He is so much a fan of the show that he even purchased the original car. Tommy has been a fan of the show for 30 years, and travelled to Dublin to see his hero star in a play with Jerry Hall. David was just after finishing his final matinee of Love Letters after a two week run in the Tivoli Theatre in Dublin.

David Soul, who played the part of blond Kenneth 'Hutch' Hutchinson in the TV show, very kindly signed his car with a permanent marker.

Tommy said: "To have been able to meet up with David Soul, for him to take the time out to sign all my memorabilia and sign the inside of the boot with a permanent marker - is something I'll always remember and treasure.

“I have about three dozen catalogues of Starsky and Hutch from 29 years ago, David didn’t even know they were in existence. David signed a few of these for me as well as a few photographs for people I know, and he did all this without pay. He was a real gentleman. It was exciting to meet him and is something I’ve always wanted to do.”

David comes to Ireland regularly but lives in London, and regularly stars in the West End.

The favourite car of the policemen in the show attracted the attention of Dublin law enforcers, so much so, that the car got a Garda escort!

“At the toll bridge in Dublin, a Garda car overtook us, we flagged it down to ask for directions. We then asked for an escort, and they left us right to the theatre door in Frances Street! It was no problem to them, the local gardai from Carndonagh couldn’t believe it when we told them. That was nearly was exciting as meeting David himself!”

Tommy got the ‘Striped Tomato’, as the car is known by fans of the show, last year from a guy in Northern Ireland, a Gran Torino which is very distinctive looking, and red with a large white vector stripe.

“I’ve always wanted to have the car, its not an everyday car, it is 32 years old, but it is like brand new. I do weddings and formals and charity events, and St. Patrick’s Day Parades. There was one time that me and DJ Stephen Lynch dressed up as the two guys with a dark wig and blonde wig. I have the Dukes of Hazard car too.”

It’s not the only ‘Striped Tomato’ in Ireland, as there is another one in Dundalk.

Although he fulfilled a few ambitions already, from getting the car as well as the autograph of David Soul, his collection will be complete with the signature of Paul Michael Glaser, who plays Starsky.

“I already have the signature of Antonio Fargas who played Huggy Bear, and now I just need the autograph from the other guy, then I will have all three!”

The car will be at a Vintage Car Show charity event this afternoon at the Clanree Hotel in Letterkenny.