Rodknock,
You should know better than bring common sense in to this old argument.
I like the old man. And his piss and vinegar is what fueled the fun we're now enjoying. But I still don't personally care for a silver paint pen signature on the dash. I have a limited edition Cobra toy with his sig but that's for fun and posterity. I would never consider a signature, paid for or not, no be any kind of 'endorsement'. I mean, c'mon, some sigs are on great cars, others...not so much.
How about a signed bottle of ZMax?