200 Cadillacs (and not only) in the field near Moscow

Here everyone has their own story.

Cars imported into the USSR cannot be with a simple history. After all, they could fall into the hands of only those who really deserved it. Politicians, military, scientists - all those who controlled the life of the country.

When they made a story, from the realization that you begin to experience some kind of inner awe and respect.

One of them was found somewhere in a haystack in the Krasnodar Territory - even during the Second World War, the Germans abandoned, and the locals hid in such a bizarre way.

Another turned out to be decommissioned from the KGB garage, although before that he had arrived in the USSR with Nixon and (according to unverified data) was presented to Brezhnev, then decommissioned from the KGB garage and ended up in some kind of railway dead end.

Someone just bought from a metal depot.

Another was to help Vasily Stalin recreate Soviet motorsport, but nothing came of it.

Now they are all carefully restored and stand in even rows in the hangars.

And moving from the depths of one of the hangars outward to the light along the orderly rows of the Cadillacs and Lincolns, one can very easily imagine how the epochs changed. The shape of the headlights, fenders, doors, radiator grilles changed, rear-view mirrors appeared, an automatic gearbox, the engine size increased, but the incredible charisma and dignity remained unchanged.

Huge hoods, 8-liter engines, upholstered sofas in the cabin, leather, wood, chrome ... Moving between the rows, you feel a little sadness because now you can not find such charismatic cars.

Rear-view cameras, parking sensors in a circle, automatic parking, cruise control, collision avoidance system and lane retention ... such familiar and convenient things without which it’s somehow uncomfortable to drive a car.

But once even the appearance of the automatic gearbox caused lawsuits and protests.

The car with the driver must be one, and the driver must be aware of and control everything that happens. And the automatic box deprives the driver of this control, which means that he ceases to own the situation, and this will affect security ... So the manual is much safer. Well, that was the logic.

What can I say, for a very long time Kaddilakov did not have a right rear-view mirror. After all, an attentive driver does not need it. Can you just turn your head? So, conservatism in action. And the lack of a mirror is a kind of tribute to the conservatives who built America from the automaker. A bit like a mechanical watch with arrows in Lexus today :)

And the vinyl roof - do you think this is a tribute to fashion and a hint of a convertible? It is not that simple. Vinyl was needed so that during the rain the passengers could not hear the drops drumming on the roof.