If there’s something strange in your neighborhood, who you gonna call?
Raechl Kaiser. She’s the one selling the Ghostbusters’ Ecto-1.
The 1965 Cadillac Miller-Meteor Sentinel, decked out to resemble the iconic vehicle from the Ghostbusters franchise, has been in Kaiser’s family for decades. Now, it’s time for the vehicle to pass on to the next generation.
“We've done everything we can to keep it original,” Kaiser said. “We’ve done parades and Christmas caroling in it since I was 14. Now, I’m just trying to help my dad out by finding some Halloween or Ghostbusters fan that wants it.”
Pizza Delivery
This Ecto-1 was acquired by Kaiser’s father, Harold. He used it as a way to promote his chain of pizzerias, Pizza on the Run, throughout the Bighorn Basin.
“We had locations in Cody, Powell, Lovell, Worland, and Thermopolis at one point,” she said. “He bought two Cadillacs when I was in middle school, sold the worse of the two, and slowly added to it as the years went by."
The Kaiser family Ecto-1 comes with an assortment of Ghostbusters memorabilia. You won’t find Bill Murray or Ernie Hudson inside, but one of Zuul’s terror dogs is lurking in the back.
Any prospective Ghostbuster could ride shotgun with franchise mascot, Slimer, who has his own tricks.
“He’s hollowed out so you can shoot spray foam or silly string out of its mouth,” Kaiser said.
The vehicle used to have Pizza on the Run decals on the side. Those have since been removed, although the pepperoni pizza upholstery on the front seat remains intact.
On top of that, the vehicle is road-legal, has automatic transmission, and is in great shape with 115,000 miles on its odometer. It’s ready for any parade or paranormal call where it might be welcomed.
Not Quite Original Ghostbusters
The original Specialised Electronical Vehicular Device, custom-built for the 1984 movie, was fabricated from an ambulance conversion of a 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor Sentinel. It cost Ray Stantz, Dan Aykroyd’s character, $4,800 to acquire (around $15,000 today).
A replica of the original Ecto-1, made by Universal Studios, sold for $80,000 in a 2010 auto auction.
Kaiser has a much more modest price for her family’s Ecto-1 She hopes $33,000 is a reasonable amount, given that it’s not quite as original as the original.
“It isn’t quite the original style, as ours is a ’65 rather than a ’59,” she said.
However, Kaiser said one thing that makes this Ecto-1 more marketable is that it is an ambulance conversion of the Cadillac Sentinel. That gives it more life than most Ecto-1 replicas.
“It’s easier for people to find the hearse conversion than the ambulance conversion,” she said. “They only made so many ambulances with that particular body style, and ours still has all the classic features.”
Those classic features include the screen-accurate lights and siren, all in working condition. Whether they’re allowed to work is up to the jurisdiction of wherever it ends up.
“We used to run it with the lights and siren when we were in the Cody parades,” she said. “Somebody down the line told us it can’t be considered an emergency vehicle, so we had to dismount the siren and tape over all the lights. But they’re original, and they all still work. And that siren is loud.”
Haunted By Great Memories
In 2023, Harold Kaiser sold the remaining Pizza on the Run franchises. Raechl said her father was ready to retire and “wants to travel” without worrying about where to keep an eclectic automobile.
“It’s no longer associated with the business, and he doesn’t want to store it,” she said. “My little brother and I don't have any future plans for it or a place to store it, so we’re just trying to help our dad out by selling it.”
In the past, Kaiser would have tried listing the vehicle on eBay. Now, she’s hoping Facebook Marketplace will help get the listing in front of more eyes and, eventually, to the right buyer.
“We don’t know how much to ask for it, so we picked a number and went with it,” she said. “We’ve entertained offers, but nothing quite yet that stuck."
Bighorn Basin residents will miss seeing the iconic Ecto-1 cruising along their streets, and Kaiser acknowledged she’s still somewhat attached to it. It’s something weird, but it looks real good and will always be haunted with happy memories.
“We’ve had a lot of fun in it,” she said. “We’ve watched it change over the years, so it does have that air about it. Halloween was always a big event for dad’s business, and now that they’re making more Ghostbusters movies, it’s gained even more popularity. We’ll keep taking it to Halloween events, if we don’t sell it before then.”
Kaiser said she won’t be haunted by letting it go once it’s gone. As her father steps back and enjoys his retirement, she’s hoping to shepherd the paranormal investigation vehicle to a better place.
So, if you’re all alone, pick up the phone, and call Raechl Kaiser. She ain’t scared of no ghost, nor negotiating on a fair price for the family’s Ecto-1.
“We know there’s a unique demographic that’s looking for something like this,” she said. “It still means enough to my dad to keep it around until he gets a number that he can entertain.”
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
