Thanks HarmsWay. It's always interesting to learn about the guys behind the scenes, and not just the bling that the magazines usually show.
VERY cool stuff Sonny. I only met Big Daddy once at a show in Omaha. It was about 2000 or so. I had loved Rat Fink since a kid and wanted to talk to Ed. There was absolutly no one around him and he was selling his small assortment of stuff at the time. I stopped and talked to him and bought a couple of posters which he autographed without even asking him to. Just as I became interested in conversation with him, my buddies wanted to move on and leave, so I said goodbye. After Ed died all my friends said they wished they had taken time to chat with him. Oh, and they all really wish they had gotten some of his posters autographed that day also. I hang them proudly in my "CAR" room. And everytime I look at them I remember my hero Ed "Big Daddy" Roth!
A good friend of mine went to California in the late 80's. He looked up Big Daddy and turned up on his door step one morning. He said that Ed was very friendly and spent a couple of hours talking with him and showing him this and that. One thing that stuck out about this visit was how enthusiastic Ed was about his Honda Civic! My friend said that Ed was sure that they (Civic's/small imports) were the future of the automotive world. It was hard to imagine at the time but in retrospect he was quite rite.
In keeping w/the potential historical (or was that hysterical?) nature of this thread. Here are some letters Ed sent me between 1990-1996 or there a bouts. I dont remember the exact order any more so I tried to do the best I could. Sorry for the bizarre quality of the images My scanner is on its last legs
These are Back Cover art ideas for Rat Fink Comics. I came up with the "Connect the Flies!" idea and here are his tweaks
I met Ed at the World of Wheels in Boston around 1998. I found out too late he was going to be there so I no time to get anything together to show him. He autographed a Rat Fink coloring book and pic of the Outlaw inside an issue of Hot Rod Show World. I still have both, won't color in the book though. I started taking pictures of his booth and cars with my video camera. When he noticed me filming he started talking to me for about 2 mins straight, unfortunately there was so much background noise you can't hear a word he says. I talked to his son for awhile. He told me a story about living in Utah, Ed would get up about 4 in the morning and go out to the shop to work on his latest project, his son went out to see him and said you couldn't tell where the snow stopped and the fiberglass dust began. In my opinion Ed was probably the coolest cat that ever walked this earth. I was devastated when I heard he past, especially because it was on my birthday. I had really hoped to see him again. But how many people can say they met one of their childhood heroes. If i can find a scanner i'll post the pic of me and him together.
Here's a Roth signed shirt I framed with a goodyear slick cut in half on my garage wall. My Dad and I were walking through a car show at Hot August Nights and saw Ed sitting at a table by himself selling t-shirts. We had a great conversation with him. He made you feel like an old friend and couldn't be any nicer. I was amazed how interested he was in what complete strangers were building. Like I say, great experience I'll never forget.
Thats why he had so many friends and fans, because he was so genuine. He really was a great guy who would take the time to talk to you and make you feel like you were the star not him.
When I was 16, I broke my leg. I was racing a friend on Bikes( that is Bicycles). I had on a sweat shirt that I had drawn "Mother's Worry", the doctor saw my shirt and said" I bet you are a Mother's Worry, aren't you?" George
He was generous and, as eyebone's notes show, he was not about money. Ed made that same Rat Fink offer to me in about '84 (I am in the t-shirt business and have known him since '60). He gave me a film positive and he wrote right on it that he was giving me permission to reproduce. He wanted me to try it see if it "would sell". Unfortunately, at that time, it did not.
Ed asked me to paint this illustration from his line drawing in about 1995. I asked him if I could sign it. He said, "only if I can't see it!". The (upside down) corner inset shows where I signed it. Unfortunately, I never sent it to him, so he never had the chance to "find the signature".
Wow!!!...this is great stuff Sonny. Now I have one thing to say even though I was never able to meet Ed I am grateful that guys like you are still out there presenting his work along with your own. With this being said I want you to know Sonny that I am very grateful to have had the pleasure of actually meeting you this year at the Billetproof show. Your work is beyond amazing as are you. You made me feel good when talking to me about my metal art. I have to think that you and Ed share this quality that you talked about earlier in this thread. The idea of making others feel just as good as you are. Thanks again Sonny. Joe Lockwood
Thanks, Joe I really dig your work and enthusiasm for your art. thanks to everyone that replied with such cool stories!
Hey thanks for sharing this thread, Ed Roth was one of my Hot Rod hero`s, I would have loved to have met him. Go to You Tube guy`s & punch in .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gys-6znFEC8.......Cheer`s Bri
Hi Guys I thought you may like to here this story from England in the late 50 `s. There were only 2 very dedicated Hot Rodder`s in Grimsby we broke away from our motor bike gang & was hooked on American Hot Rods. my mate John Gilbey & me used to drool over your great Hot Rods in the American Mags anyhow I decided to send a money order across the pond for a Edd Roth sweat shirt, he had become one of my hero`s. I had no phone & there were no credit card`s. I sent a money order thru my bank.,3mths past bye & no sweat shirt so I sent dear ol Edd a strong letter asking for my money back. Still no reply, time goes by & I forgot all about it. Around 6mths after posting my money order I came home from work my Wife say`s " the postie delivered you a real fancy brown envelope" Wow!!! I knew were it was from, my name & address was air brushed in Candy Colors also it was pin stripped all over. Man this was better than the crown jewels. I carefully opened it & inside was my sweatshirt with Wiedo driving a coupe, gearshift poking out of the roof, my mate John was green with envy. Also a letter of apolergie for not sending it sooner, my order had been lost. Im afraid due to several house moves the super brown envelope got lost & the sweat shirt just wore out. How times have changed, Ive now got a phone & a credit card & have just shipped over my 2nd Hot Rod from your Great Country. My last build up before I go to the Big Hot Rod Club up there, its a 35 Ford Pk Up. over the years Ive built a 32 Ford 5 window which is now in Costa Mesa CA & is still rite hand drive. A 34 Ford 5 window which is now in Sweden & a 35 Ford pk up now in Sweden, this one I regret selling so Ive just purchased another one from Concord CA .The 33 Ford pk up I built is in Birmingham England......Cheer`s Greybeard Bri
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