On Indianapolis’ West Side, even a 27-foot fiberglass giant could not walk away unscathed after an early Sunday collision. Mr. Bendo, the towering "Muffler Man" who has kept watch outside Ralph's Muffler and Brakes on West 16th Street for decades, was hit by a vehicle that snapped his right leg and punched a hole in the shop’s exterior wall. The main garage stayed open for business, but staffers and neighbors quickly posted photos online and began talking about donations to cover restoration costs.
Owner vows to restore the landmark
Kevin Potter, who runs Ralph’s, told the Indianapolis Star that he believes an Audi plowed into the statue and that he is already thinking through how to fix it. "I'll get him back to normal and everyone can look at him again," Potter told the paper as he waited for insurance representatives to survey the damage. According to the shop, work at the garage is continuing while assessors sort out the building and statue repairs.
Longtime roadside oddity
Mr. Bendo has stood as a quirky West Side landmark since the 1960s, a custom spin on the classic muffler man design that roadside fans love to track. Roadside America notes that the figure has been stationed outside Ralph’s for decades and that this particular Bendo-style variation is relatively hard to find elsewhere in the country. The supersized fiberglass figures were mass-produced in the 1960s, and collectors now regard surviving examples as prized pieces of vintage Americana.
Repairs, insurance and fundraising
Potter told the paper that the fix will likely involve new fiberglass work and a full repaint so the 27-foot-tall figure can stand upright again, and that he is waiting for insurance adjusters to lay out the official plan, according to the Indianapolis Star. On social media, people shared images of Mr. Bendo’s broken leg and the hole in the wall, with some asking whether a GoFundMe or similar fundraiser might be launched to help cover restoration costs. The shop has indicated it intends to move ahead with the repairs once the insurance evaluation is wrapped up.
What Mr. Bendo's fate says about preserving local icons
Muffler men like Mr. Bendo started as midcentury roadside advertising, but with only a limited number still standing, the responsibility for keeping them upright usually falls on small business owners rather than any public agency. Roadside America catalogs these giants as Americana landmarks, and many nearby residents are already voicing support for getting Mr. Bendo repaired and back on his perch as soon as possible.
