Do Something Crazy

I know it's been another two week gap in regards to writing the "weekly" blog. Last weekend, being the Labor Day holiday, the weather was way nicer than any of the local meteorologists said it was going to be, so my three days off from my regular job consisted of zero time being spent indoors; which meant zero time writing a blog post. I was lucky to actually sit down at the laptop on Tuesday and Wednesday to get all the pictures I took off my camera and phone. The thing is - even though a post did not get published last weekend, I didn't lose my shit over it. In fact, it didn't even bother me. The way I figured, unless you lived in the middle Atlantic states where your weekend was a total washout, you as well probably spent some serious time outside and not biting your finger nails waiting for my next post. If you were, you need to seriously get a life - now.

My wife has known for several years now, that my next hot rod / go-fast rig is going to be a rat rod of the early 1930's vintage; most likely a Ford. I actually entertained the idea of purchasing an old truck (Dodge, Ford or Chevy - I'm not picky) with a built range between the mid-30's to 1950. I even considered a one or one and a half ton dually for about a day or so. When I mentioned the dually part, my wife shot me a look she hasn't in years. She really didn't have to say anything, I knew what she was thinking. That's the double-edge sword of being married for 31+ years. She's very cool about the hot rod and muscle car scene (especially owning one), and she's adjusted very well to the fact that yes, a rat rod (that's not too damn ugly) will indeed inhabit the driveway. However, with all her patience, understanding, and support of one of my few hobbies, she has her line in the sand. She said one sentence - "...I can't handle you doing something that crazy again."

The thought of modifying and somewhat restoring an old dually left a short time later, especially when I started adding up the costs, and not from a divorce. Basic items like brakes, steering, and suspension components don't grow on trees anymore and the after-market has yet to really step in on stuff like this, especially with conversion parts to swap to modern components. Another major factor is I don't live out in Arizona, California, or the southern US, where rust free used parts would still be available from a collector of sorts. Could I buy this stuff through the internet? Sure - you wanna pay the shipping charges?

I revisit the finer details of the rat rod idea every now and again, and I have come to one conclusion; when I do purchase one, it will be at least 90% finished. It will run, drive, stop, and be 100% functional with lights, wipers, comfy seats, and maybe even a stereo - even though I know the tunes part goes completely against the rat rod genre. You're supposed to listen to the melodic sounds of the motor. I guess I am coming to grips with my age as well as my physical abilities. After completely restoring an antique Chevy truck about five years ago, I vowed never to do that much paint and body work again. I'm sticking to that vow. But my mind still wants to do something that's at least a little crazy. Searching online, I found a 1931 Ford Model A rat rod that, for all practical purposes, I could drive home and enjoy. It has Cadillac power (a first for me), a perfect patina Mother Nature paint job, wide white wall tires - the works. And when you consider the cost of "building a project car" nowadays, the asking price is very reasonable, if not a borderline steal.

Have you ever had the thought process of what will happen AFTER said project car is finished?  And I don't mean selling it either. I have done this on several occasions and it's happening again on my potential rat rod purchase. That's when you know hot rodding is a disease - when you plan things that you're going to do with this rig and you haven't even bought it yet. One thing I would do is to not only visit but participate in the Race of Gentlemen in Wildwood New Jersey. This event has been taking place for  approximately eight years now and is totally awesome, especially when you couple the fact that it takes place right on the beach on the Atlantic.

The history behind the event is just as cool. Going back to November 1947, eight guys from California met over coffee and formed a roadster and custom car club, called the Oilers. Their first president was Jim Nelson. Membership grew and by mid-1948, Nelson’s passion for racing brought the groups members and the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) together. Nelson’s friend and SCTA founder, Wally Parks, announced his plans to form the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), in 1949. Nelson stepped up to help and became one of their earlier technical inspectors.

Fast forward to 2008 - when a group of traditional hot rod enthusiasts meet with Jim Nelson at his home. The group heard stories first hand as Nelson relived the good ole days. An instant bond was formed and Nelson, with no hesitation, passed the torch on, opening a new chapter in the Oilers history. Now, a hand-picked group of ten individuals still carries on that tradition at two locations; in New jersey as well as in California. If you want to see true, as-it-really-was in the beginning, drag racing - this is it. The two best parts are 1). The NJ event takes place in early June, so it's not brutally hot. 2). A weekend pass is only $60 per adult (as of 2016). Okay, your lodging and food are going to add to the cost, but still an incredible bang for the buck.

Hopefully I'll be back next week. Until then, peace out.
Dave

Old Cars Are Talking - Are We Listening?

It's been a very busy month here at Full Throttle and Vintage V8 Photography. The summer is drawing to a close, and there's the deluge of car shows and events that seem to be crammed into every weekend now through Labor Day and even a little bit beyond. It's gotten to the point that it's becoming difficult to write a post every weekend - as was the case last weekend. As I'm writing this, it's just after 5am and I'm on my second large cup of java. So - enough bitching; what have we been up to?

Part of it was some much needed vacation days. However, even while on vacation, my wife still knows that A). I'm a vintage car guy and B). That I'm a photographer. I've come to the conclusion that you don't need a car show to actually engage in a car show.  Case in point - while on one said vacation day last weekend, my wife and I took a day trip to the central part of Maine to visit a beautiful lake and beach we hadn't been to in about three years. It takes a while to get there, as you have to take rural state routes and back roads to complete the journey. That right there, is half the fun. It can also lead to cool cars, regardless of condition, and photo opportunities. We stumbled across a small town repair shop not far from the lake that had six old rusty vehicles ranging from the mid 30's up to the mid 60's. All these vehicles were in really hard shape. Some were so rusty, I was ready to give my camera a tetanus shot.

After getting home and looking at the photos, I can just imagine the stories these heaps could tell. But then I realized - they were already talking... was I listening? Some car enthusiasts would've seen these vehicles and driven right on by without a second look, merely due to the fact that they weren't in good condition or better. One guy actually stopped and was curious as to what I was doing. After chatting him for a few minutes, (and him realizing that I had already taken 50+ pictures), he thought I was nuts. He asked me why I was wasting my time on this junk and told me about his brothers mint early 70's Chevelle he had fixed up and I should take pictures of his vehicle instead. He even showed me pictures of the Chevelle that were on his phone. I tried to explain to him that these rusty forgotten vehicles as well as his brothers Chevelle were all equally important. Needless to say, the other guys deer-in-headlights look got even worse. I took his name, his brothers name and cell number and told him I would try to give him a call.

I was reading something similar in the latest issue of Car Craft about a 1970 Chevelle SS found in a storage lot as well as an unrestored as-driven Boss 429 Mustang. While both these cars are far from mint (the Chevelle needs way more work than the Mustang which is still in remarkable shape considering what it's been through for almost 50 years). The bottom line regarding both these cars as stated by their owners; "... these cars are part of our heritage and culture. They need to be preserved and not written off as too far gone or as parts cars." The Mustang in question, will need much less work to

bring it back to very nice condition, but even then, steps are being taken to preserve as much of its originality as possible. For example, the company handling the restoration, will clean, re-dye, and reuse the original carpet. Could they spend about $150 bucks and just install a new one? Sure. But there are subtle differences between the original and the reproduction. Ditto with the spark plug wire set. While not the originals, they are period correct. Chances are, the originals were changed for these later date-coded Ford wires that were installed during a dealership tune-up service in the early 70's. Both these cars are offering clues into their past - are we listening?

The next time you go to a car show, or a nostalgic drag meet, just don't look at the cars, engage in them and their owners. Chances are, you'll come away with some interesting stories, facts, and folk-lore. While not all of it may be true, it is interesting to hear about bench-racing and local legends. I was photographing an original 1951 Chevy recently. It was pretty much a bread and butter vehicle from that era, but the old man who owned it was full of history and fun facts about his car. He told of how he had owned it for years and modified it (or hot-rodded it as he put it). This classic ride had all the cues from a history book - from the vintage speed parts, to the old tacky dice hanging from the rear view mirror that were purchased from the J.C. Whitney catalog about 60 years ago for $1.95. The owner of that car was talking, as what the car - was I listening?

Until next time, peace out.
Dave

The Old Guy

I'm turning 53 next week and I've come to the conclusion that at this stage of my life, it's just a number. That may sound cynical to some, but over my lifetime, I've had more than enough birthday parties, cake, ice cream, and balloons of various colors and sayings. At the garage where I work, I've had three co-workers, all of whom are under the age of 25, ask me if I'm going to take the day off. My response has been, "Why? - It's just my birthday." - and they seem more than a bit surprised. I guess I was raised in a generation where that didn't happen, where as it's common place today. As of this juncture, I still don't know why it's commonplace. 

Maybe I'm feeling a bit more nostalgic lately, not because I'm another 365 days older, but because of numerous changes in the automotive industry. I was reading an article last week how the author stated we were losing yet another vehicle design staple that has been around for more than 100 years; the sedan. Yes, the 4-door. This was one vehicle type I thought would never die. But think about it for a minute - Chrysler (ie; Fiat) is killing off it's Dart / 200 platform and Buick is axing it's midsize Regal, and there are no replacements in sight. I didn't even realize the Ford Taurus is now only available in China. Police vehicles? In our neck of the woods, they are all going to the Ford Explorer. That also begs the question, what will happen to the Dodge Charger R/T, the Chrysler 300C, and the Chevy SS after 2017? The manufacturers are just following a true-to-form platform they've always adhered to; they're building cars the public wants (or at least that's what they think). Trucks and SUV's have made a very strong comeback this year, and CUV's (crossover utility vehicles) are now the number one seller and platform with consumers.

Later that afternoon after reading this article, I chilled out on my patio and observed Sunday traffic, especially since a good number of tourists were leaving our area now that a well-known local festival was over. I was amazed at just how many people were driving CUV's. I never noticed before and now that I did, it was to the point of scary. I also did a photo shoot a few days later at a classic car show / cruise in, and for the first time in a while, I really took in the curves, lines, and design cues of a blue and white

4-door '56 Chevy BelAir, complete with Baby Moon wheel covers and wide white-wall tires, as well as an extremely rare but cool '66 Dodge Coronet sedan with a factory 426 Hemi engine. Both were suddenly so damn cool again. Ditto with an old Ford wagon that was there. And I thought, am I going to feel the same 25 years from now about a 2015 Charger R/T? Over the years, roadsters, sedan deliveries, and vehicles like the El Camino have come and gone. I guess I'll just to wait and see as we plow grille first into autonomous / CUV utopia...


I had another chance last week while working at
the shop to prove I'm sort of a dinosaur. I have a Johnny Lightning Zinger on my desk that happens to be a 1965 Nova SS altered wheelbase drag racer on steroids. I think it's cool. I had a young lad, just south of nine, ask me about it - as in what is it. I also showed him my computer desktop wallpaper that is a bright orange 1964 Ford Falcon A/FX car with Hilborn injection stacks atop a 427 Cammer motor. He got as far as the vehicles are dragged raced and that's about it. When I showed him the "collector card" that comes with each Zinger, with it's wildly depicted art of wheelies, burnouts, and fire coming out of the open headers, then he really got into it. I had a duplicate card of the same model, so I gave him the one I showed him. The boy thought we won the lottery - his Mom... well, I'm not so sure. While the young squeaker didn't even come close to understanding what I was talking about, maybe a seed was planted for the future in regards to old-school drag racing, A/FX cars and Gassers, the sports history, and maybe hot rods in general. Without the enthusiasm of the youth, we'll be dead in the water.

Until next time, peace out and pay it forward,
Dave

A Matter Of Rust

I never knew a 1959 Chevy Impala could set a guy off on a 10-minute diatribe. Obviously, the Impala can't, but it was an interesting scenario to watch when I was doing a photo shoot at a local car show recently. His beef was how this rusty old car could be considered so cool; "Jeez - I'm sick of this "barn find" craze! First rat rods... now this! What ever happened to all those immaculate restorations we use to see?"

The answer is simple - the hot rodding world is ever changing; and that's a good thing. Can you imagine a muscle car show where every single vehicle was restored to 100% factory original? Or how about pro street rigs that still adhered to the bright colors and chrome out the wazoo because the trends from the 1980's were never challenged? Or, I tell you what; toss those particular trends out the window - heck, toss every trend out - and think about what if all muscle cars and street rods were all in excellent condition? No projects in progress, no rat rods, no original survivors. No diversity, no new ideas, no new horizons to challenge. Our car hobby would be butt-ass boring.

Have you seen the GTO that's on the cover of the latest issue of Muscle Car Review? The goat in question is a 1969 Carousel Red GTO Judge... the hood and engine is missing and there's a small tree growing up where those components used to reside. Also in that issue is an unrestored 1970 Plymouth Superbird, complete with ripped vinyl roof and interior, as well as a documented 1969 SCCA Trans-Am Z-28 Camaro that's an absolute basket case. And these are three out of the five feature cars. This particular issue isn't like a one-off publication. I've been seeing the barn find theme in MCR about three times a year. Welcome to embracing another aspect of our hobby.

I know I've touched on this before - I tend to gravitate towards unrestored vehicles and if they've been graced with a good dose of patina, that's just icing on the cake. Call them what you will - rat rods, barn finds, beaters, drivers; go for it. Then I'll mention that those are all different sub-categories in the same genre of cars. I am comfortable in saying that I prefer these rides compared to a totally restored vehicle. I don't even play the "only original once" card anymore. To me, a less-than-prestine vehicle shows a life that has been lived like it was meant to be experienced. The other side of the coin is, that it's your ride - do with it as you will. But as for me, if I purchased that 1959 Impala - I wouldn't change a thing.

The funny thing is, the terms of "unrestored", "original" and "barn find" have been around for about a decade in regards to vintage drag race cars compared to the 3-4 years in the street car arena. The other piece of irony was you never heard anything negative about it and it was embraced with open arms. I could never figure that out. Is it because drag racing machines from the late 50's through the early 70's were more crude to begin with and they always stayed that way? Is it because no one has sunk over $200,000 in a quarter mile machine from that era? Is it because Rad Rides By Troy or the Ring Brothers have never built something crude and full of patina? Were we spoiled or tainted by decades of over-the-top street rod builds and muscle car restorations that, after all these years, we just expect vehicles at car shows or in parades to be mint or flawless? I'm not looking for answers - just throwing things out into cosmic gearhead void. (Photo courtesy Bob Boudreau, 8/70)

You may have noticed there was no weekly post for Saturday 7/31/16. Between car shows, cruise-ins, parades, and this funny thing called a full time job, we just didn't have the time to put something up here. We should be posting here again next week despite the fact that the summer season is still going full tilt. After Labor Day, things should start to wind down a little. Note that key word there... should.

Until next time, peace out.
Dave

What? Why?

I was asked these exact questions in a text I received this week from a good friend of mine. I had posted a picture on Facebook detailing the right front headlight area on a beat-up 1959 Dodge Custom Royal that was awaiting a serious restoration at a garage in a nearby town. She didn't fully understand why I took such a tight, detailed photograph of this heap until I explained more of the details. Details like rust, patina, the concept of weathered objects in a life-after-people throw away society - and the fact it's one of several niche genres I digitally capture and then hopefully sell reprints of later on.

It's the same deal here - What? Why? I've been asked this multiple times as to why I write and photograph what I do. First off, I love what I write about - I have been a fan of muscle cars, street rods and 60's era drag racing since I was a kid. Growing up in the 60's and 70's definitely helped. Owning and being involved with classic Detroit iron for almost 40 years has also been a plus. Lastly, I have a yen for any type of motor-sports and hot rodding that's totally off the wall. If it contains mega-wow factor or makes me laugh my ass of while I'm engaging in it, all the better. Is it safe to say that I drool over off the hook hot rods and/or rat rods? Or really odd-ball muscle cars? Or how about muscle cars that were "never built" by the factory, but in fact, several documented examples actually exist? You betcha. You want weird, but hilarious motor-sports? On it - that's why I did a blurb on Barbie Jeep racing.

Speaking of rare, odd-ball muscle cars, ever hear the story of the two 1970 Olds Vista Cruiser wagons that were built with all the 4-4-2 option hardware including the W-30 455 V-8 engine? While one of the wagons whereabouts is still unknown as of this writing, the other one is believed to be alive and well in a private collection. While the model was never offered to the public, two Vista Cruiser Wagon were built by Oldsmobile as a 4-4-2 with the W-30 package. The engine was a 370 HP 455 CID V-8  producing a diesel-like 500 pound-feet of torque at 3,600 rpm. Other W-30 features included the now-incredibly rare lightweight air induction W-25 fiberglass hood. After both Vista Cruiser's were built, they were taken off the assembly line by Oldsmobile Engineering and turned into W30s with all of the special 442 parts, before being handed over to Popular Hot Rodding magazine for testing. Nicknamed “The Wonder Wagons”. Along the way, one wagon was snapped up by the late Oldsmobile expert Joe Mondello, who owned the car until his death in 2011. The other wagon was reported to have been shipped to Car Life magazine in Japan and is believed to have been sold to someone in that country.

It seems street rods in these modern times carry less shock value and more wow-appeal. There have been some builds lately that do more than raise the bar - they define a balance between unparallel workmanship and rolling art. But every once in a while, one comes along and totally upsets the apple cart - and I feel that's a good thing. Take for example this 1929 Tudor hot rod. Never mind the chopped and channel job that's been done. Dig the open exhaust... or the fact is has no front brakes. That's right - zero. Only rear brakes. It may say 28 C/G for a certain Gasser class in drag racing, but this beast is street driven regularly.

Now, how about strange but true motor-sports. How strange?  How about drag-racing motorcycles made of farm equipment? Summertime snowmobiling in Wisconsin? Did I mention tractor-trailer drifting? Since mankind’s earliest days, the never-ending quest to somehow go faster has always been a powerful force. But somewhere along the line, something went a bit haywire. Either by coincidence, accident, or defiance, automotive enthusiasts have taken unsuspecting forms of transportation and modified them into some pretty bizarre styles of racing.

 - Our first example is a brilliant blend of farm equipment, bored country folk, tractor pulls, motorcycles, and good 'ol drag racing ingenuity. Outside of a few suspension tweaks and some seriously knobby tires, these bikes are the exact same thing you see drag racing at the local strip, with 1200+ cc motors, some outfitted with nitrous, and even the occasional turbocharger upping the ante.

 -  First held in Grantsburg, Wisconsin back in July of 1977, the obscure form of racing commonly referred to as summer sledding, has been held every year since its inception. Originally designed as a challenge to see who could make it 300 feet from the island on Memory Lake to the shore, this oddity has since transformed into a competition where over 100 racers compete in both drags and ovals, with an eight-lap championship run capping things off. In a sport like this it’s a “sink or skim” experience, so these snowmobiles often get stripped-down and beefed-up before being unleashed on a lake.

 -  Words simply cannot describe our last entry. The sport of drifting is obviously nothing new. But when a 15,000-pound big-rig with over 1,100 horsepower shreds a course, it makes regular cars look like yawn city. Piloted by Michiel Becx, who was also the brains behind the Becx-TDS Racing team, a video is the only way to truly capture this beacon of automotive ingenuity and driver prowess while behind the wheel. The video is 6+ minutes long, but is truly amazing. https://youtu.be/OT8Eh7BBqOQ

Until next time, stay crazy.
Dave

Rain Dates And Delays

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once said, "... into each life some rain must fall". That is ringing more than true as I write this. It is pouring like a bastard. While numerous local meteorologists will mention that we need the rain, a gamut of vintage automobile enthusiasts wish the liquid sunshine occurred while we're working during the week. Looking back over the past two months however, I must admit, the weather has been spectacular here in coastal Maine. This has led to more car buffs than usual to bring out their Detroit iron that they may not have done otherwise. But what do you do when the skies open up, sometimes unexpectedly? We live with it, and drive our hot rods anyway.

While some enthusiasts will disagree with me, I will always give kudos to the "more hardcore" group who are not afraid to drive when the sky is crying. I remember when I owned my street / strip Mustang that was a borderline drag car - people used to ask me how I could drive it in the rain, especially when I knew it was in the forecast? Well, first off, the vehicle was water tight - even with it's aftermarket sunroof driving through a car wash. Second of all, it had wipers. That's what they were intended for. At times, it did get a bit entertaining keeping all the windows defrosted, because much of the original Ford HVAC system had been removed in the pursuit of speed, but I managed.

One of the biggest car shows of the season here in Maine is still taking place this weekend. The organization does not do rain dates. The only time they do, is if there's REALLY adverse weather in the forecast - like hurricanes, severe thunderstorms with hail, or tornadoes. Their theory is, if it poses a substantial threat to participants, then let's not be that stupid. But some moderate steady rain? No problem. This museum still believes in the creed of a vehicle is meant to be enjoyed as well as driven. Yes, the number of vehicles this year will be much thinner compared to previous years, but a hardy 50-75 vehicles will still show up. It's still a bummer more don't brave the elements - normally there's 600+ vehicles.

Major drag racing events have fallen victim to Mother Nature. Whether you're old enough or not, ever read about the 1962 NHRA Winter Nationals that were held out in Pamona California? Why this particular year? Because this was one of those rare times when the elements win out. Rain delayed the event for a week. Event organizers were worried that most of the scheduled and registered participants would not stick around for when the weather finally cleared. Don't forget - this was when the NHRA was in it's infancy. Every event, participant, and spectator counted. But, history would show that drag racers were just as hardy as other sports enthusiasts. Ninety percent of the people registered stuck it out until the skies cleared and the event was history in the making. The '62 Winter Nationals was where many us first witnessed A/FX cars as well as classic muscle cars featuring a plethora of high performance like 409 V-8 Chevy's, 421 Super Duty Pontiac's, 406 6-barrel Fords, and the crazy 413 cubic inch Max Wedge from Chrysler. Dragsters and some drivers were finally coming into their own. It was a memorial and historical time.

Face it - it's only rain. One of these days, we're all bound to get caught in it whether we plan to or not. We're not going to melt and neither is the ride. Don't let the weather be a total buzz kill. Get out and enjoy your street rod, muscle car or truck, rat rod, or vintage ride. Besides - we'll be complaining how cold it is in less than six months anyways...

Until next time, peace out.
Dave

Freedom

Freedom; noun - the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint to oneself and/or to others. When it comes to high performance vehicles of any genre - be it muscle cars, rat rods, or any custom hot rod build - freedom can be a tough exercise to execute even if you own the rig you're restoring, or modifying, or building. I can remember when I owned a '79 Chevy C-10 and it was finally time to paint it. It took me a year to figure out the paint scheme and colors I wanted and after that, it took several friends and myself nine months to pull it off in our spare time - but it was all worth it. However, if I had a dollar for every piece of free advise, or suggestion, or recommendation, I could take 2 weeks vacation from work... and that was just on the paint job. Some people were upset that I didn't use all Chevy colors (only the orange was a Corvette color) or that I didn't paint it Hugger Orange like everyone else did. The kicker was, after I sold it, there were about 4-5 other trucks rather similar to it...

I received similar "guidance" in regards to the engine, transmission, tires, and wheels, but nothing compared to when I totally customized the interior. Many people didn't understand what I was doing while it was in process, but when it was finished, they loved it. However, there were some who hated it - and sternly advised me to change it back to stock. The picture to the left is very close to what I did, minus the seats, as I've lost most of the pictures taken back then to a massive computer crash. I've always been one to follow the "dare to be different" mode. Think about it - if we all did the same thing when it came to our hot rods, where would be be? It's a rabbit hole I do not wish to venture down.

I belong to several photography groups on Facebook, and the two I post to the most involve cars as well as other objects and landscapes that just reek of rust, patina, or that are weathered, etc. I think this one reason why, as I've noted before, I am so attracted to beaters and vintage Detroit iron that has been graced by patina.

While a beautifully restored muscle car or street rod will ring my bell, one that is original with patina and is weathered, will ring a whole bunch of them. I find myself, especially at photo shoots at car shows and cruise-ins, gravitating towards the rusty stuff. In fact, at the last two cruise-ins I attended, there were guys with pickups and flatbeds that offered far-from-pristine vintage car parts for sale. It ranged from flat-head Ford valve covers to an early 50's Olds Rocket 88 hood. I shot more pictures of the wares they were selling than any other vehicle. Needless to say, it made for interesting, but cool, conversation. It's freedom to photograph what I want.


I was reading an article this weekend about how a guy came to own and modify a 1929 Dodge Gasser style hot rod. While the 3" chop was already done and it was a very solid foundation to work with, it did not have an engine or transmission, as well as zero floor boards... and I mean nothing. However, the article went on to say that he had the freedom to built it the way he wanted to. In fact, he used a ton of miscellaneous other parts and cobbled together a ride where the end result was extremely reet. 

I also had a chance to watch Havana Motor Club via iTunes download. In a nutshell, this documentary tells the story of Cuba's vibrant underground drag racing community that's pretty much been in existence for the past 55+ years. While a great deal is spoken in Spanish, you don't need an interpreter to follow or relate to this movie. In a socialist country that, for the most part is rather poor, the ingenuity and the dare to be different mentality can be mind boggling. Many racers and mechanics make their own parts. Another racer uses an engine that he recovered from the ocean floor that was used in a ship that used to smuggle Cubans to America. Not every vehicle is pristine or American. But that doesn't matter - it can't. It is a true "united we stand, divided we fall" type situation. These people create freedom where there is little to none. 

Live, engage, and be grateful for your freedoms, people. And those freedoms don't include ridiculing  and/or mocking others negatively who don't happen to agree with you. That's not utilizing your freedom... that's you being an asshole. 

Until next time, peace out.
Dave