There was, IIRC, a considerable but very short-lived amount of noise about these guys back in the day. While you might suspect hype, Frank Zappa was (apparently) a fan.
Obscure, but a definite subject for further investigation.
File under: New York ProtoProg Psych Folf
An introduction
In the music library: Autosalvage
Links: AllMusic ProgArchives.com Acid Visions
Autosalvage: The Psychedelic Band That Vanished Autosalvage interview with Rick Turner
Santa Cruz's Rick Turner and the psychedelic-era band Autosalvage reform for a second life at SXSW