Meet the Characters
This page is devoted to the Muffler Men in the order that I encountered them in my scavenger hunt.
The names of most statues are widely accepted, and the numbers roughly correspond to the book chapters.
The map and descriptions were accurate in 2009, and are being updated in 2023 with your help!
Click on the numbers on the map or the names on the right to learn more about each one.
11
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
El Salsero
Malibu, California
A Burger Boy hoisted a juicy quarter-pounder atop a Frostie Freeze along the Pacific Coast Highway. When the restaurant became a La Salsa franchise in 1987, the soda jerk needed an extreme makeover. Famed artist Bob “Daddy-O” Wade cleverly transformed Burger Boy into El Salsero, now a landmark in posh Malibu.
| Location: | La Salsa Fresh Mexican Grill, 22800 Pacific Coast Highway |
|---|---|
| Type: | Service station attendant with modified arms, sombrero and serape |
| Accessories: | Food tray |
| Spotlight: | Replica commissioned by Dennis Hopper for the International Exhibition of Sculptures and Installations (Venice, Italy, 2003) |
| Damage: | Lost beer bottle, basket of chips, green chile, and bowl of salsa |
El Salsero’s food tray, previously the bottom half of a burger bun, has lost its beer bottle and other contents (2009).
2023 Update
El Salsero is still standing, even though the La Salsa restaurant closed years ago and the building has remained vacant ever since. At this point, he is in desperate need of renovation.
El Salsero stands in front of the whitewashed La Salsa restaurant. Photo courtesy of Casey Schearer.
