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Margaret

This is Margaret, our 1959 Chevrolet Impala. Original straight-6 235 ci engine with original manual transmission.

Margaret is our third car. We purchased her in 2013, in Artemisa province. She was painted in (faded) cream color. All four tires popped on the way home (a tow truck covered the last kilometers). Buying this car was the cause of serious friction in our marriage - it was totally above our budget, but Julio managed a very good deal and Nidialys finally gave in.

The handbook of this Chevrolet showed an original black color, so we adhered to our rules and we painted her shiny black. We named her Margaret after a special person.

Margaret played a prominent role in the opening of the American embassy in Havana. She drove John Kerry, Secretary of State under President Obama, during his diplomatic mission. With Nadine for stars, and Lola for lovers, Margaret is definitely the favorite of businesspeople and politicians.

As you can see, by 1959 things got really wild in the tailfin department. Instead of the typical vertical fashion, Chevrolet went for flat fins, which combined with a very busy grilled got rival designers to describe this Impala as a “Martian Ground Chariot”.

Brand
Chevrolet
Model
Impala (1959)
Engine
Chevrolet 235 - 6-cylinder
Fuel
Gasoline
Steering and suspension
Original
Transmission
Chevrolet manual
Air conditioning
Yes

Gallery Before

Gallery After

Let’s go for a ride!

We are Julio & Nidialys. We own and operate NostalgiCar Tours & Garage. We have a fleet of beautifully restored vintage American cars from the 1950s. We drive visitors from around the world on tours and transfers around Havana and other Cuban destinations, on a unique people-to-people experience.

We combine our passion for classic cars with our love for our country Cuba.

Come ride with us while we tell you our story about building such a business in Cuba. You can also experience the action at our garage, where we return our American classics to their original splendor.