like how its all shown in GB.net's prop section. who built your faveroite Ectomobile for bussiness or pleasure?
im gone.

in the gb.net props section… i'd have to say ectoi's car. i know, i know…. it's not even the right model. the only other 59 on here is the 1a replica. no offense the ecto1a, but those sign boards are killing me. i think the “BEST” would have to be the cleveland ecto, though.

I'm obviously partial to my replica.. So I'm not actually going to vote here. I will say though that I dont think its a matter of being “Best”. All of the replicas out there have “problems”. EctoI's car isnt the right coachbuilder, My Replica has lousy signboards, and the Cleveland Replica has a cheezy interior. Heck, if you put the two ACTUAL cars out at a car show, I'm sure that the public wouldnt believe they were real either. The construction of the actual cars leaves alot to be desired, as it only needed to look good on film.

Speaking strictly of my replica, when I have it out at shows, the public doesnt notice the signs are wrong. I get asked all the time “How I got the Real Movie Car”. I had signs made up that list the car as a “replica” to cut down on folks asking that question. The public doesnt spot the details that are wrong. All of these replicas represent the movie car close enough that the public remembers the move car as the replicas look.

The Difference in Coachbuilders, or the side signs, or the interior differences doesnt matter to the public. Its just the folks here that notice the differences.

And as for the signs, they are on my list to upgrade as I want scrolling LED message signs. I just have to wait till I can find a reasonable and affordable way to do them. (The signs on the movie car arent weatherproof, they arent protected from the elements or road debris or hands at car shows. And judging from the Photos of the movie cars, those signs werent horribly well constructed to start with.)

To do signs on my replica, they have to be waterproof, they have to be protected from the elements, and they have to be safe and well constructed to comply with local traffic laws. I drive my replica so it has to adhere to traffic rules that the movie cars never had to deal with.

Currently to have the LED signs done for my replica it would cost between $12,000 and $15,000 just for the 2 signs. (And I would then have to get the computer control system for the signs on my own.) I'm sure that everyone can agree, that's a little expensive for a replica that I do as a hobby. Now, If anyone want to Donate $15,000 for the signs, I'll get right on it and have them made up. Otherwise, I'd like to ask for some patience from the folks here. Building one of these is not a small task, nor is it a cheap project. I'm sure that the other owners will agree with me on that one.

If Ecto's were cheap to do, everyone would have one in their driveway.

TheEcto1a

Have you thought about non-scrolling boards? How are your current ones set up?

Currently the side signs are screen printed and backlit with Neon. (Which seems to be what everyone is objecing to) Really, at night they dont look bad. Better than no signs at all.

The Major expense of any LED signs is the LED arrays themselves. There are ALOT of LED's that go into that sort of project. Really the computer setup for programming is minor. It takes exactly the same back end connections to display a static sign on the LED's as it does to make things move. (Movement is generally controlled by a computer elsewhere anyways) Its the cost of all of those LED's installed into a weatherproof 12v exterior application that kills you.. No one makes anything off the shelf to do what we need. Its all Custom work.

TheEcto1a

Yeah,
There are approx. 4480 LEDs on 1 sign board.

TheEcto1a,

hearing about the LED signs your interested in (well arent we all?) can the frame on the roof of your Ecto-1A handle the weight? or will they possibly throw her off balance? just a general question. thanks.
im gone.

ecto1a, i've been thinking about stuff. since you don't have your car lit up on the road, why do you need scrolling boards? you could replicate the ‘look’ of the board when it is turned off. or you could use the same thing you're using now, just make the message look more like led's.

Back,

The Roof Rack is welded steel. Its more than sturdy enough to hold new signs.. In fact, when we were working on the car, we were standing up there on the rack. (Its got a diamond plate floor) And she is really heavy anyways.. I'm planning on casting some of the tanks in Fiberglas and replacing the current takes with lighter weight versions to help offset the weight issues.

As to the LED signs. The general public doesnt car either way. I'd personally like to have LED's on the car as that would make the car more accurate, as well as being darn cool at Shows.. I've thought about changing the current signs to look more like LED's untill I can actually upgrade the signs, but I'd have to hae a sign shop redo the panel for me, and that would be fairly expensive as well. (Why spend several hundred $$$'s on a temp solution, when I can save the $$$'s and put it towards LED's.)

TheEcto1a

Can I get a ride in it when you're finished?