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DARIEN, Conn. Hank Gioiella was the only person to bid on John Lennon's 1972 Chevrolet station wagon at an auction on New Year's Day. The Darien resident, who spent about four months working on it so that it would run, showed it off Sunday at the sixth annual Darien Collectors' Car Show at Tilley Pond Park.
"It sort of floats," Gioiella said of the car, which Lennon owned from 1972 until his death in 1980. Gioiella bought the car for his son, a big fan of Lennon's music and worldview, and will donate the car to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Beatles.
Dozens of car owners exhibited their vehicles at the show, which benefited Aging in Place in Darien. Rowayton residents Paul and Hadley Veeder were there with their 1966 Mustang Coupe, which Paul's father bought new.
"Everybody's said that they originally owned one and wished they still had it," Paul said. He likes the Mustang because it has the look of a classic car plus it has sentimental value. He also loves driving it. "It's really powerful." The Coupe was originally bought for $3,000 and has only 47,500 miles on it. With the exception of a new vinyl roof and a paint job, the car still has all of its original parts.
Otto Patzelt from Fairfield bought his 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible in 1998. "I love the color. If you own a convertible, it's got to be red." The car was one of the first to feature a V8 engine and includes power windows and seats, rare features for a 1955 car.
He said the 1957 model crops up more frequently than the 1955 version. "They made about 24,000, but not that many survived. It drives well, it reaches highway speeds with no problem."
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