The 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor ambulance, aka Ecto-1, that starred in Ghostbusters is one of the most iconic Hollywood cars of all time, up there with the Back to the Future DeLorean DMC-12 and the Ford Mustang driven by Steve McQueen in Bullitt.
Nearly 40 years after its first appearance in Ghostbusters, Ecto-1 is back on the big screen in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, set around thirty years after 1989's Ghostbusters II. To celebrate its return, Bob's Prop Shop in Las Vegas has built a convincing replica of the ghost-busting Ecto-1. Technically, this tribute car is based on a 1960 Cadillac hearse rather than a 1959 ambulance so it's not an exact replica, but we doubt fans will care much because it still looks awesome.
The reason is that 1959 Cadillac ambulances often sell for around $200,000 - $250,000 as they have been in high demand Ghostbusters turned it into a Hollywood star. In fact, a few months ago an Ecto-1 recreation based on a 1959 Cadillac Superior Hearse sold for $220,000 at a Barrett-Jackson auction in Las Vegas.
There are a few noticeable styling changes that distinguish the 1960 version, namely the smaller tail fins. There are also fake windows with black vinyl and chrome trim replicating the 1959 ambulance. Even though not every detail is accurate, it still looks like a faithful Ecto-1 replica and a lot of work clearly went into it.
When the car was first acquired, it was badly rusted and wasn't running. To transform it into the Ecto-1 replica you see in the video, the car was stripped back to the bare metal and repainted. A new water pump was installed as well as a new alternator, radiator, electrical fans, and batteries.
The flashing emergency lights were also rebuilt with LEDs. Sadly, we don't get to see the Ecto-1 tribute car get taken for a spin, but we do get to hear it startup. According to the YouTuber, it "runs like a champ," it "purrs like a kitten," and it "drives fantastically." In case you were wondering, this Ecto-1 is not for sale - it's already been sold to a private collector.