Bartlett, Illinois -
Muffler Man

Muffler Man

My fiance who has a sister who lives in Bartlett Illinois found out where the Muffler man is now! He is being stored in a very large storage barn. He is still in disrepair and the owners are not doing anything with it right now. [Cara, 11/23/2006]

[RA: "Big Ben" originally stood at Adventureland amusement park in Addison. For decades afterward he was the mascot of Big Ben's Tire Barn, but he vanished when the store closed in 2000.]

Muffler Man (Big Ben) - Gone

The muffler man is definitely gone. The property he stood at the front of has been rehabbed and now a shed company and trailer dealer occupy the space. Our hopes that he was being refurbished were for naught. [Mark Kotarba, 04/15/2001]

Muffler Man - Big Ben

This Muffler Man is for some reason unloved. His paint is chipping and his hand is missing. There used to be way more Muffler men in my area. Going east on 20 from the forlorn, one-handed muffler man and into the town of Roselle were two Muffler Men standing in front of what is today Santilli's fruit stand. If I remember correctly, one was an Injun and one was a white guy. It was a rite of passage at Lake Park High School to vandalize and thus disrespect the Muffler Man, painting their fingernails black and such like tom-foolery. Eventually, they were taken down. I think it was in the late seventies or early eighties. I miss them very much. If I could somehow procure my own Muffler Man, believe me, I would. [Kristy Hartsgrove,, 03/15/1998]

Muffler Man - Big Ben

Bartlett in Hanover Park, near the police station. This muffler man is an amputee, however. He is missing his right hand. You can buy lawn furniture in the barn that he stands in front of. [Hugh deMann, 03/10/1998]

Muffler Man - Big Friend

The muffler man reported on Rt. 20 may be a delapidated Texaco Service Man. [anon, 01/06/1998]