Starting in 2011, I began collecting pictures and information on all Muffler Men locations past and present. Over the last 8 years that has grown into a large detailed map I have built. Every year I try to tackle a few of the mysteries, statues I have pictures of from the 60s and 70s but have long since disappeared. The best way to get information is to go to the local area and talk to people that remember the giant and may have information on who owned it. Sometimes these mysteries take years to solve and other times, they are never solved at all.
One mystery on my list, was the lost girl of Corova, NC. She was a Uniroyal Gal that somehow ended up in the outer banks of North Carolina in the dunes. The challenging part was every shred of evidence I had on her, was from the 70s with nothing recent. For years all I had was one old news paper article from the early 70s talking about the decline of the Currituck Banks. The only picture in the article showed a Uniroyal Gal in a bikini standing in the sand somewhere near Currituck. Recently another Muffler Man enthusiast named Tristan Sadones from the Netherlands, discovered a second picture of her that showed more of the surrounding area.
Armed with these shots I headed out last week for the outer banks and started showing locals the old pictures hoping for information. It wasn’t until I got within 5 miles of where she once stood that people started remembering her. I learned that she had stood in a place called Carova Beach and it is a community of beach houses north of Carolla where the road ends. Sadly I was not able to find her but I do think I got within a mile or less of where she once stood and possibly as close as a few hundred feet. If you have any old pictures of her or any information, we would love to hear from you! Enjoy the video of my adventure below.
American Giants - Muffler Men 
Small correction, I do not come from the Netherlands, but I come from Belgium 🙂
Was our property on Corova Beach, NC. My father, who worked for Master Auto Tire Service, hauled her down on a flatbed trailer 1969-70. My father sold the property lady and all probably late 70’s because rules came in effect which no longer allowing access to the property from the Va. side. I still have a few pics of us at the property next to the Uniroyal girl.her name was Uni, it was marketing gesture, had three people Uni, Roy, And Al that would go out and make appearances for Master Auto.
Hello Nita, my name is Jason and my grandparents had a place two blocks away from your parents place (wasn’t it on Bluefish Lane?). My grandma loved that statue in your yard and we all called it the bikini lady. They stopped allowing us to go through Sandbridge in January of 1980. We went there until 1985. Good memories.
Nita was your father’s name Charlie? My father worked at Master Auto also, he told me that Charlie, Jack, Jim and my father (Cecil) all of which worked at Master Auto got together and relocated Miss Uniroyal to Carova. We had a lot near by.