hobbybobby Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 (edited) Rat Fink is one of the several hot rod characters created by artist Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, one of the originators of Kustom Kulture of automobile enthusiasts. Roth conceived Rat Fink as an anti-hero answer to Mickey Mouse... Rat Fink is usually portrayed as either green or gray; comically grotesque and depraved-looking with bulging, bloodshot eyes, an oversized mouth with sharp, narrow teeth, and wearing red overalls with the initials "R.F." on them. He is often seen driving cars or motorcycles. Roth began airbrushing and selling "weirdo" T-shirts at car shows and in the pages of hot rod publications such as Car Craft in the late 1950s, by the August 1959 issue of Car Craft, "weirdo shirts" had become a full-blown craze with Ed Roth at the forefront of the movement. Rat Fink was advertised for the first time in the July 1963 issue of Car Craft, the ad called it "The rage in California". Also in 1963, the Revell Model Company issued a plastic model kit of the character, the initial run of the kit was from 1963 to 1965, but the Rat Fink kit, along with Roth’s other creations, have been re-issued by Revell over the years. Rat Fink continues to be a popular item to this day in hot rod and Kustom Kulture circles in the form of T-shirts, key chains, wallets, toys, decals, etc. Other artists associated with Roth also drew the character, including Rat Fink Comix artist R.K. Sloane and Steve Fiorilla, who illustrated Roth's catalogs. Rat Fink and Roth are featured in Ron Mann's documentary film Tales of the Rat Fink (2006) and Jeannette Catsoulis reviewed in The New York Times: Ogling fins and drooling over fenders, the movie traces the colorful history of the hot rod from speed machine to babe magnet and, finally, museum piece and collector’s item. Along the way we learn of Mr. Roth’s lucrative idea to paint hideous monsters — including the Rat Fink of the title — on children’s T-shirts. A Rat Fink revival in the late 1980s and the 1990s centered on the grunge/punk rock movements, both in the U.S. West Coast and in Australia (Roth drew Rat Fink artwork for the album Junk Yard by the Australian band The Birthday Party), the band White Zombie had a song titled "Ratfinks, Suicide Tanks, and Cannibal Girls" and the Punk band The Misfits had a song titled "Ratt Fink". Anyway, this modelkit is the Revell reissue from 1990 and I think, I have it since then… … Now finished and painted, here and there with small adjustments to my taste, hope you like it: Edited September 16, 2018 by hobbybobby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoopdog Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 Your Fink looks fantastic, well done. Never knew the history behind it, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Haigwood Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 Looks great. I love Roth and Rat Fink. I have a signed RF T shirt somewhere around here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobraman Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 Nice work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterNNL Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 That is the most realistic drool I have ever seen. Congratulations. Please tell us about your research. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobbybobby Posted September 22, 2018 Author Share Posted September 22, 2018 Thank you very much for the kind words! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Gilkeson Posted September 23, 2018 Share Posted September 23, 2018 great job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteski Posted September 24, 2018 Share Posted September 24, 2018 Bobby, are you also a member of the Showrods forum? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobbybobby Posted September 26, 2018 Author Share Posted September 26, 2018 On 24.09.2018 at 8:27 AM, peteski said: Bobby, are you also a member of the Showrods forum? Yes, for about eleven years... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteski Posted September 26, 2018 Share Posted September 26, 2018 2 hours ago, hobbybobby said: Yes, for about eleven years... Should have been obvious to me. The Rat fink there looks just like this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rider Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 That looks amazing. Very nice touch with all the added bits here and there, love the drool and hair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobbybobby Posted October 1, 2018 Author Share Posted October 1, 2018 On 27.09.2018 at 7:13 PM, Rider said: That looks amazing. Very nice touch with all the added bits here and there, love the drool and hair. Thank you very much for the kind words! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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