Some of you folks are old enough to remember Ed "Big Daddy" Roth (Rat Fink). I have a couple of models from the 60s and early 70s that were based on his creations. One was the Beatnik Bandit and the other Mooneyes. I also saw the Surfite (the little car that was in Beach Blanket Bingo) and the Mega Cycle (with the custom Triumph motorcycle on back) at a couple car shows.

One of my favorites was the RF on a wild chopper ... I wish I could remember the name of it. If anyone remembers, it had a little bat perched on his shoulder and was riding a bike with ape hangers.

Anyway ... my oldest kid (now 27) remembered some of my models stuffed away in the basement. So this Christmas he bought me a DVD titled "Tales of the Rat Fink." I just finished watching it and would recommend it to anyone who remembers Rat Fink or the cars that Ed Roth built. It was cool seeing some those cars that I'd seen at shows when I was younger. The DVD is not an award winner, but it is a nice trip down memory lane.

 

WOW a blast from the past. I had the Beatnik Bandit. Was some T shirts out back then. Just went on YOUTUBE found some nice stuff on Roth (RAT FINK)Thanks was a nice blast from the past.

 

yeah ed was a nice guy my father in law was friends with him he even designed his car club shirt for him years ago ,t bucket burning the tires off it with a tall stick shift only ed roth could have designed a shirt like that.

 

I remember building a few car models of his as well. I remember that I also had a Glow-in-the-dark Rat Fink ring too but I don’t remember if it came in one of the car models or if it came in something else, like candy or something, but I do remember that a few of my friends at that time had the same little plastic RF ring too! What a COOL guy he was!

 

Funny, I was thinking of the RF a couple days ago. I found some stuff like this:

 

Aint it great getting old? Kids now days don't know how cool we were, lol

 

Got a big Rat Fink patch on the door to the shop, right under a couple old club patches.

 

I'm downloading the video as we speak.

 

Funny you posting this -- just a few weeks ago I was looking at RF stuff online, wanted to see if any of those old models were still available (I had a couple when I was a kid).

In my searching, I found a couple web sites that had a wealth of Ed Roth and RF info. Didn't bookmark them but I can look them up again if anybodys interested. Cool stuff and great reading. Especially the one about the spacey "bubble car" Roth designed being found outside a bar in Mexico and fully restored

I almost ordered "Tales Of The Rat Fink" video then but didn't. From your post, sounds like it would have been worthwhile. Will go back and look it up again, get a copy -- also an interesting video I saw on 60's & 70's "Kustom Kulture".

 

I've got that movie on my TiVo - I think I will go watch it.