Muffler men were developed in the 1960s by a Californian company called International Fiberglass, these types of muffler man tower at heights of 18 to 25 feet (roughly 5.48 to 7.62 meters). International Fiberglass produced several different models of giant man statues.
They all used one basic mold; facial modification and the addition of new chests & hats allowed the company to offer Paul Bunyans, Country Bumpkins, (who look suspiciously like Alfred E. Neuman), Cowboys, & Indians; and of course, large repairmen holding gigantic mufflers.
The company had some minor competitors, but International Fiberglass was by far the most widely distributed. Currently, they are the most widely recognized and share a few common traits:
1) a creepy, emotionless stare.
2) arms by their sides with muscular forearms extended at 90 degree angles.
3) right palms facing up and left palms facing the ground.
This company produced thousands of muffler men between the years of 1962 and 1975; finally breaking the molds in 1976.
These Muffler Men have overcome storms, vandals, and changing local ordinances, many of the remaining statues stand alone, along roadways in the United States.
Over the decades these Muffler Men have developed into a dynamic form of art, as owners have modified and personalized their giants, creating new varieties in the forms of soldiers, spacemen, and questionable Mexicans.
This practice of personalizing a mass-market commodity has been viewed by some as a symbol of the human spirit and individuality co-opting and overcoming monoculture.
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Track them here.
The company also produced Phillips Petroleum Cowboys, Texaco Big Friends, & US Rubber Miss Uniroyals. They also did ENCO, Humble Tigers, and the Sinclair Dinosaurs. To Road-ologists, all of these statues are Muffler Men; including the Uniroyal Gals. But this Category will not accept Tigers or Dinosaurs.