Bowling Green, KY — After being closed for nearly three months of its prime tourist season, the National Corvette Museum reopened June 8, and last week announced the extension of a special exhibit that debuted in late January.

Photo: National Corvette Museum

Cartoon Creatures, Kustom Kars and Corvettes: The Art and Influence of Ed “Big Daddy” Roth will now run through April 2021.

The exhibit, co-curated by retired Corvette Design Chief Tom Peters, showcases the automotive revolution that took place from the late 1950s into the mid-’60s, inspiring an entire generation of kids to become interested in cars. Roth’s Kustom Kulture designs became model kits that were produced by the millions. His artwork, featuring monsters driving cars with blown engines and smoking wide tires, wound up on countless t-shirts, bubble gum cards and toys, fueling 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,” said exhibit co-curator Bob Bubnis. “We have 14 cars on display, 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, including one (the Wishbone) that was unveiled at the Corvette Museum for Galpin’s new “Driven” series on the Discovery Channel. The exhibit ends with Crosshairs and Sideswipe, two Corvettes designed by Peters that would go on to star in the Transformer films.