I don't know how many people ever owned this… but there WAS a 1:64 scale Ecto-1A made back in 1989. I've had it since I was a kid and just naturally assumed it was some Hotwheels car made back then. But now I have to wonder where I got it from. I have vague memories from childhood that my mother told me it came with some camera film. It was particularly detailed and had a rotating antenna dish on top. Does anyone else remember this this?

Yeah, got that one. Pretty sure it was from Hardees, but I'm probably wrong.

Scuba Steve;159468
I don't know how many people ever owned this… but there WAS a 1:64 scale Ecto-1A made back in 1989. I've had it since I was a kid and just naturally assumed it was some Hotwheels car made back then. But now I have to wonder where I got it from. I have vague memories from childhood that my mother told me it came with some camera film. It was particularly detailed and had a rotating antenna dish on top. Does anyone else remember this this?

Is this the Johnny Lightning car? It was made in many colors but white was one of them. It came in like light blue and green too, and gold I think.

Scuba Steve;159468
I don't know how many people ever owned this… but there WAS a 1:64 scale Ecto-1A made back in 1989. I've had it since I was a kid and just naturally assumed it was some Hotwheels car made back then. But now I have to wonder where I got it from. I have vague memories from childhood that my mother told me it came with some camera film. It was particularly detailed and had a rotating antenna dish on top. Does anyone else remember this this?

CrimsonGhostbuster;159471
Yeah, got that one. Pretty sure it was from Hardees, but I'm probably wrong.

RE: Crimson

The car Scuba Steve is referring to was a premium from FujiFilm. I've seen a few of them in my time, some still in their packaging. I wish I had one now.

Nix is right. The one made in ‘89 was a promo from FujiFilm. I’ve got one out of the package. Picked it up years ago at a flea market. It was pretty impressive. The entire roof rack was a dark grey (much like the new hot wheels version in black). I think it was actually smaller than 1:64 scale. It's a really short car.

Dr. V - the Johnny Lightening group of 1A's came out in 1997, I believe. At least that is the date stamped on the Halloween edition of the car. It was in the “Frightening Lightening” Group 1 Set, along with Christine, Elvira's car, and others. The “Collector's Edition” (which was the most produced) was the regular white. Then there were 4 “series” of different colors for each car and each with a different cardboard attached to it. I can't speak for the colors of the other cars because they were all different but for Ecto, it was: Series 1 - Blue/teal, Series 2 - Silver, Series 3 - Yellow, and Series 4 - orange. Then they followed that up with the special Halloween edition. It had a special cardboard with a shot of Ecto coming out of the firehouse, the car was white and had “Halloween ‘97” stamped across the hood. There were 2 versions of this one - the only difference was the color of the Halloween stamp across the hood. The main one was black, but there was a more limited run with the lettering in bright orange. JL then released the diorama set, followed by a relrelease of the white ecto in the Hollywood on Wheels line (one regular backing, and one with a special GB green cardboard), and finally released it again in the 15th Anniversary of JL Line - which was again white, but had “15th anniversary” printed on the tires, and came with a special pog.

And now we have the HW Ecto.


hope that helps. While it took a while, I have each of the cars listed above. That’s the only reason I'm able to recall it all.

I found one with a gray pinstripe down the side. I'm not sure if this is a production error or not. Anyone else have a pinstripe?

There was also the white one released as part of a “Ghostbusters diorama” set, with metal figures and cardboard Stay Puft backdrop.

I thought the figures were plastic? At least mine are. I always found it odd that the Ecto in that set is the GB2 version.

You're right, I made the mistake as I hadn't taken them out of the pack.

It was cheaper for them to reuse their Ecto-1A mold rather than make a new one, which amongst other things would've required them getting permission to use the Ecto-1 likeness… I know it's crazy, but even though the Ecto-1 and 1A are largely the same, you'd have to seek separate licencing agreements to use them.

GhstbstrLMLIII;159223
Picked up 2 Ecto's at a flea market over the weekend. Paid more than I should have, but about half of what one plus shipping would be on Ebay. Now, if the snowflake one I ordered would come in, I'll be in great shape.

EDIT: Since I'm still the last post, I'll just edit this in. This was over on the hot wheel collectors forum, posted by a mod -


So…… yeah. Take it how you will.

As for this post….. I work in a store which does get HWs in.. Normally I put them out. And the last case I opened had 2 E1's in it. So There you have it. Also just scoped out Ebay. If you guys are still looking for ecto's I see quite a few for around 2.3.00 mark. There is also one on there, similar to my own . Full detail and on the card. Not bad!
That's all I have. if I find more Ecto's in the next week or so, I'll keep them aside for you guys. You'll get first dibs.