Although it has earned a name for its service to the Spring community over 40 years, people often recognize Ripley’s Muffler and Brakes because of the shop’s brightly paintedmuffler sculptures, owner Tommy Ripley said.

Ripley’s Muffler and Brakes began as a gas station opened in 1973 by Ripley’s father Rodney, who died in 1996.

The whimsical figures that decorate the parking lot are created from cast-off muffler parts and have been part of the shop’s character since its early days, Ripley said.

“I was embarrassed as a kid, but people remembered it,” he said.

The sculptures are created by the shop’s auto technicians, who transform spare auto parts into tin soldiers, Santa Claus, the Starship Enterprise from “Star Trek” and, most recently, a bright yellow Pikachu character from the Pokemon video game.

While the shop offers a range of services including tuneups, timing belt replacement, suspension and brakes, its niche is mufflers, Ripley said.

The shop performs exhaust system upgrades regularly and one of its specialties is mandrel-pipe bending.

The special device uses a rodlike support called a mandrel to create a clean bend, but because it is a time-consuming procedure, it is about three times as expensive as regular muffler work, Ripley said. The process is often used for aesthetic upgrades on vintage vehicles such as a 1944 Ford the shop worked on in November.

“My exhaust guys are really talented,” Ripley said. “It’s kind of a dying breed.”

Over the years, the types of repairs requested by customers have changed as some mechanical elements—catalytic converters, for example—have become less likely to fail due to advances in automotive technology.

“Cars are definitely built better now so they don’t break down as much,” Ripley said. “Maintenance is a bigger factor because of the emissions tests. You can’t have a poorly running car.”

A lifelong Klein resident, Ripley said his family business tries to foster its connection with the community and remembers his dad’s rule.

“You treat other people like you want to be treated,” Ripley said.