Grateful Dead's First Truck Could Fetch $500K at Auction
- October 29, 2014 23:29
A 1960s counterculture icon comes to auction in the form of a rediscovered 1949 Studebaker truck that served as the Grateful Dead's first vehicle.
Brightly painted and stated to be in good condition, "The Dred," as the band's fans called it, was purchased to haul around equipment in early 1966. It could fetch up to $500,000 at Michaan's Auctions in Alameda, Calif.
Offered in a 20th Century Design sale on Nov. 6, "The Dred" is described as retaining an original interior and engine.
Red paint on the exterior was added by band soundman Owsley (the LSD "cook"). One of Owsley's friends added some more colors to make it an art car in 1970, according to the catalog.
![Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577–1640), After Titian (Tiziano Vecelli) (Italian [Venetian], c. 1488–1576), Rape of Europa, 1628–29. Oil on canvas, 71 7/8 x 79 3/8 in.](/images/c/e2/2e/Jan20_Rape_of_Europa100x100_c.jpg "Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577–1640), After Titian (Tiziano Vecelli) (Italian [Venetian], c. 1488–1576), Rape of Europa, 1628–29. Oil on canvas, 71 7/8 x 79 3/8 in.")
