smoking Cubans, and I just got smoked by a Cuban.
[relaxing music.]
How do you say "the champ is here" in Spanish? - I don't know.
How do you say "two to one"? - El champion is aquí! Es mío! - If there's one thing to take away, it's driving old cars is cool.
Like, it doesn't have to even be a muscle car.
- See? Look who got it finally.
- Just low and slow.
- You just cruised around in a Mercury in Cuba.
- It feels like we are in a time warp.
I mean, look at this.
How many of these-- 60,000 of these cars running around this entire city? - The fact that they are still running is the first thing that's mind-boggling.
How they're still running is the real trick.
I mean, you think it's gonna change when the embargo goes away? - Get better parts, right? - You know what? I don't think these cars and these people are gonna be changed that much.
Yeah, there'll be more tourists.
There'll be more shops and restaurants, stuff like this, but what makes these cars so special is what they represent to the people, the fact that they've been passed down for years and years, the fact that they've done whatever it took to keep 'em running.
I mean, these represent the heyday of this country.
These cars will still be as important in the future as they are right now.
- One word: rematch.
Let's just line up on this straightaway right here.
- We're on our way out.
Drop the top.
Enjoy a little more Cuba.
- Fine.
- All right.
- We're racing, right? - Okay.
Let's go.
- This one is winner takes all.
- Oh, is it? - Yeah.
- Yeah, the other ones he lost don't count.
[lively music.]