Ecto-1A

Ecto-1A
Born	Miller-Meteor Futura Duplex 1959 Bellefontaine, Ohio
Occupation	Company transportation, Franchise ambassador
Years active	1989–present

General

The Ecto-1A is also built from a 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor Futura Duplex and including more technical equipment placed on the roof. Most noticeably this upgrade included digital sign boards on each side of the vehicle's roof rack, broadcasting Ghostbusters advertisements, specials, their phone number and yellow with orange caution striping added to the tops the doors and side. The light bars changed from the blue lenses to clear lenses with multi-colored rotators with a third light bar being added along with a directional arrow stick and third brake light. Other features on the roof rack that were added or enhanced include a radar dish and a large white tank behind the rack. The logo was updated on the doors and a logo was placed on the hood. The rear bumper was replaced with an aluminum diamond-plate step painted red. The louvers seen on the hood and the rear door of the Ecto-1 have been removed in favor of a cleaner look.

The Ecto-1A is currently in an off-site storage location of Sony's; it was originally going to be restored along with the Ecto-1 for the 25th anniversary of the release of the original movie, but the restoration of the Ecto-1A was indefinitely put on hold and has now been repurposed as a dilapidated Ecto-1 for Ghostbusters Afterlife.

Equipment

Light Bars

The Ecto-1A uses two different model lightbars. One of the models is the same Code 3 Force 4 XL 56" lightbar that was used on the Ecto-1. However, clear lenses with colored filters on the rotators were used on these bars. The color order on the front bar from passenger side to driver side is amber, red, green, red, green, amber. The rear bar keeps the same order, except with blue fliters replacing the red ones. The other bar used is a 52" Whelen Edge 9000 bar, with 8 strobes and 4 flashers. This bar also uses blue, amber and green as the colors on the bar.

Beacons

The Ecto-1A uses a Code 3 model 550 red beacon on top of the rack which is still readily available for purchase. The 1A also uses an amber beacon in the grill, this beacon is a Code 3 Dashlaser.

Strobe lights

The Ecto-1A uses two different types of strobe lights. The strobe on the roof rack is a Whelen HRDF-200. This model has been replaced with the modern HRF-CA. The type of lens used is an IS1 series 120. Also known as model A470, this complete lens assembly is part number 11-03291. The other strobe used on the bumper is a Whelen version of the Grimes lights seen on the Ecto-1. The part number is 01-0770030-01 however this part has also been replaced with an LED model. They are still available through various aircraft parts resalers, however usually sell for well over $300 a piece. These strobes can also be found from time to time on eBay for much less.

Other lights

The Ecto-1A features a Unity brand model S6 spotlight however does not have the mirror seen on the Ecto-1. To properly mount this light on the car, part number 138L must be used. Both the S6 and 138 are still available from Unity. The Ecto-1A also uses 4 deck lights like the Ecto-1. These lights are size par 46, which is a 6" diameter. Currently Grote offers this style of lamp housing via their website. The 1A also features a directional light stick, Code 3 model AS-8 and a Massey Ferguson tractor marker light.

Roof Rack

The roof rack is 72" and 36" wide, however the height on the 1A's rack unknown. The rack feature two A-6 oxygen tanks used by World War II-era fighter planes and bombers. The color of the tanks are white on the 1A. The rack also features a schedule 40 PVC pipe that is 53" long and has a 6" inner diameter sporting an orange color. The rack also features a 6"x9" radome and a 18" diameter quarter hemishpere radar dish mounted to a saw mandrel at the rear. The last pieces both racks share are a large heat sink toward the rear of the rack and two smaller heat sinks mounted to the wooden box portion of the rack on the front. The rack also has a metal box with black hoses on the passenger side, but is different than that seen on the Ecto-1.

Additional parts for this rack are a stainless steel tank with what appears to be a distribution block for its contents attached to it. There is a green box with a metal strip that sits on top of a box that is similar to the HVAC box on the 1's rack but no motor is attached to this box. The upgrades are continued with a US Navy sonobuoy on the driver's side above the oxygen tanks and a very large satellite dish that takes place of the Sniffer Tower. The silver box on the passenger side is of unknown make and model, but as previously stated appears very similar to the Texas Instruments box on the 1's rack. The biggest difference between the two racks is the addition of two approximately 76"x 10" green/red light sign boards. These boards were used to advertise the Ghostbusters return to business and that they were for hire among other phrases.

Interior

Like the most of the Ecto-1A, there is little known about the interior pieces of the car other than what can be discerned from pictures. With that the very limited list of known parts of the 1A are an older model PC monitor and keyboard, a ID-1732/AYQ-5 multipurpose/special computer known as a "comfy gator", a TRIO-TECH Ambient Tester and A-528 and a regulator relief valve.

Real Life Vehicle History

Very little information is known about the Ecto-1A. Currently there are no pre-production pictures or documentation known to the fan community. After production of Ghostbusters II, the car went on a promotional tour to various Hardee's restaurant locations throughout the country. Once that tour was complete, the car was displayed at Universal Studios Orlando where it remained until approximately 2004, when it returned to Sony studios. This car also was to be restored along with the completed Ectomobile, however executives at Sony nixed this idea. Parts from the 1A were used to restore the Ecto-1. The whereabouts of what remains of the 1A at this point are unknown.

Replicas

The Ecto-1A is the harder of the two Ectomobiles to replicate due to the sheer amount of equipment used on the roof rack and the lack of knowledge about it. There are also considerably fewer 1A in existance. There is a close replica owned by a gentleman in Tuscon Arizona who has been attempting to sell it for the past few years. The asking price is $235,000 and according to sources the man is losing money at that price. There was also a replica made from a 1964 Sayers and Scovill that was recently was on eBay for a buy it now price of $100,000. The seller claimed that this car was built by Universal Studios in 1993 as a back up for the 1959 Miller-Meteor Ecto-1 replica that was in use at the part at the time.

Trivia

Both Ectomobiles were on the verge of being sent to the crusher when Keith Hargrove suggested that both cars be restored for the premiere of the upcoming release of the Ghostbusters video game. After completion of the restoration of the Ecto-1 the restoration of the 1A was abanonded due to reasons unknown to the community. Speculation includes executives didn't want to spend more money on the project than had already been invested and that the 1A was too far "gone" to restore. There are a few pictures of both cars at Cinema Vehicle Services where the Ecto-1 is wearing a Ghostbusters II logo on the rear door, leading one to believe that the 1A had become a donor car for the Ecto-1. One part from the 1A did conclusively make its way on to the 1, which is the Unity S6 spotlight. There was more than one plate used for the Ecto-1A during the movie. The scene where the 1A pulls up to Peter's place the plate reads "Ecto-2". In another scene, Lady Liberty is all the way at the end of the plate as opposed to its standard position, in the middle.