There have been quite a few cars made famous by Hollywood movies, so for this week’s Hollywood Drive of Fame we’re taking a look at the iconic Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters.
The public’s fascination with the Cadillac Miller-Meteor Hearse stems from its leading role in a very popular ’80s movie – can you remember which one?
That movie was, of course, the classic Hollywood hit Ghostbusters, where the car was used by Ray, Venkman, Ego and Winston as they jetted off to fight Zool’s minions in New York…
It’s fitting that a film that deals in the supernatural should feature a famous car which incorporated elements of an ambulance and hearse especially with the the chassis and end loader.
In the film Ray bought it for the bargain price of $4,800 and it required minimal repairs apart from new suspensions, breaks, break pads, transmission, steering box, mufflers and lining.
The car was actually made by a company called the Wayne Corporation from Indiana. Professional car manufacturers Miller and Meteor were merged into the company and brought their wealth of experience to fashion one of Hollywood’s most iconic cars.
In terms of manufacturing status, Miller Meteor was considered middle of the pack but what made them unique, in terms of producing coaches, was that they offered many different models and colour combinations.
Their main selling point was that they offered what they called a “panoramic” where the windows next to the rear door were added to their iconic landau top.
Their ambulances were also made on the same chassis and their models varied as some offered a “high top” while others had a standard height roofline. Ecto-1 is the medium between the hearse and the ambulance, hence the combo name.
Thankfully, Ecto-1’s legacy still lives on today, as new generations discover the 1984 classic film. If you want to get your hands on one of these models then it looks like there may be someone who is looking to sell. However, you’re going to need around €215,000 before you think of buying your own Ecto-1.
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