From El Monte, this is Edwin. As you can see, he's a little shy and hides behind a tent. That's a golf club in his hands.
All the way from Gallup, NM, give a warm welcome to Dude Man.
This is Sergio, watching the yard at Automotive Alley in Los Angeles.
Pancho stands on top of a La Salsa on PCH in Malibu. His tray used to hold a variety of food objects, but they've disappeared.
Next up is Kevin, from Van Nuys. He stands in front of Tune-up Masters at the intersection of Sherman Way and Sepulveda.
And finally, a man of mystery. This unnamed MM used to lurk outside Giant Mufflers & Auto Repair in Vista, CA, but vanished one day. Word is, he's been spotted in North Carolina.
The first "muffler man" was created by International Fiberglass in Venice, CA, by Bob Prewitt. This was a 20-ft tall Paul Bunyan character made for a cafe in Flagstaff, AZ (which explains the standard one hand palm up, one palm down configuration -- he originally held an ax).
Steve Dashew bought the company, and he was responsible for really promoting the muffler men as advertising items. He also made the US Rubber Miss Uniroyal Gals, the Texaco Big Friends, and Sinclair Dinosaurs.
Most of the muffler men were derived from the original mold, with a full variety of accessories to create a wide range of characters including Indians, Bunyans (w/ beard), Cowboys (no beard), and Half Wits (modeled after Mad magazine's Alfred E. Newman).
