Ghostbusters Fans Start Petition To Properly Restore Ecto-1A

By Nick Venable | Published

This article is more than 2 years old

ecto1aJust about every aspect of the original Ghostbusters film was memorable, and about as perfect as it could have been for the time. On the flip side, almost everything to do with its for-the-money sequel is completely forgettable, other than that pink goo and Peter MacNicol’s horrendous accent. But that doesn’t mean it deserves to get stuck in a warehouse collecting dust and cobwebs. That’s what is happening to the film’s signature vehicle, the Ecto-1a, but that could change soon, as the Ghostbusters Fans website has started a petition in the first of several steps that will lead to a complete restoration of the vehicle. In a time where projects like this are rarely begun without a Kickstarter campaign in tow, a simple petition is quite refreshing. Donations are welcome, though!

Now for a little backstory. Both of the original Ectomobiles were set up to be fully restored back in 2007, under the guidance of Sony Pictures and Keith Hargrove, a Sony executive at the time. The Ecto-1 from the first film was finished first, with work to subsequently begin on the second car. And wouldn’t you know it? After the Ecto-1a was stripped down, they ran out of funds for the project and it was permanently put on hiatus.

Where is the car now? Sitting on one of Sony’s backlots, looking like a pale, ghostly shadow of its former self. It’s got a busted windshield and a crumpled hood, beyond being stripped out. As a final insult, its light bar isn’t even on top of the car anymore. Damn Sony to hell! Or at least to Dana’s refrigerator. Take a look at the car below, in a picture take on October 8th of this year.

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What the Ghostbusters Fans want to do is get enough digital signatures on the petition to make a case for Sony to sell them the car (a 1959 Cadillac), plus all of the Ecto-specific parts, for scrap value. They would then see to it that the restoration be completed, probably with more care than whoever Sony was using to fix the cars up.

Seeing as how the DeLorean got itself a recent facelift, why can’t we do the same for the vehicle that held four of America’s greatest heroes? Just go here and take 12 seconds to fill the petition out. And then go watch Ghostbusters on Netflix.

Here are a few more pictures of the Ecto-1a, from its prime-time display look at Universal Studios Florida, through to its current ruination.

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And just because you can’t ever think about babies in runaway strollers enough, here’s the Ghostbusters II trailer.