Classic car show brings colorful cruisers to Carson

"She's real fine, my 409" was a classic rock 'n roll song lyric, but the sentiment doesn't quite measure up to John Castiglione's 509 Chevy.

Castiglione, who retired to Minden in 2001, lovingly rebuilds cars of yesteryear. He was showing off his burnished green and white 1956 Chevrolet Saturday in the second-annual Carson City Car Show at Johnny Rockets restaurant.

"It took me three years to build," he said of the Chevy, which puts out 576 horsepower from the 509 power plant.

"This one and the (1971 Plymouth) Barracuda, I'm keepin'."

Castiglione, 68, has built a bunch of cars but enjoys talking with fellow car enthusiasts as much as selling them or showing them to win on occasion.

A retired plumbing coordinator for the San Diego school district, Castiglione said he just returned from a show in Pismo Beach, Calif., that attracted 1,200 cars.

This year's event at Johnny Rockets was still getting entries near mid-afternoon, and Ken Haskins, "the Rockin' Rev" doing disc jockey work for the day, said he hoped more than last year's 60 would show up.

Haskins said the show, which has a dozen sponsors, raises funds for his First Christian Church youth programs.

It was inspired by Tom Lloyd, a church member and classic car buff with many such autos of his own.