It is one of hundreds of old American cars playing on the streets of Cuba. Since the 1959 revolution in Cuba, relations between the country and the U.S. were strained. In 1962, The U.S. imposed an embargo against Cuba, by which trade stopped between the two nations. With no new cars being imported, the only American cars seen in Cuba belong to the period prior to the revolution. These classic cars like the 1957 Chevrolet, 1953 Ford, 1958 Dodge are large, hence the slang name ‘yank tank’.
As it is virtually impossible to get spare parts for these cars, owners use their ingenuity to keep them up and running. While some adapt household items as parts, many convert them to accept replacement engines, usually Soviet diesel engines.
There are about 60,000 yank tanks in Cuba, many of which ply as taxis.
The term ‘yank tank’ is also used by Canadians and Australians to describe any American car that is large and unwieldy. The usage came about in England after World War II when the large-sized extravagant American cars contrasted with the economical small sized British cars.
Picture Credit : Google