Steve McQueen’s 1971 Husqvarna 400 Cross, identical to the one on which he famously rode shirtless on the cover of Sports Illustrated, is up for auction.
Still feeling the rush of the Independence Day celebration? Nothing says “freedom” like hitting the open road on a vintage bike. And if you’ve got a little extra change (okay, a lot), you can take your next road trip on a motorcycle once owned by iconic actors Dennis Hopper or Steve McQueen.
Mecum Auctions’ Celebrity Items Auction, set for July 26-27 at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, features an array of vintage motor cycles, cars and trucks – and one giant goat head on wheels – owned by famous celebs or used in feature films and classic TV shows. Among the items expected to draw the highest bids are Hopper’s 1968 Husqvarna 250T Commando; McQueen’s 1971 Husqvarna 400 Cross, which he raced regularly; and the “King of Cool’s” 1931 Harley Davidson VL 74.
No other Hollywood figure has ever been more closely tied to motorcycling than Hopper and McQueen. Hopper’s portrayal of Billy in 1969′s Easy Rider established him as a counter-culture icon and revolutionized Hollywood. McQueen also was known for his anti-hero persona developed at the height of the Vietnam counterculture. He raced sporadically and considered a racing career and boasted a collection of more than 100 classic motorcycles. And the two iconic actors spent time off-camera along the dirt firebreaks from Coldwater Canyon to the Pacific.
Among the other items we here at E3 Spark Plugs are eyeing are:
- McQueen’s 1969 Chevrolet C/10 Baja Truck
- Mcqueen’s Baja 1969 Chevrolet Hickey Race Truck
- Mc Queen’s 1952 Chevrolet 3800 series pickup truck with custom camper
- Elvis Presley’s personal 1972 Cadillac Custom Estate Wagon
- Frank Sinatra’s personal 1989 Jaguar XJS
- George Barris custom built 1957 Chevy Coupe for Ringo Starr
- Bette Davis’ 1980 Ford Mustang
- A 1965 Chrysler Imperial used in the 2011 film The Green Hornet
- The 1973 Chevrolet El Camino used in the TV series My Name is Earl
- The 1975 California GTO 250 Ferrari Replica From the 1991 John Candy film, Delirious
- A 2007 GMC Yukon featured in CSI: Miami
- The custom-made “Flintstone Family Car” from the 1994 feature film The Flintstones – a giant goat head with ram horns set on an Isuzu chassis
Which of these items would you bid on? Check out our gallery and post your picks on the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook Fan Page.
