1971 Volkswagen Bus Early work by Jason McCarty, an Iowa artist who died in the Ghost Ship warehouse fire in Oakland, CA in December 2016 Every vertical exterior surface has been transformed into a work of art; roof is silver Autographed by the artist Custom interior 1.6L flat four-cylinder engine Four-speed manual transmission 12-volt electrical system Power brakes Documentation includes photos of Jason creating his art, photos of the completed work, high school photos of the artist and Iowa newspaper articles about the fire On December 16, 2016, a fire started in a warehouse located off of Fruitvale Avenue in Oakland, California. Now known as the Ghost Ship Fire, unfortunately 36 people died in the blaze. Artist Jason McCarty was one of them. This VW Bus represents one of his early works completed before he moved to California and it is autographed by McCarty.It was originally a blank red canvas. An Iowa native, he created art from a very early age. McCarty, 36, dabbled in a variety of media illustrations, design, photography, painting and music. He moved to California in approximately 2006, when he began his masters coursework at the San Francisco Art Institute. The vans nose is a mlange of warm hues in sun-like pattern. Moving around to the drivers side, the yellows and oranges become part of a fire-breathing dragons exhalations. Past the drivers door the dragons body undulates and a possible underwater scene hovers above the dragons back. Over the left rear wheel is a hippie panorama, complete with rainbow, peace signs and other traditional symbols. A large green frog occupies the drivers D-pillar. Arcing across the rear is an emotive set of sun and moon phases, complete with a long red-and-white stocking cap on the moon. The passenger D-pillar bears a character who would look at home in J.R.R. Tolkiens Lord of the Rings trilogy. Down the passenger side is a very mystical and psychedelic scene, with mushrooms, a Willy Wonka-like character and other images of which Tom Petty would have enjoyed. The paint and trim are in overall very good order, as are its glass panels and lights. The vans bodywork is straight while its cargo area is in very good order, however the heater boxes for the engine are missing. The black bumpers are in very good order. The van rolls on Douglas radials, size 185/75R14 at all four corners. The tires are in decent condition and each one surrounds a steel wheel topped with a vented factory wheel cover. Inside, the newer shag carpet and upholstery are eye-catching. The seats are in excellent order while the matching shag carpet is in very good condition. The headliner is satisfactory, as is the two-spoke steering wheel. The black instrument panel and inner door panels are in very good condition. The fuel gauge is inoperable. Rounding out the interior is a Sony AM/FM stereo. The side entry door has been ingeniously transformed from a slider to a hinged "suicide" door, making it very unique. In late 1967, the second generation of the Volkswagen Type 2 (T2) was introduced. It was built in Germany until 1979. Models before 1971 are often called theT2a(or Early Bay.) This second-generation Type 2 lost its distinctive split frontwindshield and was slightly larger and considerably heavier than its predecessor. Its common nicknames areBread loafandBay-window, orLoafandBayfor short. At 1.6L, the new engine with dual intake ports on each cylinder head was also slightly larger. The battery and electrical system was upgraded to 12 volts, making it incompatible with electric accessories from the previous generation. The new model also did away with theswing axlerear suspension and transfer boxes previously used to raise ride height. Instead,half-shaftaxles fitted withconstant velocity jointsraised ride height without the wild changes incamberof the Beetle-based swing axle suspension. The updated Bus transaxle is usually sought after by off-road racers using air-cooled Volkswagen components. The first models featured rounded bumpers incorporating a step for use when the door was open (replaced by indented bumpers without steps on later models), front doors that opened to 90 from the body, no lip on the front guards, unique engine hatches and crescent air intakes in the D-pillars. An important change came with the introduction of frontdisc brakesand new roadwheels with brake ventilation holes and flatter hubcaps. Up until 1972, front indicators are set low on the nose rather than high on either side of the fresh air grille giving rise to their being nicknamed Low Lights. Competition to this Volkswagen in 1971 included Chevrolets G-Series Van, Dodges B-100, Fords Econoline, GMCs VanDura. Documentation includes photos of Jason creating his art, photos of the completed work, high school photos of the artist and Iowa newspaper articles about the fire. This is more than a typical Volkswagen Bus, this is an artists rolling mural from a segment of his life. If you are interested in this unique VW, please stop by MotoeXotica Classic Cars as soon as possible. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR YOU TUBE VIDEO! OR COPY AND PASTE THE LINK BELOW INTO YOUR WEB BROWSER: https://youtu.be/0CE2y5r6hik This car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer shows 62,881 miles. It is sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt title. GET OUT AND DRIVE!!! VIN: 2312043507 Note: Please see full terms and conditions listed below that pertain to the purchase of any said vehicle, thank you.