i have huge folder label ratfink.. have no idea where i found all these monster pictures and i know half of them are not roth worth but inspired. anyhow, he sure did think out side of the box.. i bought the dvd about him and the T shirts.. very interesting.. i was surprised to see in his later years he had nothing to do with cars.. till he learn there was money to be made again and he was back at it. cool thread. chris.
Almost 20 years ago , my son approached Ed at a car show for an autograph. Ed was very friendly and gladly gave him this......a treasured souvenir. I've also included a photo I took at Bonneville Speed Week in 1987 , Big Daddy with my friend Doug Silva.
hopefully this thread, and any other tributes, continue on to share a small piece of the world that he lived in. saw him one year at the Oakland Roadster Show, when it still was in Oakland, with his friend Tex Smith. also, got to talk to him at the last Rat Fink Show he was around to do at Mooneyes. the whole area was packed. then some punks did burn outs down the street and got the whole shut down. he was so very upset he was sitting on a curb crying because he was not able to put on the auction to raise funds for his favorite charity. sitting on the curb with him was Larry Watson. Then before we could all believe it he was gone but, never forgotten. and not long ago Watson.
I didn't see it posted anywhere, so I thought bring this one back to the top. Today, April 4th, 2012, marks 11 years since we lost Big Daddy. Hard to believe it has already been that long. I remember how my heart sank when I read about it right here on the HAMB. I had the pleasure of meeting Ed at the Red Rock Nationals in Moab, Utah in 1999. I did talk to him briefly as he was painting a Rat Fink on the dash of a hot rod. Since he was busy, I kept it short. Man, I wish I had spent more time talking to one of the great icons of our hobby. He is missed.............E
I wish I carried a camera with me all the time,when I was a kid. Hanging out at the shop,his house in Maywood,and running around with his sons. He influenced my whole childhood. Darryl is a HAMB member,but never gets on here. He goes by Roth Originals.
I kind of met up with Big Daddy years ago at the Route 66 Rendezvous in San Berdoo CA. I was awestruck! There he was, my Hero! I was nervous as hell, didn't know what to say to him. Sensing my nervousness, he inched closer, and closer with a sly grin on his face. I choked, and didn't get out a word. But it probably would have been an embarrassing gushing of how much I had loved his work from my earliest days. ...
met him at Hot August Nights years ago,walking thru the parking lot at the Atlantis Casino checking out the cars.talked a little ,GOOD PEOPLE .he scribbled a bunch of lines on my t-shirt signed it ROTH,we shook hands went are ways.made my whole trip to Reno
R.I.P. Ed, you left an indelible mark on the Hot Rod/Custom community... You will always be lovingly remembered... ...
Great thread. I met Ed at Hot Rod's Norco in the late 90's. He was selling shirts at a table and one of the helpers was telling passers by that Big Daddy would sign them for you. My buddy and I are standing there trying to decide what to buy when the guy next to us says, "yeah right" and walks away. We looked at each other like, wtf?? he's standing right there!
Howza Bruthas- I was first aware of the mastery of the Big one hisself in the form of the Beatnik Bandit Hot Wheels car in 1969. From there on I was a fan. Years later my new bride and I are at a car show and collectible gathering in Eastern Denver(near where some crazy airport was being built) and we met Big Daddy in person! He eyed my son Sebastian and grinned"He's going to be a handful for you folks, I can tell!" Boy was he right. A few years later I crossed paths again barely with Big Daddy as he was having the finishing paint put on a new project. That was the then new Beatnik Bandit II Here are the only shots I know of the car in primer. Enjoy!
I think the owner of this Panel, Emil, tells a classic story..... all this lettering by Ed,... payment: one steak dinner.! RIP Big.
Aways kinda been a lurker never met him, but always wanted to, built all of his models. I took up paintin shirts and its been a helluva ride so far. The world is a far better place bcuz of him.
Where are all the show picutres of the original Mysterion? Surely some car guys took snaps of the car at the shows in '64! I am building a replica and need some details I can't get from existing photos.
The Jalopy Journal
