After being closed nearly three months of their prime tourist season, the National Corvette Museum reopened on June 8th and has since announced an extension of a special exhibit that debuted in late January. Cartoon Creatures, Kustom Kars and Corvettes: The Art and Influence of Ed ‘Big Daddy’ Roth will now run through April 2021.
The exhibit, which was co-curated by retired Corvette Design Chief Tom Peters, showcases the automotive revolution that took place from the late ‘50s into the mid-60s, inspiring an entire generation of kids to become car nuts. Ed Roth’s wild customs car designs became model kits that were produced by the millions while his artwork, featuring monsters driving cars with blown engines and smoking wide tires, would wind up on countless t-shirts, bubble gum cards and toys. The Kustom Kar Kulture would ignite the imagination of future car builders, engineers and designers.
“Ed’s widow Eileen Roth has graciously worked with the Museum to create this first of its kind exhibit,” shared exhibit co-curator, Bob Bubnis. “We have 14 cars displayed, beginning with actual hand-built Roth cars, leading to the Rat Rods and custom cars he inspired others to make.”
The exhibit features several cars from Galpin Auto Sports, with one car – the Wishbone, having been unveiled at the Museum for their Discovery Channel tv series ‘Driven.’ The exhibit ends with Crosshairs and Sideswipe, two Corvettes designed by Peters that would go on to star in the Transformer films.
August 20-22 the East Coast Rat Fink Reunion is slated to take place at the Museum offering amazing limited and new collectible items, Rat Fink artists, demonstrations and more.
The National Corvette Museum is in Bowling Green, Kentucky – just an hour north of Nashville, TN at I-65, exit 28. Open daily from 8am – 5pm CT the Museum is a 501c3 nonprofit foundation and includes a Café, Corvette Store, racing simulator and NCM Motorsports Park with high speed go-karts and 2020 Corvettes available for laps.
