The La Cruces Muffler Man has stood at Big Daddy’s Flea Market for decades but before that it had a life as a Phillips 66 Cowboy. With his hat long gone this guy has a few secrets we were able to uncover when we visited him.
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Things are getting busy here at A.G. as Spring is just 3 days away and I would like to get the first episode up on youtube by the middle of May. American Giants is my hobby and it comes in addition to a full time job so I don’t always have as much time to work on the episodes as I would like. Thats why I am aiming for mid spring, to give myself enough time to do it right. Production is going well and I’ve had some great help from graphic designers who have completed the set for my interviews and also shooting for the open is all done and we are just wrapping up the editing process. 
The graphic guys are also designing the logo for the series and we have a few versions we are choosing from at the moment. There is so much that comes into play when producing a program like this and although I work in television I am stepping into allot of uncharted territory here. However because there is just nothing out there in the muffler man world like this, it is something I have been very passionate about to bring more resources and information to those who enjoy tracking, finding and learning more about the history of each muffler man. I also want to thank those who have supported me and encouraged me so far and I have been getting some great feedback from many of you who enjoy this hobby. It’s all about sharing information and as I have shared my blogs many of shared their stories and findings with me and that information will eventually make it’s way back into blogs and episodes for others to enjoy. I’ll keep you posted as we move along in the production process and after the first season I’ll probably launch a kick starter for the second season so we can step up the quality a notch and also cover more of the east coast in my travels. Thanks again for all your support and information and please remember to share and follow this blog as well as the youtube channel.
It seems there are a few western stores out there that have realized a retired Phillips 66 cowboy muffler man makes a good addition to their store. Legend has it this is the muffler man that was used in the movie Twister but was cut from the movie before it hit the theaters. 
Around 2008 he was bought by Steppin Out Western Wear and was moved to Wynnewood, OK and stood along the interstate on top of a shipping container next to the store sign. That all changed during a storm in mid December 2011 that blew the sign over and brought him down with it. He was smashed up pretty good and by the time I got there on January 4 he was laying out back in 3 pieces and waiting for repairs. The owner of Steppin Out enjoys collection fiberglass statues and has a large collection of animals for sale as well as a few permanent fixtures like the muffler man and a large boot on the roof. When I was there he was planning on shipping the m man north to either Nebraska or Oklahoma City for repair and by July of 2012 I started seeing pictures online of him back at Steppin out all back together again.
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It’s always nice to see one of the shorter versions since they are far more rare then their larger cousins. This one stands in a junk yard in the middle of no where in eastern Oklahoma at Cagle Salvage and Auto Crusher. He stands near highway 69 on Oktaha road between the tiny towns of Summit and Oktaha. It seems the collection of junk cars grows a bit each year around him but he does’t budge. There is a good reason for that!
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December 12 was was a sad day in the muffler man world and I remember it well. One of 4 known Big Friends was taken down that morning after standing on top of a sign pole for about 20 years or so. He was known as the Valley Home Giant and stood at Valley Homes along highway 160 in Pahrump, NV. He had been repainted since his Texaco days but was still recognizable as one of the very rare Big Friends. Before coming to Pahrump in the early 90’s he stood on the Boulder Highway in Las Vegas at a mobil home business. Originally he most likely stood at a Texaco gas station on Las Vegas Blvd. The 2012 news story shares the details of why he was taken down, it is both sad and unfortunate. I have always hoped one of these guys would be restored back to Texaco colors and thankfully that is still a possibility for the Pahrump Big Friend. After he was taken down the locals including the TV station and newspaper became aware of his value and history from all the inquiries they received about him. This possibly prompted the Pahrump Valley Times to write an article on his disappearance and they were able to find out what happened to him after he was hauled off. Although some may not have realized his value thankfully the guys at the landfill figured there was more to this guy then a pile of junk. He was broken up a bit in the dismantling and shipping to the landfill so they took him in pieces. He was eventually donated to the local museum where he laid out back till 2016 when American Giants purchased him and hauled him to IL. It seven years to get around to restoring him but in 2023-2024 he was fully restored and set up at a museum as I always hoped for.
A rare Luke Lombard 14ft Bunyan hides in a landscaping shop in Texarkana. One of the better preserved promotions from the 1960s this guy has had a long life and managed to somehow keep his rare hat! From being up on a bill board outside to now standing inside with a full makeover this guy has had an interesting life.
To learn the full history of this giant and the interesting back story, check out the full article which has recently been updated and moved to our Patreon Account. Please join us there for full access!
Actually closer to Bossier City this cowboy has been up on this pole for about 37 years. He stands high above the Topps Western World and Trailer Sales just north of I-20 to the east of Bossier City. As far as cowboys go this one is in really good shape. 
He also is decked out with allot of accessories which is nice to see since these days many cowboys have long lost all their extra stuff. As with most cowboys, he once stood at a Phillips 66 station and had their logo on his chest pocket. He was purchased around 1982 by the owner of Topps named Bubba Reeves. He’s been moved a few times and given a few paint jobs and even endured a direct hit from a tornado. In 2023 the giant was taken down for restoration.
To learn the full history of this giant and the interesting back story, check out the full article which has recently been updated and moved to our Patreon Account. Please join us for there for full access.
A classic Snerd can be found in Beaumont, TX and he was one of my early sightings back in 2011. At the time the place was still owned by Ken’s Muffler and Brakes but has since changed owners. I have yet to get back and visit again and he recently got a new paint job and no longer looks like the pictures shown here. Some may believe that all muffler men once carried a muffler and that most simply don’t have them anymore. In truth, only a few came with mufflers but the guys at Roadside America happened to see one of these first and labeled them all as Muffler Men and the name stuck.
Midas ordered a few of their guys with mufflers but the largest order of muffler holding muffler men came from muffler shop owner in Dallas named Ken. Kenneth Johnson of Cleburne was a country boy who learned to weld for the railroad. He went to Atlanta to learn the muffler business, then came back to Dallas and became the founder and owner of Ken’s Muffler Shops. He also had shops in Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Houston. Ken eventually purchased his first Muffler Man which was a standard version and still stands at I-35 and Illinois Avenue. This location was named Bud and Ken Muffler from 1965-1967; Bud was Ken’s brother-in-law. When they ended their business partnership the name was changed to Bud and Ben Muffler. Ken then expanded and purchased more Muffler Men. He wanted to be different than his Brother-in-law so he purchased Snerds on his next order with International Fiberglass. He placed the new Snerds at three of his shops in Dallas and this one in Beaumont. Ken passed in 2021 at the age of 92 and I had the honor of talking with him a few times on the phone before he passed.
While all of Ken’s Snerds were shipped from International Fiberglass with yellow shirts and blue pants, this guy came off the truck in a red shirt instead. This was the last Snerd Ken purchased and it has been standing here in Beaumont it’s entire life. The giant has weathered a few storms over the years including hurricane Rita and hurricane Ike even knocked him half way over busting his shoe. After that he got repainted and set back upright, although his foot is still damaged from the tip.
The snerd still has the International Fiberglass logo on his right leg. Ken’s no longer owns the building or the giant and sold in 2016 to the current owner, Tyler Wharton who rents the shop out to “Leo’s Automotive” Leo’s recently repainted the giant to better represent their brand.
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My #30 sighting landed me in the St Louis area where I discovered a mangled cowboy laying in the weeds behind Croft Trailer in Valley Park. The giant originally stood in Belleville, IL throughout the 60s and stood at a number of different businesses till he moved over to MO in 1998. I was able to purchase him in 2016 and he is currently in restoration and will be set up at the American Giants Museum in 2024. To learn the full history of this giant and the interesting back story, check out the full article which has recently been updated and moved to our Patreon Account. Please join us for there for full access.
Picture Credit: Debra Jane Seltzer
The Bunyan just North of the airport in Atlanta, GA has been there for a very long time and interestingly his history is very vague. I do know that he is one of the better preserved giants out there and still is in amazing condition given his age. He was one of my early sightings back in 2012 and as close as he is to a major airport, you would think he would get more visitors.
To learn the full history of this giant and the interesting back story, check out the full article which has recently been updated and moved to our Patreon Account. Please join us for there for full access.
American Giants - Muffler Men 