Right Palm Up, Left Palm Down
In 1984, a ten-year-old boy encountered a mysterious 20-foot-tall fiberglass statue named Louie in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Eight years later, he spotted an identical statue in Tucson. A third sighting outside a run-down convenience store made it a trend. Thus began a scavenger hunt to discover the origins of Louie and his brethren. Only one rule applied: No searching for them on the Internet!

Right Palm Up, Left Palm Down

The Log of a Cross-Country Scavenger Hunt by Gabriel Aldaz
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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.
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King Midas

Unger, West Virginia

King Midas

King Midas was for years associated with the Midas Muffler Shop in Whittier, California. When the shop changed owners, the statue was purchased by George and Pam Farmham of Unger, West Virginia. King Midas now shares an ample lawn with a Uniroyal Gal and other International Fiberglass creations. I just missed King Midas in Whittier, and have not been to West Virginia to visit him.

Location: George and Pam Farnham’s yard, 14633 Winchester Grade Road
Type: Service station attendant with golden crown
Accessories: Muffler, Christmas lights
Spotlight: Part of George and Pam Farnham’s giant fiberglass colossi collection
Damage: Exposure to West Virginia winters
  • King Midas

Left: King Midas at the Whittier muffler shop. Photo courtesy of Jim Heimann. Right: King Midas takes his place with the other Farnham Colossi in Unger, West Virginia. Photo courtesy of Stefanie Schweda.

2023 Update

Coming soon!