Thread: Don Gartilis

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Does anyone have any info about getting in touch with Don Gartilis? I just repaired and painted a set of 392 valve covers. I would like him to autograph for me before I clear coat and install on my engine.
Appreciate any ideas or help.

Jack

I have seen him at his museum, his site has contact info, should be a place to start...

http://www.garlits.com/

I assume you mean Don Garlits, I'd try through his web site.

Yes, spelling not my best class.
I emailed the address on the web site, but no response.

Jack

Call Toll Free (877) 271-3278
Daily From 9am To 5pm Eastern Time

You have to give him some time. I know when I was up there a couple years ago he was still driving around the country delievering cars to people.
From what I was told he did that alot.
Kurt

Was there 2 weeks ago and had a great time chatting with Don, He's a great guy and i'm sure would be happy to do it for you, I would call direct.

Steve is right, Don hangs around his museum quite a bit. We've seen him at two Billetproofs so far, and he is very approachable. Don has a hearing problem from all those zoomies blasting in his ears, so if you approach him and he seems distant, he really isn't.........he may just not be hearing all you are saying.

I'd stop by his museum (its worth it even if he isn't there) and if he isn't around leave the valve covers with a nice note explaining you are a fan and not doing this to make a profit just because they have his signature on them. I bet he will do it. You will get to meet a true living legend who is as much of a car nut as any of us, even after doing it all these years.

He will also be at Billetproof this February, also a trip that is well worth the time. Or, the next time he is over the house I'll ask him to do it for you. He's a nice guy, but hard to get rid of when he visits, and he drinks all my diet Coke up.

Don

Itoldyouso / Don; Do you know Bob Bogus that lives here in Seffner?
He's about 75 now and says him and his Dad used to do some interior work for
Don years ago when he lived here in Seffner, Bobs been a Mech his whole life.
Kurt

No, but that was a "bogus" story I was telling.

Don

HE! HE! HE! Your so funny Don! Well I know he sometime hangs out at the museum, I,ve seen him there before but i don't know him. I know several people that seem to know him though. One of his nephews relayed a message once to him and back for me.
But I lost track of the nephew over the years now. His house or home is right there by the museum. Though I to need to head up and get some autographed photo's as well.
Got a buddie that now lives in California and grew up with me in Vegas and the whole time we were growing up thats all he talked about was Don Garlits. Kurt

If anyone who is into cars hasn't been to his museum, you really need to make the trip. We've lived in Florida since 82 and never went there until 2008! Why, I don't know, we just never did. It was a real eye opener. Don is a packrat and still has stuff like his racing goggles from 58. Every cool dragster and race car you grew up seeing in the little books and hot rod magazines is there.

We got to go in one of his many outbuildings where he was having a garage sale last Spring during Billetproof and there were things line New Old Stock 32 Ford fenders hanging up. Also had dragster frames hanging from the rafters.

Neatest part is The Man actually walks around there and you get to see him in the flesh. I'd recommend it for anyone who likes cars and their history. He has more than race cars too.......lots of new flatheads, hemis, etc in original crates. Also has a lot of antique cars with like 5,000 miles on them and a history written on a placard about each one.

Can't wait for BP this February to go back..........even though they had to move to the fairgrounds as it got too big, I will still go back to the museum for a bit.

Don

I would highly recommend that any car person going thru Florida on I 75 get off at OCala to spend a couple of hours browsing around---wonderful memories of anything hot roddy from early days ----

While there---look at the trophy he got for winning Bakersfield March meet in 1971 with his first rear engine dragster---I have the matching one for Low ET----he beat us with a hole shot as Ramsey sat on the line because he thought Don had overstaged with that offset front end--chasing him set low et but needed 1330 feet instead of 1320---

Always have had very nice visits with him every time we meet---If I lived in Florida I would try to work for him

Jerry

I went to the site posted by Jack60, which gave a different email address. I sent an email yesterday, and received a response today. They asked for a $25 donation to the museum, and return postage. Not a problem, I am glad to do that.

I have had the pleasure of meeting and talking to "Big Daddy" twice. Once I got him to sign the Valve Cover on my 392, but they were aftermarket covers, and not clear coated, so in time has about disappeared.

Thanks everyone here for your help. Got to go to the garage and pack up that valve cover for shipment to "Big Daddy".

Jack

PS ... When he saw the engine he said ,' thats great to see, you wouldn't believe how many times people have asked me to sign there "Hemi" covers, only to find they have a SBC engine with the fake Hemi looking heads and covers'.

Yes, the racers are the same. Its a insult to see a sbc in a car