[mosteller]

Models that have been autographed by the driver/builder/owner or someone else associated with the 1:1, to me, adds very much to my appreciation of it. While I have never sought autographs before, I started doing so this spring in expectation of the 50th anniversery of the Road America race track that was held last weekend. I have been extremely fortunate in getting autographs since last May which include the following:

Exoto Cobra Daytona Coupe #98 autographed by both Carrol Shelby and Brian Redman ( while Redman had no involvement with the Daytona Coupes at the time, he ownes one and occassionally brings it to vintage races)

Exoto Ford GT 40 Mk IV #3, raced by Mario Andretti at '67 Le Mans; signed by both Andretti and Carrol Shelby

AUTOart Porsche 956 #21 (Kenwood) driven by M. Andretti at Le Mans in '83; signed by Mario Andretti,

and the one I'm proudest of:
Exoto Chaparral 2F; autographed by Phil Hill, the last car he ever professionally raced,

and I expect to soon get Oscar Koveleski's autograph on the GMP model of his Maclarren M8B.

If you're into this, let us know what you've got! :feedback :feedback :feedback

 

[StygianMax]

I agree that having autographs on a diecast or on the base/plinthe adds something really special to the car. (OT: Someone here got their car autographed by Carrol Shelby for $100 with that money going to a charity. That's a class act by C.S. :nicejob :nicejob )

Anyway, here are some autographs I got (some on cars, some on cards). I might be daring and bring a fragile McLaren F1 GTR to get JJ Lehto to sign at the ALMS race in Toronto over the Labour Day weekend.

Olivier Beretta - 2000 GTS Class Winner. Presently drives Compuware C6-R #4 in ALMS


Johnny O'Connell - a very cool down-to-earth guy!!


Tommy Archer


Jean-Philippe Belloc


Peter Kox - I didn't want to take a chance bringing a fragile-built UT F1 GTR to the track in 2004 so I got the next best thing, an autograph card. In 2004 he drove the Krohn Barbour Lamborghini R-GT.


JJ Lehto


and best for the last...Ron Fellows. I was very undecided on where to get the car signed. So for the cars that are easier to find, I got Ron to sign the top of the hood. The silver/black Rolex24 car, being very hard to find nowadays, I got it signed underneath.

 

[mosteller]

Hey Max, those are great :cheers I guess we're both lucky to live near professional race tracks!

I paid Carrol Shelby $50 each for his two signatures and at first I was kind of ticked. But after I thought about it for a couple minutes, it seemed like a great idea. The funds go to a childrens charity ( they give you a tax deductable reciept to proove it ) and if someone is getting him to autograph something that will go on ebay the next day, well at least the charity got some money, not just the autograph hound. :cheers

 

[05fordgt]

I too also got Carroll Shelby's autograph. I send my Lane Exact Detail 1966 GT350 Mustang to his Fondation in California, with a check for $100 and in 2 weeks, I got back my car with his signature. This will NEVER go on Ebay. I am a HUGE Mustang and Shelby fan, and we both had transplants, so I know exactly what he went through. This is my centerpiece of my collection.

I also just recently got Valentino Balboni, the legendary test driver for Lamborghini, to autograph my Verde Ithaca (Neon Green)Autoart Murcielago. This was after I went for a 3 lap trip around Pocono Raceway (in Pennsylvania) in a Murcielago, with him driving. All I can say was WOW, and UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!! 170 mph is amazing, and can this man drive. These are the only autographs I have on cars. If the situation calls for me to have a car signed, I would do it.

 

[Guest]

I've got a couple of siggy'd diecast.

One is my converted Ferrari 333SP "Royal Purple" driven by Stefan Johannsen at Sebring 1997. He signed it at the Vancouver Indy. I also have a signed Max Papis "Harley Davidson" car, Ron Fellows 2002 LeMans C5R and a Paul Tracy "2003 "Last Lap" car.

I have many hoods/body parts to take to Portlands ALMS race next weekend to have signed by way too many drivers.

 

[Road Runner 72]

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Getting siggys is great, as the biante 1:18 cars I collect, some of them that come with the COA's are signed but the driver.

Also I'm not a big fan of having an autograph on top of the diecast, I love your idea felix of having it under the hood :nicejob tho I do have 2 cars signed by two members of the rock band KISS on 1:24 scale nascars.

:cheers

 

[Guest]

Check out this Belgium guy.

http://www.jpmontoya.be/

 

[StygianMax]

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Thanks for that post. I got a good laugh from that Columbian flag with "Formula Juan" on it. :lol :lol

 

[Chupula]

I always liked having the signatures on the outside of the actual models, as I think it makes them display better. Seeing as though I would very rarely part with one of mine, the whole value thing doesn't bother me.

Mine include:

UT Audi A4 #5 "Topware/DHL" signed by Emmanule Pirro
UT Audi A4 #3 "Audi Sport" signed by Frank Beila
Maisto Audi R8 2001 winner signed by Pirro, Kristensen & Pirro
Maisto Porsche Carrera 4S signed by Sascha Massen & Lucas Lohr
Signed & Framed Mario Andretti picture
Signed & Unframed Audi R8 picture by Pirro, Beila & Kristensen... would love to get McNish (helluva driver) and Capello at some point as well.

Soon to be signed:

AUTOart Corvette C5r #63 (By O'Connell, Fellows and Pruett
AUTOart Porsche GT3r# 23 (By Lohr & Massen)
Kyosho Ferrari 365 GTB/4 # 64 (By Paul Newman... if I can ever find him)

 

[mosteller]

Great collection Josh! :310 I'm really envious of those R8's! :tongue

 

[Chupula]

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Thanks! I feel sooo fortunate to have not only witnessed history, but also have a couple pieces of it as well. I look forward to telling the grandkids someday that Grandpa lived a part of Lemans history and the Audi legacy!

 

[Guest]

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did you have to pay for that?? i only found out about the event on here about a day before it happend and i had to work all weekend.

 

[05fordgt]

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Hey maccrap, how's it going. To go for a ride around Pocono Raceway, Lamborghini USA just asked if you would make a donation. The donation was an amount that you wanted to give, there was no set number. I gave $100. I did it last year, and in my eyes, to get a ride in a new Murcielago, driven by Valentino Balboni himself, at 170 mph in the back stretch, and having him do powerslides around the infield road course of Pocono is WELL WORTH THE MONEY :yahoo .

The event is every year, the last weekend of June. Saturday is a Concourse up a Skytop lodge in Pocono, and they track them Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. I take that Saturday off from work every June. To get in, it costs $20 for the Consourse, and $20 to get into the reaceway on Sunday. You have to buy the tickets for the raceway when you are at the concourse. Check it out next year, it is amazing. I'll tell you though, if you want a ride with Valentino, get there early, as the spaces fill up quickly. I got there at 8 am, and waited for 2 hours till they started. It is a wonderful day if you like the Italian marques of cars. 2 years ago, a guy brought a Pagani Zonda :tongue . Hope to see you there next year :cheers .

 

[Guest]

It's great to see different opinions for different people. Variety is what makes this world so great.
For me there will never be a signature on a model I own. It might just be me, but I don't remember Niki Lauda winning the 1975 Monaco GP with a big signature down the engine cover.