What fictional hot-rod character did Ed Roth create?

Ed Roth created Rat Fink, the fictional hot-rod character known for his grotesque rat appearance and wild vehicles.

Roth, nicknamed “Big Daddy,” developed Rat Fink as an irreverent alternative to polished cartoon icons such as Mickey Mouse. The character was usually depicted with bulging eyes, sharp teeth, red overalls marked “R.F.,” and a taste for driving hot rods or motorcycles.

Rat Fink emerged from Roth’s Southern California work in custom-car art. Roth began selling airbrushed “Weirdo” T-shirts at car shows and through hot-rod magazines in the late 1950s. Rat Fink was advertised in Car Craft in July 1963, and Revell released a plastic model kit that same year.

A common mix-up is confusing Rat Fink with Roth’s other creations, including Mr. Gasser, Drag Nut, Mother’s Worry, and Brother Rat Fink. Rat Fink, however, is the signature character most closely identified with Roth and the wider Kustom Kulture movement.