Rediscovered Ed "Big Daddy" Roth hot rod

One of hot rod culture pioneer Ed "Big Daddy" Roth's long-lost custom cars was found parked in front of an adult bookstore in Mexico. The amazing car, called the Orbitron, was apparently, umm, being used as a dumpster.

 Wp-Content Uploads 2007 08 Orbitron Resized

BB pal COOP says:

"Orbitron was considered one of Roth's lesser efforts, even he didn't like it too much. It bombed on the showcar circuit when it debuted, which Roth himself blamed on hiding the chrome-dipped engine under a hood.

Another interesting fact: this is the same Roth car that Tom Wolfe describes in his essential essay on Kustom Kulture, The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby. Wolfe lovingly describes the asymmetrical body styling and the headlight made from three lenses – red, green, and blue – that, when focused together, cast a beam of white light. (Somehow I doubt it worked in reality.)"

Link to more at Hemmings Auto Blog

Previously on BB:
• Ed "Big Daddy" Roth show in Los Angeles Link
• Ed "Big Daddy" Roth plastic face Link