Superior Coach Co. built quite a few ambulances and hearses between 1940 and 1980. They had a propensity for General Motors products, like this one which was based on a 1959 Pontiac Bonneville. We’re told it was used as a hearse in Mexico for quite a while and it later gained some Ghostbusters badging (for fun or profit). This one starts and drives, but it doesn’t stop so well and needs other work. It’s located in El Paso, Texas and available here on eBay here the Buy It Now price has been set at $13,750, although offers will be accepted. So, “Who ya gonna call?”
This ambulance/hearse was made by Superior Coach Co. The company was founded in 1909 and through the years constructed bodies for these professional types of vehicles as well as school buses. After these segments saw a downturn in business in the late 1970s, Superior was liquidated in 1980. From 1925 to its end, Superior was based out of Lima, Ohio. Somewhere along the way, this Pontiac Bonneville (and others like it no doubt} was transformed into a transport of a more somber nature, like relocating the departed or nearly departed.
The ambulance used in the Ghostbusters franchise is called the Ectomobile, or Ecto-1, and it was based on a 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor Futura Duplex. This was a limo-style, end-loader combination car (ambulance conversion). Special modifications were made to it to be used in the film. Other than the graphics on this ’59 Pontiac, it looks as though no other effects from the movies made it to this vehicle.
The seller refers to this ambulance as the “Ghost of Ecto-1”. As the story goes, it found its way south of the border perhaps decades ago and was used for what it was intended, an emergency vehicle. The seller has some paperwork for it that is dated for that period. However, the transport also has an old New York registration dated before 1972 which is considered acceptable today for transference in many states. So, your guess is as good as mine which documentation takes preference and if any hardship will be involved taking ownership.
We’re told this Pontiac is a driver, but only in an empty lot because the brakes are weak. The Pontiac V8 that it would have come with (389?) is long-gone, having been replaced at some point with a small-block Chevy V8 of undetermined displacement. The body is said to have some rust, but it doesn’t jump out at you. The interior may need more attention, with the seats and floor covers having long ago lost their fabric.
So, to continue on, this vehicle needs a restoration. But what direction to take it in? Restore it to its original purpose, but how would you use it? Or go further down the Ghostbusters! path and make it more like the Cadillac that starred in the movies. Either way, it might serve best for advertising or events around Halloween. Here’s a clip of the movie’s theme song by Ray Parker Jr., which reached #1 on Billboard’s Top 100 in 1984. You know you want to hear it now!
Now is the time for the “The old car bobby is dead” comment.
Is a “car bobby” a British police cruiser?
Just like every ’69 Charger has to be a General Lee (well, not anymore) every old ambulance has to be Ghostbusters themed… Please…
Not sure if it is the winter blues or not, but enough time has passed for me on rigs like this and the Family Truckster. Are these still popular?
I see no stickers on the windows that this was ever in Mexico.
When you get a plate in any Mexican state it comes with a sticker of that plate to put in the window and all registration stickers also go in the windows.
I think this car was used just south of the border but never legally registered in Mexico so the New York registration would be the only thing you have to show ownership.
If you look at one of the pictures on Ebay, it shows a temporary Texas paper plate so it looks like the current owner did use that New York registration to get that.
With that being said, I think the price is really high. The original engine is long gone and there is no emergency equipment on it, so you are starting from scratch with this car.
Miguel, I agree with you.
Plus, if the car has any export or import paperwork registered with the US government, showing it was exported to Mexico and then imported back again, that New York registration is worthless.
I love the back end of this car. Such awesome lines and those wild windows. It needs a lot of work and I don’t know if I’d keep it a hearse set up or what. Weird that they through an SBC but oh well. It needs some interesting wheels and get rid of the ghost stickers for dure. You just never see these so it is speacial.
Spectacular roof line but blah front end.
They’re nuts. Milked that “white vintage ambulance/Ghostbuster” car to the end. It’s not even the right make. The movie came on the other day, and like Wizard of Oz, or Blues Brothers, you just gotta watch the whole thing, very fun movie, but to have every white ambulance to come down the pike, dressed up as Ecto-1, is too much. I suppose old ambulances/hearses aren’t really good for anything else.
I love the movie, but the last 15-30 minutes are the best in my opinion. “Let’s show this prehistoric B**** how we do things downtown!” :)
They are good for the enjoyment of the drive.
the Ghostbusters fan base is incredibly active. There are local franchises (clubs) across the country that get together to build replica equipment and then make appearances at places like hospitals and parades to “raise spirits” Most, if not all of these groups will only do paid things to raise money for charities. It is mainly for that reason I don’t mind seeing a portion of these old retired ambulances re-purposed as an ectomobile. Some of these groups will deck out whatever car they have. Ford Explorers, Pontiac Vibes, Scion XBs etc… . It may not be on-screen correct, but it follows the “spirit” of the boys in the original movie talking about growing their business. In the movie world if they had ever franchised, as Peter Venkman suggested in GB1, you know that not every group across the country would be using a 59 Miller Meteor. they would have bought whatever vehicle would haul the equipment. In that mindset this car is perfect!
I’d be happy to see it go either way. a restoration would be beautiful. and an ectomobile would be cool too! just do it right! not just a red and white paintjob and a couple stickers.
Old service vehicles are very expensive to restore and have a limited appeal. so remember that many of these would no longer exist at all if it were not for a dedicated fan base that is willing to dump the money into a project like this
A local guy has a PT Cruiser as his Ectomobile – looks pretty cool. I see it driving around and at a show one time. He had a really cool looking backpack that he had made – lots of blinking lights!
Sweet looking ambulance. I’ve seen 1959 Pontiacs, but never a 59 Ambulances. My favourite cars have always been the 1959 Chevy, the 1959 Olds, and the 59 Pontiac. While I also like the 59 Cadillac, I don’t know made the producers decide to use it as the Ecto-1.
“…it doesn’t stop so well and needs other work.” Then it would be the perfect mode of transportation!
Dr Ray Stantz: Everybody can relax, I found the car. Needs some suspension work and shocks. Brakes, brake pads, lining, steering box, transmission, rear-end.
Back in about 1965, there was a dispute between ambulance companies in El Paso Tx . My Dad borrowed an ambulance like this from Van Horn Tx. It had a huge siren mounted on the fender and a red rotating beacon on the roof. The siren would turn in the wind as you drove. It was a blast to ride in as a 12 year old! Wow, great old memory!
Hi Mike! Great to hear from you again!
Traded my Charger for a 1-owner 2010
Mercury Mariner for the girls. It’s all good though, they really like it. As for
this car, lose the Ghostbusters crap,
restore the body and drive line, and put
it to work in the cadaver transport business. Those folks make $70K a
year moving bodies from morgues to
medical schools. Morbid? yeah but
if you treat it as a business, it’s not that
bad. If you think about the business side, it makes sense and the car earns its keep.
Kenneth,
Most [if not all] states regulate the transportation of human bodies. Every hospital has contracts with specific firms to provide the service. Most of the removal companies are part of a funeral home chain.
And the last thing you want to use is a vehicle that attracts attention! The majority of the removal vehicles today, are mini vans without side windows, or the windows are dark tinted. Those who do the job keep the lowest profile they can. This allows them to make other stops along the way, like running thru a drive thru [typically bank or fast food].
If you live or work in a populated area, chances are that sometime a dark blue mini van sitting next to you at a traffic light, the one with the dark windows, will be transporting a client who never complains.
Back in the early 1980s I used to provide subcontracted load deck assemblies to my friend Joe Thacker in Washington DC, for use in Mercury and Chrysler station wagons, that his company converted for just this kind of work. The folding seat was replaced with a longer load deck. Plus latches along the sides for the gurney to attach to, as well as the dark tinted glass from the door posts rearward.
Here’s what Coachbuilt.com says about Thacker Coach:
http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/t/thacker/thacker.htm
Oh, that’s just great, Bill. Now when I pull up next to a dark blue mini-van I’m gonna be afraid to look over at it. Bwaa-ha-ha!
Along the same lines, I always thought a funeral home could offer a premium option of using a vintage hearse. I bet a lot of car guys and gals would prefer to take their last trip in a restored classic instead of a nothing special modern car.
Believe it or not banjo, most people don’t pay attention to the hearse used.
Back in the ’80s a friend was asked to bring his 1959 Superior limo style out for a funeral because their car had broken down.
My buddy was worried the whole time because his plate said I BURY YOU. Not one person noticed that detail or even commented on the age or style of the car.
Great you got rid of the Charger Ken. I got new ride myself, a wheelcair. LOL! I broke my neck in early November, been underground for a while. I will send an email soon buddy. 14 below and snow tonight, I wish I was down by you at that cool outdoor pub! Take care, Mike.
I get your point Bill, but that’s what a
friend’s dad did to start his ambulance
service over 50 years ago. Mr. Belcher
started out with a ’58 Cadillac with a
Superior body–not much different than the the Pontiac shown here. From there,
he grew his business to be the biggest
business of its kind in the state of Illinois. And it’s funny you should mention Ford and Mercury service cars
in that the company purchased a Ford
LTD based hearse in the late ’70s. By the time my buddy inherited the business, he was driving that very car the day we had a few beers together at a neighbor’s house. He was pretty much
wasted, so my neighbor took his keys
and let him sleep it off at his place til he
sobered up enough to make it home that
next day. Neither my neighbor or myself
knew there was a body in the back of
that rig, but it was sure a nice looking
hearse.
Banjo,
I know of a few funeral homes who do offer the option of a vintage hearse, but only because those funeral home owners already collect vintage cars and/or hearses. They tell me very few people opt for the vintage versions.
The primary reason funeral homes have little or no incentive to offer an alternative to their modern hearse is financial. The cost of a new Cadillac hearse is often in excess of $100,000. They need to sell the use of that rapidly depreciating asset while they can, so virtually every level of funeral packages they offer, will have the hearse included.
The public has also been conditioned by the funeral industry to want conformity and dignity during the funeral. This plays into the expectation that the limousines provided for the family and close friends, shall be of matching color and brand name. The industry encourages the use of Cadillac limos following a matching Cadillac hearse. In fact most funeral home information packages tout “matching” hearse & limousines.
Cadillac has long been the leader in the commercial chassis business. This was no accident. In the 1950s GM made the decision to continue semi-mass production of the long wheelbase series 75 limousine & sedan, and the much longer bare commercial chassis for hearse & ambulance construction. With the elimination of Packard as a provider of a LWB chassis in 1955, and the decision to go with unit-body construction for all Lincolns starting in 1958 [at a time when the technology didn’t exist to stretch regular unit-body sedans more than a few inches], the competition basically handed GM the hearse, ambulance, and limousine business, and the competition has never been able to “take back” the funeral trade.
Lincoln did take back a large segment of the commercial limo business in the 1980s, when they began offering their cars with a factory heavy duty suspension & brake upgrades, but only for cars destined to be stretched. They did this by raiding the component parts bins of the Ford Truck division! The way Lincoln devised this strategy, allowed them to meet new Federal regulations that impacted the heavier limousines.
Well it seems I’ve gone off on another tangent, time to go back to work!
Another entertaining and informative post from my bud Bill! :-)
Great insight! Thanks for the follow-up to my pondering. It answered some questions I’ve had for a long time.