Jeff from the Arizona Ghostbusters pointed out that there’s a lot of buzz at GBFans.com about the Ecto-1 replica that used to feature at Universal Studios Orlando, was auctioned off in Scottsdale recently. A lot of pictures were taken and the car was even featured on the Speed Network, where it sold for $80,000 (88K with a 10% buyer commission added – woof)! That’s nearly double what it sold for less that one year ago, you’ll recall.
Ernie Hudson was on hand for the auction, which was a nice surprise, but I’m a little unsure about the announcer’s patter, which I think is a misunderstanding and combination of facts. When the car went on sale last year (same car with the same title of ownership from USF) it was firmly believed by Ecto fans that this car was not created for the film, but after the film for specific use by USF. This then would, as I understand it, make it the post-filming promotional car, built by Peter Mosen, and then (again, from the chatter around last year’s sale) later refurbished and made more movie accurate by Steve Johnson pal, Paul Francis.
Summary: Sony authorized 1 of 3 original cars. Comes with a copy of the Universal title and bill of sale. Street legal, own a piece of car history.
Details: This is one of the 3 original authorized Ghostbuster cars by Sony. This car comes with a copy of the original Universal Studio title and bill of sale. This is an autographed car. This car is street legal, the lights and sirens all work. This is your chance to own a piece of automobile history. This car draws a huge crowd where ever it goes. Remember there are only 3 in the world and this is 1 of them. What more can be said about this Ghostbusters car that you don’t already know.
As many times as I’ve seen the Ecto-1, it still wowed me as it was driving on the platform.
I love hearing it get called the “Ghostbustermobile”. Good stuff.
I´d sell a kidney (not mine :p ) for getting this car.
peter mosen didn’t build the USF ecto. i’m pretty sure mosen’s replica is still at the star cars museum in gatlinburg, tn.
they’re correct in that it IS one of three ectomobiles built by columbia… it just wasn’t used in the production of the movies. although mosen’s car was used for promo work, it wasn’t built by columbia.
Well, I say Mosen because as far as I understand it, he was hired by Columbia to build 3 replicas, only two of which he built (the third was for the Fuji film contest, in the event that the winner actually wanted an Ecto-1 versus the cash equivalent) – so if this was built as a promotion car after filming the first film, it follows he built it.
I thought the TN car museum was a George Barris build – at least, the website is falling all over itself to point out that the cars are all Barris cars.
i’m pretty sure that the three mosen replicas were his 59, and two 70’s-era caddys… one ECTO-1 and one ECTO-1A. i’ll be the first to admit that i could be wrong, though.
the star cars museum CLAIMS that their ecto was built by barris… and they also claim that it was screen-used. go figure! the car matches exactly to mosen’s…. warts and all.
i’m pretty sure that mosen had already completed his ‘59 when columbia hired him to build the others…
Good old Ecto…sure the Batmobile/Tumbler is cool,and the first from the original 2 Burton Batmans were nice,The Delorean was also iconic for the 80’s…but somethin about Ecto just always set it apart and you could tell even on the special in the game and Blu-Ray it stands apart from others in everyones mind. Now if only Cadillac would make restoration parts for’em a lil easier to come by…
Some of those warts include the Bill and Dan signatures from when they stopped by to see Mosen’s car, as shown in the old RGB mag story on it.
God, I miss seeing this car at Universal.
Great pictures! love the batmobile too! Im not sure but i think one of pee wee hermans bikes can be seen in front of the old batcycle too.
I was always under the impression Mosen’s ‘59 Ecto-1 was built as a labor of love just to do it [as purported in that issue of RGB Magazine, and that one car magazine]…As a fan, not unlike everyone in the community…He also had the suit and equipment as well…
And I believe that all of the aforementioned was built prior to ‘88…Anything after that [the other two Ectomobiles - the one '70's-era Ecto-1 at the RGB NOW Comics event he attended around '88, and the Coca-Cola giveaway Ecto-1A in '89] were most likely commissioned, though no article I’ve ever read makes light of the commission work…Not saying that’s not true of course…
I wish someone could get a current in-depth interview with that guy…
The Pee-Wee looking bike wasn’t a Pee-Wee bike, but I did expect someone would think that. It was an old bicycle being auctioned with a custom motorcylce based off of it.
I’m just so tired of hearing this car referred to ( even by people here who should know better ) as “screen used.” It’s a complete misrepresentation. I thank you graciously for writing an article that speaks the truth about it without taking away from how great it is, while also not inflating it to “screen used” or “production made” levels. These aren’t true despite how often these have been repeated over and over in the past.
The only thing worse ( than misrepresenting a car based on one’s hopes of what it could/should be ) is absolutely anything that has the name George Barris attached to it. Kudos to Paul for never letting Barris near this car.
HA… funny you should mention that. paul actually ran into barris at a little rock car show with the USF ecto. i’m pretty sure that he has a pic with barris in front of the car. i’m sure barris was oblivious to the humor of that moment…
unless i missed it, no one mentioned it the car being screen/production-used. columbia claims it as one of three “official” ectomobiles, but it’s not screen or production-used.
I half-recall the announcer babbling about movies having multiple cars on a shoot, which implies this one was made for use during filming – but I’d have to go watch it again to be sure I didn’t dream it.
Yeah, it’s right at the beginning – the one guy goes “one of three authorized by Sony, for use in the movie” and the other guy goes “Now, the question is, why do you need three…” and then proceeds to explain how movies use more than one car in a film, even though Ghostbusters got made with one.
“I wish someone could get a current in-depth interview with that guy…”
Funny you should mention that…
Osborn: “unless i missed it, no one mentioned it the car being screen/production-used. columbia claims it as one of three ‘official’ ectomobiles, but it’s not screen or production-used.”
No, I wasn’t referring to ONLY the words used in the auction. I’ve been on GB and prop related forum since about ‘99 and this isn’t the first time this car has been talked about. I’m still grateful that Barris never signed Paul’s dashboard like Barris has done with so many other cars.
Yeah, Peter Mosen’s around online, but I don’t think that he’s active in the online GB community. He did stop by my GB2 Hidden Cameos post to correct a spelling error I made in his name, but that’s the only thim I’ve ever seen his presence in the online GB community. I e-mailed him back to see if I could get a chat going, but I never heard back from him.
You can view his pics and resume at IMDB.
After reading through his resume and seeing this blurb [below] under `special promotions´, I REALLY am intrigued to hear him spin a yarn or two about the old days, or just be able to see what’s in his photo album [or home movies] :
“June 1984 Columbia Pictures “Ghostbusters” Times Square promo opening day. June 1989 Columbia Pictures “Ghostbusters 2″ Premier appearance for Z100radio and Nationwide appearances for Fuji Photo Film,Hardee’s Restaurants, Kenner Toys,Columbia Home Video, Blockbuster Video, San Francisco 49ers(1/2 time show),Universal Studios Tour (L.A.), Marine World/Africa USA, Carowinds Theme Park, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Coca Cola.”
His yarns are definitely worth hearing – like I said, funny you should mention this…
Hello all you Ghostbuster fans out there! I’ll try to put it all straight for ya! My original car was a 1966 Cadillac Ambulance I Ectomobiled in 1984 converted to ECTO 1A in 1989, then shipped to Argentina. My true replica build featured in Car Craft in 1989 I built for licensing appearances around the country and sold to George Barris in 1994-95 and is at Star Cars Museum(1959 Miller-Meteor Cadillac conversion w/autographed headliner). HONK if you can’t wait for GHOSTBUSTERS 3!