I have Andy Southards "Hot Rods of the 1950's" that is full of some awesome autograghs.....the highlight is Ed Roth and his sons. Ed Iskendarian was hard to pin down. The Choppers are in there too. I also have Ryans that will be worth millions someday.
Got, Don Garlits Don the snake Prudhomme Ronnie Sox Don Schumacher and oh yea, Elvis Presley on a white scarf (hahaha)
Back in '81 we made a driving trip to Cali. from Alberta. I was looking for SBC tripower set up and some how we ended up at Dean Moon's shop. Hung around the place for a few hours while he made some calls for me. We couldn't connect so he sent us over the Pomona Swap meet the next day. I bought some Moon hubcaps and he signed one of his catalog covers and gave me fist full of decals. At that time I really didn't understand how improtant he was ........
Got tons of drag racers signatures over the years, along with a bunch of circle track guys also. Not to mention some signed books & art prints like Youngblood, Jeff Caudle, Tom Daniel & James Ibusuki. My favorite is still a Rat Fink "diorama" I did that Ed Roth signed though. I don't consider myself an autograph hound but if I think it's neat to have something signed to remember a moment. I don't buy signed items & I don't sell 'em either!
I was honored to get Juan Manuel Fangio's autograph when he was honored at the Monterey Historics in 1991. That year he drove all the cars he won World Championships in; Alfa Romeo brought the Tipo 159 Alfetta, Mercedes brought the W196, and Ralph Lauren brought the Maserati 250F. Even the '39 Chevy stock car he drove in Argentina was there; I think Brock Yates owned it. He was supposed to take slow parade laps in these cars, but in the Mercedes he passed the 500SL pace car (Danny Sullivan driving) causing it to spin out, then proceeded to hot-lap Laguna Seca Raceway like he would have done in the old days. Normally I don't care about autographs but I was stoked to meet the man who had the balls to do that at his age (85 at the time)! When I got up to him a surge from the back of the crowd almost put me in his lap! He was gracious enough to stick around long enough to sign an autograph for everyone who wanted one. Truly a legend.
I have a model A dash that is signed by Barris, Roth, Von franco, Hot dog, Winfield, Foose, Robert Williams, Larry Watson, and a few others. I am hoping to get Dean Jefferies Littleman, and Plowboy to sign it before I die.
Gene Winfield autographed an issue of kustoms illustrated that my wagon was in, and Darryl Starbird autographed the dash on the same car when i won the Starbird award at the detroit autorama. oh yeah, i also got to sit in the LITTLE COFFIN!!!
Steve Stanford, George Barris Gene Windfield Bill Hines Pat Ganall all signed my 52 Chev glove box door at Paso 2006. I clear coated it when I got home to Aus. Wish I knew how to post pics on here Cheers
TInman, I'm pulling your quote just so people will read it again. That floored me. I've got tons of NHRA stuff just like so many of us do but most of it just sits in a drawer with NASCAR, NFL, MLB, etc. signatures. I never went anywhere planning to get an autograph but certainly would not disparage people that do. More power to you. Like so many on this thread have said, they help preserve a memory --positive or in Tinmans case--negative.The only one I have displayed is Ed Roth. I was chatting him up at WOW and happened to notice he had a print of RatFink driving a red Chevy II like mine. It is signed and on the wall behind glass!
Winfield equipped! Don't have to tell most of you that Mr. Winfield is great guy, and he'll talk to you all day long. He also autographed his book for me at Lima, Ohio Rebel Run. I also have a Roth autographed Rat Fink shirt, but don't wear it much because I don't want the Sharpie to wash out. It's kind of like the trailer queen of shirts now in my drawer.
I dont understand celebrity never did, I have met quite a few famous people and never paid anymore attention to them that I would anyone else. If working hard and being successful in what ever you do makes you a celebrity than I am surrounded by them. Gary
most of these guys mentioned are more than just celebs. they are the founders of all things hot rod/custom!!!
I know who they are and they all have interesting stories. I just dont get people gushing all over them. I have a friend who is in the NHL Hall of Fame, he is very well known. He is very gracious to his fans that is how he makes his living but it is a double edged sword he is never left alone. But to his friends he is just one of the guy's. Gary
I have some cool ones, lots of 50's & 60's race car drivers, Stirling Moss etc, a ton of drag racers, Dale Earnhardt & The King plus various other random people.
At the Gene Winfield Workshop in Midland, TX in 2006, I was showing Mr. Winfield some custom ideas I saw in the Fall 1992 issue of Custom Rodder Magazine when he says, "Hey, there's my old truck." Then without me even asking he signs his autograph right on the photo. Now that magazine is a keeper for sure. He is a gentleman with no pretentions. Another good reason to attend his workshops.
When I was a little younger I won the ED ROTH pick at a model car show. He signed the bottom of it and actually remembered me years later.
I gotta tell ya, I'm there too. However I do have a signed "Rat Fink" print and he did autograph my "Rat Fink" Zippo lighter for me, but I didn't wait for it. I just walked up like a fellow gearhead and said "Hey Ed would you mind...?" We had a good visit at 2 different Detroit Autoramas so it does mean something to me.
I have:Bo Hopkins,Candy Clark,John Costello (oregon drag racer) and Gene Winfield and Larry Watson, Sam Barris, Ed Roth,Shirley Muldowney,Don Garlits,etc. and non car related: John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
I was sitting at a PRI show drinking coffee one morning. Turns out the 2 guys I was bullshitting with was Smokey Yunick & Ed Almquist (remember Almquist Automotive ? ). Smokey gave me some posters & autographed one. Almquist autographed a copy of his book - Hotrod Pioneers. I talked to Almquist for a long time that day. Remember ads showing a guy with a bow tie selling 4 prong sparkplugs ? Thats him ! Spark-o-matic shifters were his product too. I hope he is alive & well.
These aren't autographs per se, but are some signed letters that were sent in 1949 from some of the prominent speed shop and manufacturers from the era. These are from Karl Orr, Vic Edelbrock sr. and Tom spalding. Mick
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