06/23/2026
It's been a wild ride and an emotional ending. I can't believe I'm saying this - THE ECTO-1 IS COMPLETE!!!
I started this on June 11, 2020 when I received the very first kit. It was a subscription service which I totally thought I was being suckered into - a 1/8 scale model of the Ecto-1. But I YOLO'ed on it because I had never done anything like this before and knew I couldn't pass this up. To build and own a 3 ft model of the Ecto-1 was a dream.
What I thought was going to be a straightforward, follow the instructions job, just like Lego, ended up being a completely life-changing experience. I learned about modified parts (mods) that people made to improve these models for accuracy. And I jumped onto them - I needed to build the greatest version of the Ecto-1 that I possibly could.
But it wasn't just about the car. There needed to be more to it - accessories to add realism to it. So I thought, ok, I'll just try making a simple Ecto Manual - I've never done it before, but it should take like 5 minutes. People saw what I did and interest exploded quickly after. And with that, I thought what next? Ghostbusters had so many memorable things about it. Twinkies, Stay Puft marshmallows...spores, molds, and fungus! I'm going to make those! I don't know how yet, but I will and I'm going to do the best job that I can at it. And with that, Firehouse Mods was born. I became sort of one of those 'modders', but for Ecto-1 accessories.
I made friends with fellow builders along the way and learned many things. Meanwhile, I continued to find methods to improve my own mods and keep taking things to the next level. I set the bar as high as I could to capture every detail I could find. To be honest, a lot of the items I made came to me very naturally, where I felt like they were just essential to make the Ecto-1 feel lived-in. The easter eggs made it all very immersive to the films.
And that push for immersion led me to think, well the Ecto can't just sit in a display case on its own. For me, it wasn't a model - it was the actual Ecto in the film shrunk down to where you could view a part of the Ghostbusters universe in that case. There needed to be a diorama of the firehouse and I made the ambitious plan to make the lockers. That led to all the equipment that wasn't already included with the model. And you can't have lockers, equipment, but no flight suits, can you? So I figured out how to make those as well.
With all these accessories I had made plus the backdrop and lockers, I ended up on Ghostbusters News. It was crazy to see how far this whole experience had taken me!
So there you have it. The Ecto is completed and I have managed to arrange all the items I've made for you guys in a way that made sense and was visible for the display. Yes, Egon's Spores, Molds, and Fungus as well as the top rack of the Ghost PEN fit perfectly in Mike Lane's roof tub!
I had poured my heart and soul into these mods and finally seeing them all there before me in the finished display was incredibly humbling and moving.
Thank you to everyone who supported this whole crazy endeavor these past few years. I remember each and every one of you and some of the fun and enlightening conversations we've had. It always made me overjoyed to hear when people would receive their items with excitement.
It's been a life-changing experience. I hope everyone's Ectos also turned out great and for those still working on it, that you're getting the needed help. Take care, fellow builders.
- Best wishes,
- Eugene
P.S. If you'd like to follow what else I've been working on, I have been making a model of Mr. Miyagi's residence for the past year or 2. Feel free to follow the page below if you're a Karate Kid fan as well 😃.
Making Miyagi-Do
