Kustom Kulture is the name for a subcultural movement from the 1950s and 60s in America. This movement included souping up cars to create hot rods and customizing cars into unique one-of-a-kind creations. These custom cars were an identity for the, usually, men that drove them. This movement has been called a distinctly masculine movement and is said to have died out when Detroit car manufacturers started appropriating elements from both rods and customs into mainstream-designed cars. Yet this unique phenomenon produced many visual elements that are still popular today, including graphics such as flames, lettering, and demented-looking characters often called weirdos. Perhaps the king of the weirdos was a character known as Rat Fink, who represented the antithesis of Mickey Mouse, created by pinstriper, painter, and custom car maker Ed “Big Daddy” Roth. Other custom car legends include George Barris, Von Dutch, Dean Jefferies, and Robert William. While the phenomenon was indeed short-lived it has left a lasting impression on American culture and graphic design. Crab claw Flames, funky lettering, flying eyeballs, and demented characters are still popular today as are offshoots such as lowbrow art or pop-surrealism.TIMELINE1925 - George Barris born1929 - Kenneth Robert Howard, Known as Von Dutch born1932 - Ed Roth Born1933 - Dean Jeffries born1948 - Von Dutch drew his first flying eyeball1948 - Hot Rod Magazine is published1950s-1960s - Flake Paint popularized1953 - Barris Customs designs the Hirohata Merc1953 - Car Craft Magazine is published1955 - Dean Jeffries paints “Little Bastard” on James Dean’s Porsche Spyder1961 - Beatnik Bandit designed by Roth1963 - "There Goes (Varoom! Varoom!) That Kandy-Kolored (Thphhhhhh!) Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby (Rahghhh!) Around the Bend (Brummmmmmmmmmmmmmm)…" by Tom Wolfe published in Esquire1964 - Orbitron designed by Roth1965 - Road Agent designed by Roth1968 - Beatnik Bandit is cast as a model car (either by Hot Wheels or Revell)1970s - Odd Rods stickers designed by B.K. Taylor debut1992 - Kenneth Robert Howard, Known as Von Dutch dies1994 - Juxtapoz magazine founded (by Robert Williams et al.)2001 - Ed Roth Dies2013 - Dean Jeffries Dies2015 - George Barris diesREFERENCESAdamson, G. (2021). Craft: an American History.Bernsau, T. (2022, February 8). The Once-Lost Hirohata Merc built by Barris Kustom heads to auction. MotorTrend. https://www.motortrend.com/features/hirohata-merc-mecum-auctions-kissimmee-2022/Bernsau, T. (2021, August 3). Traditional Hot Rod Flames: Details + Photo Gallery from Back to the ’50s. MotorTrend. https://www.hotrod.com/features/hot-rod-flames-back-to-the-50s/DeWitt, J. (2002). Cool cars, high art: the rise of kustom kulture. Ganahl, P. (2003). Ed “Big Daddy” Roth: His Life, Time, Cars, and Art. Cartech.https://www.jalopyjournal.com/Kuersteiner, K. (2012). Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, The Architect of Odd Rods. The Wrapper. https://thewrapper.tripod.com/RatFink.htmlKustomrama.comLowey, I., & Prince, S. (2014). The graphic art of the underground.Martinez, R. (2015, December 5). From Pop Surrealism to Lowbrow - Something Got Lost in Translation. Widewalls. https://www.widewalls.ch/magazine/pop-surrealism-lowbrowParliament, I. C. (2008). Kustom Graphics: Hot Rods, Burlesque and Rock “n” Roll. Korero Books.Parliament, I. C. (2010). Kustom Graphics 2: Hot Rods, Burlesque and Rock “n” Roll. Korero Books.Roth, E., & Kusten, H. (1992). Confessions of a rat Fink: The Life and Times of Ed “Big Daddy” Roth.Surrealism Today. (2023, April 26). The Lowbrow Art Movement: Ultimate Guide to pop Surrealism - Surrealism Today. https://surrealismtoday.com/lowbrow-art-movement-pop-surrealism/#:~:text=Lowbrow%2C%20also%20known%20as%20pop,evocative%2C%20and%20often%20controversial%20works.

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