Racing From Havana To Miami

By Miguel Caparros 

Originally written June 30th 2011

Photos By Rogelio Caparros from the book "Grand Prix From Havana To Miami"

It is interesting how certain events can trigger memories and the angst of how to put them down on paper. The recent passing of Peter Faulk and the memories lately of Columbo and of his side kick, the Peugeot 403 Cabriolet has stirred nostalgia for what may be Karyn's and my favorite car brand of all time. 

My history with Peugeot goes back to my old mentor Claude Meder and Cuba when I was a boy. My father would take me everywhere with him. From the symphony to the chess club then to the shop that he was a partner in where all the exotic cars were sold and serviced. Then onto the errands to drop off a starter at the re-builders and always a stop at Claude Meder's shop where French was the first language. The shop was surrounded by every kind of French car you could imagine and some that were complete mysteries. 

Claude came to Cuba as a young man, a political refuge when the Germans occupied France during world war II. A master mechanic that apprenticed with Panhard and Renault in Paris. His knowledge of French cars was second to non. Among the Renault 4CV's the Citroen Traction Avant, a couple of Bugatti's, assorted Simca's and other French makes were the race cars. Claude was also a very accomplished race car driver and his successes in the most car crazy culture in the Americas permitted him to be the representative for Panhard, Renault and Peugeot. Race prepared versions of each of the manufacturers cars were present. A tiny 750 cc Renault 4CV, a not much larger Panhard Dyna, and the big dog of the bunch, the Peugeot 203, still small by American car standards. 

This was the time of over the road races all thru out Cuba, Mexico, Central America and Argentina. Cuba Was centrally located and was the home base for many of the manufactures team that actually raced what hey sold. Cuba had a very active series of over the road races as did Argentina and Mexico. To put it into perspective, these were full blown over the road rallies with mountain passes, paved roads, secondary dirt roads and high speed 2 lane highways where the fastest cars could reach over 180 miles per hour. Roads through the desserts that could barely be called roads. This is in the era of bias ply tires, drum brakes and no power steering. Seat belts, roll over protection and helmets were optional. My father told me of the Mexican leg of the Carrera Pan Americana road race of 1954, he shared a DC3 chase plane with Chris Economaki and some other journalist. They were using it as a camera platform and crossing a desert in the high plains. The DC3 was maintaining a cruise speed of 180 mph and the Mercedes SL's, Ferraris, Maseratis some of the Buicks and one Studebaker were going faster than the plane. 

Claude was a wizard of blue printing engines. He got the most out of the tiny engines the European cars had. What the Panhard and the Peugeot had over the big cars was handling, better brakes, lighter weight, and much less need to stop for fuel. But the secret weapon that no one took into consideration were the Michelin X radial tires. There was no such thing as a sprint race in over the road races. The short ones were 200 miles, the long ones a 1,000 or more. All these reasons where why the small displacement cars of 70 horsepower or less were sometimes threatening the over all winners. I actually got to see Claude driving the Panhard Dyna , another time the Peugeot 203 where he placed 5^th overall, two places ahead of my fathers Austin Healy 100 LM. 

Now we can fast forward to the 1960's. I was working part of my summers as Claude's apprentice at his shop in Miami, I was also my fathers crew running the Renault R8 Gordini in road races and I served as navigator in rallies. When I turned 16, Claude used his influence for me to become a development driver for Renault. My first car at 16 was a Peugeot 403. Fathers 1966 Gordini was replace by a new Peugeot 404 in 1968. Then a 504 in 1970. The 68 404 was handed down to Karyn and I in 1973. That was the car she learned to drive a standard transmission on. Our first children were protected by the armor of the 404. In 1982 we sold the 404 with 250,000 miles and still driving and looking like new to a young couple that needed reliable transportation to get married in Texas. Although I drove for Renault I truly enjoyed racing in dad's 404, it was a very forgiving car that only had a top speed of 105 mph but could maintain 90+ no mater the terrain or weather. It felt as safe as a brick house. 

Although people always associated us with our businesses of exotic cars, Rolls Royce, Ferrari and Porsche, in the back ground was an ex rally car that served the family for 14 years when we wanted fun performance and inconspicuous transportation we had our trusty Peugeot 404.

The 1951 Fordyllac

By Miguel Caparros.

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In early in 1951 my father bought a 51 Ford Convertible. His plan was to exploit a hole in the Over The Road Racing Rules that did not forbid engine swaps. Dad somehow acquired a brand new 1951 Cadillac Overhead Valve V8 of 330 cubic inches, the "Hemi" of its time. He apparently had the engine before the car and his shop balance and blueprint the engine. In the process he discovered a Californian named ED Iskenderian who was working some magics with cams to find more power. The 51 went directly from the port of Havana to the shop where the 85 horsepower flathead was replaced by the 300 horsepower Cadillac V8. The Fordyllac was born. Speaking of being born, in November of 51 that was the car that took me and my mom, in a hurry, to the hospital when it was time for me to join this world. Mother was not much of one for speed, as a matter of fact she was terrified riding in a car. The ride to the hospital is a story I heard 10,000 times if I heard it once.

The Fordyllac became a legend! Due to the long time it takes rules to be changed Dad figured there was nothing that could catch it for the first year. The light weight of the Ford combined with the Cady Muscle also caused a few expected and unexpected issues. The Ford overdrive 3 speed was not quite up to the torque of the big V8. The Crafty Cuban mechanics at the shop somehow created a LaSalle 3 speed overdrive transmission and history has lost what overdrive unit they used. Next thing to get attention was the differential that was twisting axles and shredding gears, a Cady diff was made the appropriate size to fit in the Ford. Brakes were also an issue and the correction for this was to fit the brakes from a Lincoln limo. All these niggling breakdowns were keeping the Fordyllac out of the Victory Circle. For 1952 the rules were re-interpreted to eliminate convertibles from competition. Much to the competitors chagrin the first race in 1952 the 51 Fordyllac made its appearance with a coupe hard top properly welded in place. The Fordyllac went on to a few wins but at this point the factory teams were getting up to speed and getting very hard to beat. In 1954 the old Fordyllac was being left in the dust of the Buicks so for 55 the Ford got a new home and we acquired a new Studebaker Speedster, smaller engine trade for better aerodynamics. Stay tuned for that story.

Testosterone Running Poor Decisions

by Miguel Caparros

Testosterone running poor decisions has been the undoing of many men and women. Poor judgement in the effort to show off, rears its ugly head. At some point it happens to us all, it is part of what makes us tick and also so dangerous. My earliest memory of testosterone experience was when I was maybe 5, I really wanted to ride my big sisters 26 inch bicycle. She asked me to watch it while she visited a friend. The temptation was too great. I hopped on pushed off and took off on the downhill run on the sidewalk. As momentum turned into speed  I was in ecstasy with the resulting increase, fear gave way to the accomplishment that I was riding a BIG bike! As gravity accelerated the bike, I had to face the reality of figuring out how to stop. I was too small to activate the brakes.  Nearing our house and quickly reaching the end of the sidewalk I chose to run into a hedge as a way to stop. It did not do the bike much good, broke the fork and bent the front tire, I sustained minor scrapes and scratches and had to face the wrath of my 13 year old sister who on one hand wanted to kill me on the other she was worried that I was seriously hurt. I was not and Federico, our handy man had her bike fixed as good as new in a couple of days. This adventure eventually led to me to be a professional risk taker. I have spent a lifetime on the edge and perhaps that may be the reason that the survivor in me figured out early on were the limits are. But most of all, the need to show off always was balanced by the need to do no harm to others. I have done a thousand burn outs at the drag strip, never once on the street or a parking lot full of people, NEVER. I have raced on the streets, but always in a controlled environment. The consequences to innocents in my mind, has always overruled the need to just show off. I am guilty of trying to set land speed records at 3 am, again with the though of doing no harm.