So there’s a funny story about this extremely special “Drive-Aid” 1985 Camaro IROC-Z arriving at Best of Show Automotive a few days ago. Jim Boylen, one of the awesome drivers who transports our extraordinary hardware, calls and says that some kids must have gotten into the trailer overnight and vandalized this really cherry ’85 IROC Camaro he was hauling. “There was graffiti everywhere!” he says. After a moment of stunned silence on the other end of the phone, he reassures the boss that everything is fine, he took some rubbing compound and a rag and was able to “get most of the writing off the car.” At that point, the silence on the line was like a black hole consuming the Best of Show universe. After just the right amount of time, Jim let the boss in on the joke, and everyone laughed. Well, almost everyone. I guess it’s only funny now that the car is safe and sound in the showroom, and we can see just how special it truly is.

So about that graffiti. See, the writing all over this car IS the point. I’m certain there are other low-mileage 1985 IROC Z Camaros out there (although probably not many with only 747 original miles), but this is one of only two that were part of the Live Aid benefit on July 13, 1985 and it now carries the signatures of nearly 100 actors, musicians and other celebrities who made that global concert event possible. It has all been preserved under a layer of clear paint for nearly 25 years. Is there a bigger prize for the car guy who loves his music? Or even for the music lover who laments that he just can’t drive a signed Fender Stratocaster to a car show?

There’s a complete list of signatures down below, but just for starters, I saw these as the Camaro rolled off the truck:

Robert Plant
Ozzy Ozborne
Jimmy Page
Keith Richards
Tom Petty
Neil Young
Bo Diddley

If you grew up in the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, this car reads like a directory of every single performer who ever picked up a guitar or sang into a microphone. Every signature is authentic, and documents exist that prove who was there, what they were doing, and why.

There’s a lot more to this story, so it’s best to start at the beginning.

In 1985, music legends Bill Graham, Bob Geldof, Larry Magid and Allen Spivak produced one of the biggest concerts ever, a concert named "Live Aid." The mission of "Live Aid" was to get the world to come together and make as many people aware of world hunger as possible. The concerts were held at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, PA and at Wembley Stadium in London, England. World famous musicians and actors participated to put on one hell of a party.

For one day - July 13th - an estimated 1.4 BILLION of the planet’s then five billion citizens stopped and watched this "global jukebox." They were treated to one of the biggest, most ambitious concerts ever staged. At one point, according to a stage announcement, 95 percent of the world's television sets were tuned in to "Live Aid," which is an even more incredible statistic when you consider that it happened before the Internet, cell phones, E-mail, and text messaging. Nearly 100,000 people attended "Live Aid" at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, PA. It was THE DAY MUSIC CHANGED THE WORLD.

If you’re around my age, you remember that day clearly, because every radio and TV you passed was playing the music and showing the performances. You couldn’t escape it—and who would want to? This was the concert to end all concerts and would never be repeated. Even if the music wasn’t your thing, you had to appreciate the fact that thousands of people from all over the world were coming together for one special event that would never, ever be repeated. And all for a good cause.

Charity just doesn’t get any better does it? Especially when it is accompanied by a rumbling V8 soundtrack.

Here’s the official Live Aid playlist:

Bernard Watson - "All I Really Want to Do", "Interview"

Joan Baez (introduced by Jack Nicholson) - "Amazing Grace"/"We Are the World"

The Hooters - "And We Danced", "All You Zombies"

The Four Tops - "Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)", "Bernadette", "It's The Same Old Song", "Reach Out I'll Be There", "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)"

Billy Ocean - "Caribbean Queen", "Loverboy"

Black Sabbath (introduced by Chevy Chase) - "Children of the Grave", "Iron Man", "Paranoid"
 
Run-D.M.C. - "Jam Master Jay", "King Of Rock"
 
Rick Springfield - "Love Somebody", "State Of The Heart", "Human Touch"

REO Speedwagon - "Can't Fight This Feeling", "Roll With The Changes"

Crosby, Stills and Nash - "Southern Cross", "Teach Your Children", "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes"

Judas Priest - "Living After Midnight", "The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown)", "You've Got Another Thing Comin'"
 
Bryan Adams (introduced by Jack Nicholson) - "Kids Wanna Rock", "Summer of '69", "Tears Are Not Enough", "Cuts Like a Knife"

The Beach Boys (introduced by Marilyn McCoo) - "California Girls", "Help Me, Rhonda", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "Good Vibrations", "Surfin' USA"

George Thorogood and the Destroyers - "Who Do You Love" (with Bo Diddley), "The Sky Is Crying", "Madison Blues" (with Albert Collins)
 
Simple Minds - "Ghost Dancing", "Don't You (Forget About Me)", "Promised You a Miracle"

The Pretenders - "Time The Avenger", "Message of Love", "Stop Your Sobbing", "Back on the Chain Gang", "Middle of the Road"

Santana and Pat Metheny - "Brotherhood", "Primera Invasion", "Open Invitation", "By The Pool"/"Right Now"

Ashford & Simpson - "Solid", "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" (with Teddy Pendergrass)

Madonna (introduced by Bette Midler) - "Holiday", "Into the Groove", "Love Makes The World Go Round"

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - "American Girl", "The Waiting", "Rebels", "Refugee"
 
Kenny Loggins - "Footloose"

The Cars - "You Might Think", "Drive", "Just What I Needed", "Heartbeat City"

Neil Young - "Sugar Mountain", "The Needle and the Damage Done", "Helpless", "Nothing Is Perfect", "Powderfinger"

Power Station - "Murderess", "Get It On"

Thompson Twins - "Hold Me Now", "Revolution" (with Madonna, Steve Stevens and Nile Rodgers)

Eric Clapton (with Phil Collins) - "White Room", "She's Waiting", "Layla"
 
Phil Collins (having taken Concorde from UK to USA) - "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)", "In the Air Tonight"

Led Zeppelin (with Tony Thompson, Paul Martinez, and Phil Collins) - "Rock and Roll", "Whole Lotta Love", "Stairway to Heaven"

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - "Only Love Can Break Your Heart", "Daylight Again"/"Find the Cost of Freedom"

Duran Duran - "A View to a Kill", "Union of the Snake", "Save a Prayer", "The Reflex"

Patti LaBelle - "New Attitude", "Imagine", "Forever Young", "Stir It Up", "Over The Rainbow", "Why Can't I Get It Over"

Hall & Oates (with G. E. Smith of Saturday Night Live fame on guitar) - "Out of Touch", "Maneater", "Get Ready" (with Eddie Kendricks), "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" (with David Ruffin), "The Way You Do the Things You Do", "My Girl" (with Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin)

Mick Jagger (with Hall & Oates / Eddie Kendricks / David Ruffin) - "Lonely At The Top", "Just Another Night", "Miss You", "State of Shock"/"It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)" (with Tina Turner)

Finale at JFK Stadium: a) Bob Dylan, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood - "Ballad of Hollis Brown", "When the Ship Comes In", Blowin' in the Wind", b) USA for Africa (led by Lionel Richie) - "We Are the World"

Look at that list again—Live Aid is one of the very last times Led Zeppelin played together and they signed this car. THIS CAR!

Of course, for any event like this, there were literally thousands of sponsors—someone had to pay for all that charity, right? Most notably, General Motors’ Chevrolet division partnered with MTV Music Television and Radio City Music Hall to plan a special idea of their own that would help raise awareness. The idea was to bring a specially selected 1985 Chevrolet Camaro IROC- Z to the "Live Aid" concert and have all of entertainers autograph the vehicle. The Camaro IROC-Z would be named the Drive-Aid Signature Car, and it would be used in promotions and ultimately in a giveaway that would continue to raise awareness of world hunger (and of General Motors, but we weren’t supposed to notice that part) even after the music was over.

At that first Live Aid concert, this Camaro was signed by over 100 internationally known entertainers. Then it went back to GM headquarters where it was clear coated to preserve these original, authentic signatures. Suitably protected, it went on a tour schedule that included some of the nation's largest international auto shows in major USA cities such as Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York and Washington. Finally, Chevrolet would raffle it at a second "Live Aid Benefit Concert" held in New York City's famous Radio City Music Hall called "Drive Aid", held on February 20th, 1986.

Live Aid was held to raise money for victims of the famine in Ethiopia. Michael Buerk's BBC documentary in October, 1984 brought home the true horror of the situation to people in the UK, and shortly thereafter Bob Geldof brought about the recording of the Band Aid single. Several other countries and organizations followed suit (the best-known being USA for Africa with "We Are The World"), until in early 1985 the idea of a concert to raise money for the cause was suggested. Eventually the concert mushroomed into sixteen hours of music from around the world, featuring many of the biggest stars of the time. At last estimate, it had raised over $100 million.

This is one of two 1985 Chevrolet Camaro IROC Z Camaros that were brought to Live Aid in 1985. This car was the car pictured in ALL the documentation listed below. It was also the car that went on the show tour schedule and the car that was won at the Drive Aid concert held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The other car was kept by General Motors for their own collection, and was eventually sold at an auction in 2004 to a private collector who has it stashed away.

Since you’re a car guy, I’m guessing you also want to hear a little about the Camaro, and we have all the documentation on it compliments of the GM Heritage Center in Sterling Heights, Michigan. We also have information such as the press releases related to the Drive-Aid Signature Car, articles on the car, as well as an original invoice that lists the following options:

Power door locks
Tinted glass
Power windows
Power hatch release
Front floor carpet mats
Rear floor carpet mats
IROC-Z performance package
Body side moldings
Removable glass roof panels with locks
Intermittent windshield wiper system
Rear window defogger
Air conditioning
Rear compartment cargo cover
Electronic speed control with resume
5.0 liter TPI V8
Automatic transmission with overdrive
Comfortilt steering wheel
Auxiliary lighting
Heavy duty battery
Electronically tuned AM/FM stereo radio
Custom gray cloth bucket seats

All told, this was a loaded ’85 Camaro IROC-Z that stickered for $17,145. Not exactly cheap in 1985.

So GM definitely didn’t send over a stripped down car. However, it does appear that this lucky white Camaro was merely selected from a local Philadelphia dealership, P.A.T. Chevrolet in Drexel Hill, PA, which perhaps suggests that this whole signatures-on-the-car thing was done on the fly and at the last minute. In fact, I like that version of the story even better, because it makes the whole event seem a little more authentic—someone had a great idea and just ran with it instead of spinning it through corporate focus groups and marketing reports to test the cost-to-benefit ratios. The spirit of Live Aid was coming together to make a difference, and plucking this car out of a local dealer’s showroom seems like the perfect way to showcase that philosophy. If we can help, let’s do it was the Live Aid attitude, not, Hey, how can we make a buck off this thing?

Then the sweepstakes were announced for "Drive Aid". The sweepstakes would run from January 6th-22nd in eight cities: Baltimore, Boston, Hartford/New Haven, New York, Philadelphia, Providence, Springfield MA, and Washington DC and licensed drivers who were 18 years or older were eligible to participate in the sweepstakes. To enter, contestants can pick up an entry form at local Chevrolet dealerships or send a postcard with their name, address and phone number and driver's license number to WIYY-FM, the "Drive Aid" radio station in Baltimore. No purchase was necessary but only one entry per person was allowed. One first place finalist from each of the sweepstakes cities was selected on Monday, January 27, 1986. First place winners received an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City. In addition, they received free tickets to the "Drive Aid" rock concert, lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe with MTV VJ's and an MTV jacket. The grand prize would, of course, be "The Drive Aid Signature Car" which was drawn during the February 20th "Drive Aid" concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

A-25-year old computer programmer from Connecticut named Ken Bowser won the sweepstakes drawing for signature car. He was among 5000 rock fans who turned out to hear Kool and the Gang, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and E-Street Band member Nils Lofgren among others. Although the winner was extremely excited about winning this extremely rare and collectible piece of history, he didn't have the financial stability to afford the taxes on his prize. He decided to sell the car shortly thereafter to another gentleman in Connecticut where it sat under a car cover for the next 20-plus years. Following that, it was on display in a small museum where the car was occasionally started and driven just to keep things in top condition.

Fast forward 24 years later. This car has never been offered for public sale. Someone mentioned to someone who knew someone that his best friend's mother knew somebody with a low mileage IROC Z that had all these signatures on it, and he might be interested in selling it. The right person obviously got word of the car’s availability, picked it up, then set about putting together a comprehensive documentation package on the car that is, of course, included with the sale. And here it sits today, patiently waiting for its new owner.

The world has changed a lot in 25 years, and rock and roll memorabilia, especially documented items, has become a blue chip market in and of itself. Look at autographed guitars, tour jackets, and the huge industries that have sprouted up since this car was new: The Hard Rock Café, Planet Hollywood, even the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum here in our home town of Cleveland. This isn’t an obscure item, this is a front-and-center display piece of even the most significant car or memorabilia collection.

This IROC-Z includes ALL the documentation from The GM Heritage Center including the "Live Aid" and "Drive Aid" articles from various newspapers, magazines and broadcast stations. Such newspapers and magazines include "The New York Intelligencer", "New York Post", "Newsday Inside New York", "Newsday Garden City", "The New York Daily News", "The Hollywood Reporter", "USA Today", "Variety", "The Washington Post", "Automotive News", "Advertising Age Thursday", etc. The build sheet is also included. Official memorabilia from "Live Aid" is also included, such as a tee shirt, pin, program, ticket, calendar, magazines, newspapers, complete back stage passes, and other items.

Here’s a full list of signatures:

Hood:
1. Carlos Santana
2. Martin Chambers - drummer from The Pretenders
3. Rick Springfield
4. Jeffrey Foskett - musician who performed with The Beach Boys at Live Aid
5. Greg Hawkes - key board player from The Cars
6. Pat Metheny - guitar player who performed with Carlos Santana at Live Aid
7. James Harrah - guitar player for Madonna who performed at Live Aid
8. K.K. Downing - guitar player for Judas Priest
9. David Holland - drummer for Judas Priest
10. David Crosby – Crosby, Stills & Nash
11. Brian Wilson - The Beach Boys
12. Billy Ocean
13. Michael Kowalsi - drummer for The Beach Boys
14. Mary Traves - (Unknown)
15. Save the world - written by Levi Stubbs of The Four Tops
16. Save the babies and the world, love always - written by Renaldo "Obie" Benson of The Four Tops
17. Reach out to the world - written by Abdul "Duke" Fakir of The Four Tops
18. Lawerence Payton - The Four Tops

Front Bumper:
1. Patti Labelle
2. Billy Hinsche - piano player who performed with "The Beach Boys" at Live Aid
3. Buy this car and save a life - written by Graham Nash from Crosby, Stills & Nash
4. Joe Piscopo - entertainer who introduced Rick Springfield and Simple Minds

Windshield:
1. Nick Rhodes - Duran Duran

Top of Windshield:
1. Mykal Perea - Madonna's stage dancer who performed at live Aid

Drivers Side Pillar / Mirror:
1. “Love to the world from "The Hooters" Live Aid 7-13-85”

Passenger Side Pillar:
1. Mike Love - The Beach Boys

Driver Side Front Fender:
1. Rock on from Bo Diddley - written by Bo Diddley
2. Nickolas Ashford - Ashford and Simpson
3. Valerie Simpson - Ashford and Simpson
4. Dyane Williams - from WIAS-FM053 in Philadelphia
5. Neil Young
6. George Segal - actor who was at Live Aid

Passenger Side Front Fender:
1. Theodore ”Teddy” Pendergrass
2. Stephen Stills - Crosby, Stills & Nash
3. Big Jim Anderson - unknown
4. Crash - unknown
5. Ray Parker, Jr.

Driver Side Door:
1. Jimmy Page
2. David Robinson - musician from The Cars
3. Eddie Martinez - guitar player who works with bands including RUN DMC at Live Aid
4. Willie Wilson Goode - first African Mayor of Philadelphia, PA
5. Jonathan Moffett - drummer for Madonna and The Jacksons who performed at Live Aid
6. Chrissie Hynde - The Pretenders

Passenger Side Door:
1. Keith Richards
2. Ozzy Osbourne
3. Ronnie Wood - musician who performed with Keith Richards and Bob Dylan
4. Barbara Ingram - from "The Sweeties" who were some of the best backup singers
5. Simon LeBon – Lead singer of Duran Duran
6. Ronnie Lane - guitar player from The Rolling Stones
7. Paul Stanley - Kiss

Rear Drivers Quarter Panel:
1. Robert Plant
2. John Paul Jones
3. Marilyn McCoo - actor who introduced Madonna on stage
4. Benjamin Orr - bass player from The Cars
5. Tom Petty
6. Boy do I have gas - written by Bette Midler, who introduced Madonna on stage

Rear Passenger Quarter Panel:
1. DMC in the place to be! - written by Run DMC
2. Lyndon B. Johnson - Madonna's stage dancer who performed at Live Aid
3. Billy Meyers - keyboard player for Madonna who performed at live Aid
4. Paul Pesco - guitar player for Madonna who performed at live Aid
5. Don Johnson – actor. He introduced Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
6. Bill Graham - One of the biggest promoters of all time. (died)
7. Fred Bridges - musician and manager of "The Four Tops"
8. The Boys "R.C.M.H". Unknown
9. Chris McCabe. Unknown

Rear Deck Lid:
1. Jam Master Jay - musician from RUN DMC (died)
2. Curtis King, Jr. - musician from RUN DMC
3. Hollis Crew - written by RUN DMC. They were from Queens, NY
4. Tony Tompson - drummer from "The Power Station" who performed with Led Zepplin at Live Aid. (died)
5. Mission. CBS. Rec. - unknown
6. Russell Thompkins - from the Styistics who performed at Live Aid

Rear Bumper:
1. Kenny Loggins - musician who performed and was introduced by actor Chevy Chase
2. Jeff Bridges – actor

The most collectable, valuable cars are those with pedigrees. On this Camaro, the pedigree isn’t so much the car, but the event and the people who came together on one special day, who documented that day with their signatures on its sheet metal. The names are significant, and it’s  unlikely that they will ever again be at the same place at the same time like this, making this Camaro a very unique opportunity. This is the ultimate autograph-seeker’s trophy, an incredible piece of music history, and a spectacular example of rock-and-roll memorabilia. To be honest, I can’t think of any music-related piece of memorabilia that can approach the collectability of this Camaro, and that makes it the most unique item we’ve ever showcased here at Best of Show. This is a no-stories, no-excuses car that can easily anchor significant collections. Call us now!