#39 Tucson, AZ M Man

Posted on 04/09/2013 by jbaker98

This classic Bunyan started appearing on roadside america reports as early as 1997 but actually arrived in the area around 1964. He was set up by Leo Toia and his family still runs the hot rod shop here after all these years. When I visited him he looked great with a fresh paint job, blue pants, red shirt and yellow knit cap which seem to be the standard colors for these Bunyans. His shirt says “Caranada Heights Neighborhood”. 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!

Elkins, WV Missing Lumberjack Mystery

Posted on 04/08/2013 by jbaker98

So here is an interesting side story. While browsing Debra Jane Seltzer’s website I came across this picture she took back in 2001 in the little town of Elkins, WV. She mentioned when the picture was taken and that it looked like it was sawn off at the ankles and also that she had no idea where the rest of him ended up. Missing feet or in this case missing bodies always have a good story behind them so I found a local that was able to do some digging for me. So for those of you who are interested in this long lost muffler man here are some details for you. The story starts in 1998 when a few guys partnered and opened the “Lumberjack’s Restaurant” on the upper floor of the Elks Lodge at the Elkins Country Club south of the cities airport. The main partner in the business had arrangements made for a lumberjack statue to be made in Roanoke, VA. After it was completed the lumberjack was brought to Elkins and set up in front of the lodge. His feet were set in concrete on top of a slab to keep him secure. By the latter part of 1999 the restaurant went out of business and shortly after the statue disappeared. It is not certain if someone stole him or perhaps the owner cut him off at the feet and hauled him away. I am also not sure if his feet are still on the property or not, it has been over 10 years so I am guessing they have been removed by now. It would be interesting to learn where he went and what he looked like. I have speculated that since he was made in 1998 that he is one of Mark Cline‘s creations since Mark’s studio is only about 40 miles from Roanoke. Anyone with more information please enlighten us! Check out the update to this story!

#38 Hatch, NM Soda Jerk

Posted on 04/05/2013 by jbaker98

In Hatch, NM there is a Mark Cline Soda Jerk that has had a rather interesting life looking for just the right spot but never has seemed to figure out where he belongs. I first saw him when he was out back at the RV business. When that closed he was set up at a short lived chicken restaurant and today is on his back behind a fence.

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!

#37 Hatch, NM M Man

Posted on 03/28/2013 by jbaker98

The old Phillips 66 Cowboy in Hatch NM doesn’t look much like a cowboy with his hat at his feet but he certainly us one. He started out in Oklahoma and ended up at a truck stop by the mid 90s. He was then sold to a collector in Ohio who also owned a waving giant. From there he made his way to a museum that had a Route 66 exhibit but 9/11 cut funding and he was eventually sold on ebay to Teako Nunn of Hatch NM. I visited him in 2012 and made some interesting discoveries. 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!

Muffler Men Location Map

Posted on 03/24/2013 by jbaker98

I have received a few requests and interest in the google map I showed in the first American Giants promo. When I first started my hobby I wanted a way to not only see where all the muffler men were located but also make notes about each one. So I built a map in google that was private but gave me every muffler man location that I had heard about. This map is always a work in progress and every time I learned of a current or former location I would add it. Also every time I visited a location I would jot down in google maps all of my notes. The map is basically a copy of what Roadside America has on their site and includes former and current locations as well as additional discoveries I have made. The google map is also a nice tool to use with your smart phone and when on a trip you can see what muffler men may be around you. Roadside America has also updated their muffler man map recently and cleaned it up and added some cool graphics for easier navigation and identification. At the moment my map is not public because it is more like a personal notepad where I jot down all kinds of stuff. However if there is enough interest I will take the time to convert my google map into a public map that I will share here and anyone is welcome to use it when tracking muffler men. It will include all versions of muffler men and their current and past locations (to the best of my knowledge) as well as other closely related giants like the vikings, A&W Root bear family, Big John statues, Big Friends, Sinclair Dinosaurs, Beach Guy, Pioneer Man, Texaco Tigers and a few other International Fiberglass items. The map will be color coded so you can see for example what is an indian or a cowboy without even clicking on it. If you do choose to click on a marker you will get basic info on that muffler man. More information will appear on this blog about each location then will be available on the map. I also will have question marks on the map for missing muffler men I have not tracked down yet.

#36 Las Cruces, NM M Man

Posted on 03/22/2013 by jbaker98

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.

To learn the full history of this giant and the interesting back story and where his missing arms are, check out the full article which has recently been updated and moved to our Patreon Account. Please join us there for full access!

American Giants In Production

Posted on 03/17/2013 by jbaker98

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.

#35 Wynnewood, OK M Man

Posted on 03/17/2013 by jbaker98

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.

#34 Summit, OK M Man

Posted on 03/15/2013 by jbaker98

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!

Pahrump Big Friend Down

Video

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.