Art & Inspiration Monster shirts!!

When I was barely through the tricycle stage and all the other kids my age were learning to read comic books, I was already into car magazines.

It wasn't long until I was exposed to Roth's work in the magazines and I immediately started trying to mimic the drawings myself. So, when the other kids were drawing trees and flowers and stick figures, I was doing a 5 year olds take on Rat Fink. My teachers thought I had serious issues.

Then the day came when I came across an ad in the back of a magazine......."Authentic air brushed Ed Roth weirdo T-shirts" I had to have one. Saved my hard earned allowance and after what seemed to be an eternity I was able to hand the envelope with my order to the mail man.

I waited and pretty much stalked the mail man for weeks until finally the day came and the mail man (that knew be by name by then) handed me the package. I think he was as glad to have the package arrive as I was.

So, I tear into the package, unfold the T-shirt only to find that it was just a cheezy silk screen print that someone took a couple of colors of neon paint and squirted a couple of random squiggles over the screen print. I felt exactly like Ralphy in the Christmas story with his cheezy decoder ring.

So, to this day I feel that I have a score to settle. So, if there is an old timer out there that was involved in this, some of us little kids are still out here.....and we have had unresolved serious issues since we were just little kids......

 

I was there when it sold at the Petersen Museum for $5,175.....I guess it was either you that bought it or you bought it from the guy who laid down the big cash that day in 2006.
All I got that day was a $20 event poster...that original stuff was way too steep for me.

 

Hey Mazooma1,

Deron traded another piece for that Mr. COOL piece, the "Hooray for the Bad Guys" art or something like that. Deron definatly traded up, if thats what the Mr.COOL piece sold for because I don't think Deron had over a thousand into the art he traded.

Jeffsled, I'd like to see the Auto Butchers shirt catalog, I don't recall ever seeing anything like that but then I could be wrong... I have seen AB wearing club like shirts with a devil looking logo on it in photos like the famous Motor Trend cover I believe.

Heres a shot of the Drag Wagons, Ed Roth's club in Maywood. Roth also did the airbrushing on the shirts. Photo is from Pat Ganahls, Ed Roth book.

 

Thanks for the new desktop wallpaper Verne!!! Shots like that really speak to me.
Paul

 

Got a Roth sweatshirt in 1958 with my '53 Plymouth wagon at the San Diego Autorama in the old electric building. My younger sister coveted the shirt and a few weeks later, she washed it in hot water so it no longer fit me, fit her though!

 

I had a Roth "Bugs in My Teeth" shirt in the '80's, that depicted a cycle wierdo on a chopper with bugs getting stuck in his big toothy grin as he madly scooterd along. Wish I still had it.

 

Verne......about the Autobutchers..... yea man thats the cover I was talkin about. To me those shirts look like a monster .Also someone is wearing one at the PanPacific in 1951 next to the Wally Welch merc as he is holding up the trophy. Maybe im wrong but I have always thought of those shirts as the first monster shirts that I can remember.

 

Ed Roth was great. I have a poster he signed at Goodguys. I get strange looks when I wear this tshirt to shop at Safeway.

 

The shop wall ,same face they were running on their T-shirts and jackets in 1951 and maybe earlier.I have always considered this to be a monster.

 

That's looks cool, but what are you doing with your left hand Jeff?

 

That attitude at that time is what created "hippies". You think thats shocking ? take a look at this

 

I had this one done in 1967. I showed him a picture of my 55 and he tried to make it look just like it; all jacked up and blue Jardine fenderwell headers. I don't remember where or what show. Might have been Phoenix. Still in pretty good shape 'cause it shrank in the first washing and I haven't worn it since.

Anyhow, has anyone knowledge of this guy?

 

Huh?

 

Where'd ever body go?

 

I dont know ...I dig this thread.I never heard anything else about the Ayala brothers shirts and I thought would foresure.So those seem to be the earliest ones I have seen ???

 

lmfao!!! the last quote was the funniest!!! thanks dougie! you always post cool shit! Ken Osmond aka Eddie Haskell was my old boss neighbor, really cool guy! we would shoot the shit and have a beer many times after work!
i believe he has an old model A with a banger in it.

 

Beaver.....thats pretty funny.

 

Now thats a monster !

 

http://www.drflintbone.com/
Don't forget Jimmy Flinstone, maker of those wonderful resin model kits. He started out doing Tees in Milwaukee way back a long time ago. This pic is of Nitrobum and Dr Flintbone mixing up some "stuff". The link beyond the pic to Flintbone is NSW, but the first pic is safe.
Milwaukee is fertile ground for monster art. Check out Arlo Dillman's studio http://www.arlodillman.com/

 

I believe your shirt was airbrushed by "The Great Reinero" from Northern California. He is still around (does not airbrush anymore though) and usually has a booth at the GNRS selling vintage model kits & toys.

You can read a bit about him if you scroll down on this page:
http://www.hotrodhotline.com/feature/2008show/08gnrsvendors/


In R&C we did a mini feature that included his family member here:
http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/hotnews/1005rc_1930_model_a_coupe/viewall.html


You can find a pic of him at his GNRS booth on this thread:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=415187&page=4


Hot Rod did a story on his family member here:
http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/hrdp_1008_gary_reineros_1937_willys_gasser_coupe/


Cool shirt by the way!
-Aaron

 

Heres a post I put up a few years ago about my grandfathers Mouse sweatshirt... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=319798&highlight=drawer+find

 

Holdin the steering knob!

Anyways, who painted the "beaver shirts" they look to be real nice.

 

I had a lot fun airbrushing monster car shirts at auto shows in Florida in the late 1950's into the early 60's as "The Bat",have no idea if any shirts are still around.
But here is one of my type monsters as a outfit a bit more then a shirt.
It was a big white box for a frezzer before I cut and painted.

Hope ya enjoy it.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/album.php?albumid=2230&pictureid=18331
You can look at my Albums for a few newer shirts I did in my old style for some old buddy's that asked,at 70 now I'm not too fast any more. I updated kind of.by going back an replacing lost photos of some of my old art work as "The Bat" out of hell.

 

Hey Dana,

That is RAD!

 

Wow Dana,
What a Rad image!!!! Here's a little photo resto to get a better look back in time! Man that's a cool pic, and the costumes are even cooler!!!
-Aaron

 

Koolsville!! I wana be be of those "Hodroders" were can I get one?

 

I feel good ya'all like it! Thanks!
Thanks Aaron,looks better then it has for some time!
I stopped doing airbrush shirts in early 1965 and got a wife etc.and just didn't even try again tell I was ask by a old freind to paint him one about two years ago. Going on 70 now,so a little less smooth then I was way back.
Built race cars for 40years and retired,just playing with Hot Rods now.

 

Not a shirt, but you get the idea.

 

My first monster shirt in several years! Felt good!