1961 Big Daddy Roth Beatnik Bandit I

In the early 1950s, 'Big Daddy' Roth was the first to put illustrations on sweatshirts and T-shirts. He used felt pens at first and then began using an air pencil. The Outlaw was his next project followed by the Beatnik Bandit which became Roth's most famous show car.

Roth acquired a 1949 Oldsmobile chassis and running gear for the Beatnik Bandit. The chassis was shortened five feet. The 303.7 cu. in. Olds OHV engine was given the classic hot rod look with a GMC blower and twin Ford carburetors. Everything was chromed but the blower belt. The interior was finished with white Naugahyde with deep padding and a unique single control 'joy' stick that operated turning, throttle, and braking. The bubble top was manufactured as a one-off item in a pizza oven using compressed air to inflate the sheet of clear acrylic plastic into a dome.