SURFITE The photo shows a Surfite builtup, a 1965 original issue (right) and the 1993 Re-issue on the left |
The Sufite model is a tough little car to build. The Surfite itself isnt very big (none of Eds cars were) and when you make a 1/25 scale model, those parts are really tiny. The Surfite comes with a Tiki Hut thats lotsa fun to practice your dry brush technique on. You also get 3 surfboards. The concept sketches for the Surfite were done by Ed Newton . I think it even looks better in the sketches than real life because Newt put big wide tires on it. Ed had a deal with Kelly Tires, and Kelly didnt have any fat ones , so it made the circuit in skinny rubber.. The photo shows a Surfite builtup, a 1965 original issue (right) and the 1993 Re-issue on the left |
MAIL BOX CHOPPER Pictured are a builtup and the 1973 boxart |
Ed grew increasingly attracted to the Biker Scene in the late 60's and early 70's . It was a tough time for Ed as models weren't selling well, he was getting disillusioned with the show car scene and his marriage was falling apart. |
BEATNIK BANDIT 2 Builtup and 1996 boxart. |
.1996 saw the release of Beatnik Bandit 2 ..This car was built by Ed in Manti, Utah... . A sort of a tribute car to the first Beatnik Bandit. Its a rather striking updated design, and the rat fink graphic on the side is really cool. Eds longtime sidekick Dirty Doug joined him for some of the finish work. Doug, in my estimation , should be recognized more for his contribution to Eds works. Oftentimes when Ed was away at car shows it was Doug back at the shop doing the body finishing work that made those cars so special. He was Eds sidekick for a lot of years, and by looking at his work, you understand that few people have his skill and ability. The model comes with a "seasoned" Roth figure and a little tiny Rat Fink . You need a real steady hand to paint the veins in his eyes !!! |
ROTAR Builtup and boxart. |
OK, Now we're talkin RARE.!!! This is Rotar. Ed built the real Rotar in 62. . Air cars and space were all the buzz in 1962. We Americans were in a space race with the Russians, And Roth and his ROTAR were in an air car war with Barris and his X-PAC 400 . Rotar stands for ROTh Air caR . and Barris's X-PAC 400 stands for... well...uh...er... X-PAC 400 !. This is how we thought people were gonna travel in the year 2000.!!! - This is how cool we thought cars were gonna look in the year 2000 !!! Instead , cars ended up lookin like suppositories .- oh well. These cars would rise up on a cushion of air and scoot along over the landscape..Both the Barris and Roth cars worked -somewhat. Rotar was powered by two 650cc Triumph engines. Sadly , Rotar broke a crank during an exhibition and one of the props flew into a crowd.One lady got hurt pretty badly. The folks at Revell chose not to make a kit of this one. What you see in the picture is a resincast Rotar. Supposedly it is one of only 200, but with resincasters how do you know for sure? I talked to a guy who said he saw some for sale at the NNL East. Regardless, it is a very well scaled resin! It even comes with a "Big Daddy" figure giving the thumbs up. The box could be even rarer .I got some several years ago along with a great story of where they came from. It is as far as I know, one of 5 that exist. One other is in the hands of Revell's Dean Milano and will be on exhibit in his soon to be opened Model Car Museum.. The other three I got stashed away. I've had Dean and other model experts look at them. Most say "I think they're bogus, but they're an excellent job...and COOL! " So here it is gang.. The model car and the box that never existed. |
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L A ZOOM. ( Zoomerang) |
The LA Zoom was a car that Ed Roth never completed. It was powered by an Acura engine , and Ed could not get the computer that controlled the engine to operate. It still sits unfinished in a Utah garage. On the left is a completed Jimmy Flintstone resin kit of the famous unfinished car. |
. Roth liked the outlaw biker scene and headed that way. Bikers were looked down upon by almost everyone. Its not like today where every yuppie scumbag owns a Harley. No matter where he went, he left an impact. He started Chopper magazine to document the remarkable work of bikers.The Mailbox Chopper was a sketch in his magazine as a header for the letters to the editor page. He also built the Mailbox Chopper in real life. This model was released in 1973 by MPC, a division of , now get this... General Mills ! |
The kit looks nothing like the real Mail Box, and its my suspicion that a generic kit was already tooled when Ed signed on to endorse it. It went no where. At any rate, its a nice model and part of the Roth Legacy. Its a tough one to find, and most folks dont even remember when there wasnt the Revell / Roth combination. |
