Turning a Vintage Real Ghostbusters Kenner Junk Ecto-1 into amazing custom with lights - Toy Polloi

[@CthulhuianBunny]

I love that the front light brackets ended up looking like tombstones.

[@Nick-zp3ub]

I feel like I'm 6 again. My Ecto-1 came from a jumble sale with a Winston figure. I found Egon in a charity shop a year later. My nan helped me turn a cardboard box into the firehouse, complete with a pole made from a wooden skewer and a ghost containment unit at the back of the garage made from an upturned yogurt pot. She even copied the ghost logo from the cartoon and pencilled the brickwork onto the front facade which must have taken her hours

[@EanCrosse]

Your Nan sounds awesome!

[@Nick-zp3ub]

Thanks. It’s been over 20 years since she’s gone but I still miss her

[@JacknVictor]

For the lenses, i think i would have put the mould back on to the the car and then poured the resin and cured it in place. They would come out perfect doing it like that i reckon. Brilliant video and a nice spooky related theme for Halloween! Brilliant!

[@michaels8940]

I was going to suggest the same thing lol

[@toypolloi]

That's a good idea!

[@alanbarker0901]

Was thinking exactly the same. Maybe introduce some aluminium tape and a chrome pen into the mix as well. I'm just jealous, I so wanted to do this to my ECTO 1 when I was 8yrs old.

[@cwwCADAVER]

@@JacknVictor I thought the same 😁

[@brookhaven86]

You know when he says "its seen better days" that toy is about to see its best days by the end of the video!!!! 🙌

[@toypolloi]

🤣

[@StudioHappyboy]

how DARE you not like the pink slime! Lol, kidding. but seriously, ive been waiting for this one since you teased it on insta. great job Dave.

[@RossHepworth-b4d]

That was awesome. Never had ghost buster toys but played with my cousins stuff. Just recently restored a Tomy tronic sky attack to full working order. Anyone remember those?

[@sithcarebear1]

Wow! It looks AMAZING, Dave!! It feels like it was always meant to have these lights. Fantastic work! Thank you!

[@toypolloi]

You are very welcome

[@LogicBlaster]

This is an amazing customization! The lights really do bring this toy to life. Great job!👍

[@toypolloi]

Thanks 👍

[@RirseDeBlood]

Love how this looks. Makes me excited for the six inch Ecto 1 that is up for backing.

[@coxystoycantina]

Dave this is possibly your best customisation ever. Can you imagine telling yourself as a kid that when you grow up, you're going to be capable of customisations like this. You make it look so easy. You should be really proud of yourself mate.

[@Fawkyoutube]

Love your content Dave. And your nerd jackets

[@toypolloi]

Thanks 👍

[@worldwidestuff5567]

I got one of these for Christmas when I was a kid, it was the stuff Dreams were made of.

[@robertwong2412]

Very nice. I modded my ecto-1 reissue but without changing anything permanently. They're removable in an instant. Also added an MP3 player for audio/sound effects. hehehe.

[@thetworoos]

Wow, that's amazing. Really great job! It seems like the toy was almost designed for lights on the top, they make a huge difference!

[@AlfredPedneau]

Thank you for this Vlog !!! This is One of the Best Restoration Project of the ETCO 1 !!! 😊😊😊

[@toypolloi]

Glad you like it!

[@MikeJenner-Jones]

From Kenner’s Real Ghostbusters collection, it’s the all-new and improved Ecto-1 with working headlights and siren! Batteries required; action figures sold separately. Hunt the ghosts, launch the trap, capture those ghouls and store inside the rear ready for transportation back to HQ! Scare up some fun and excitement with the NEW light-up Ecto-1 The Real Ghostbusters collection from Kenner!

[@geoffreyhebel2438]

You could whiten that plastic with h202 and light pretty nicely

[@raynekraven]

You really brought this toy back to life and with a new purpose! this is A-MA-ZING! I thought that while you repainted the body, you might chrome the gray parts. I know I would have a hard tome installing lights on this! Great job!!

[@toypolloi]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@andybennington637]

Amazing job! I really like the lights.

[@stefaanderop6171]

Wow just Wow, you're making the toy come alive💯😎

[@toypolloi]

Thanks 👍

[@robertgreen7593]

You might have been able to put the molds back over the lights after you've drilled them out and then filled the holes with the resin from the back. The resin would perfectly fit in the holes. If you did it deep/thick enough you could put the LEDs in the resin and it would fix them in place. I'd do that with the grey back plate already stuck to the LEDs.

[@BrynSmith76]

Great custom. I'd be tempted to come back and paint the bumpers chrome. I think that would really do wonders for the front and rear lights.

[@severindrax]

"Everybody can relax, I found the car. Needs some suspension work and shocks. Brakes, brake pads, lining, steering box, transmission, rear-end.....Also new rings, mufflers, a little wiring."

[@Fawkyoutube]

Nice job Dave I mean Santa!

[@Fawkyoutube]

That is you make the best toys

[@Fawkyoutube]

And you would make a pretty darn good Santa too!

[@gieselats]

Awesome. The pristine white males so much sense. And the lights bring the car to life. Keep up the good work. Happy Halloween.

[@toypolloi]

Thanks, you too!

[@Beedo_Sookcool]

That is a thing of beauty.

[@davebeat]

Always wanted the Ecto as a kid. I had the guys, some ghosts and a handmade firestation which was cool. This brings me great joy. You could make the Catillac from Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats from the one with the busted roof.

[@maanjezus8622]

That looks amazing! Well done!

[@toypolloi]

Thank you very much!

[@TERRORHEAD4LIFE]

Very amazing custom job,,,👏

[@toypolloi]

Thank you so much 😀

[@michaels8940]

Absolutely brilliant sir. You're a genius. Great video. I love your customs.

[@toypolloi]

Thanks

[@MassiveDMG]

Look into "Wago connectors" to easily clip wires into place, you don't need the chop blocks and they're a godsend for propmaking.

[@Doomcustomfigs]

Fantastic Dave! 👍👍

[@banzaibobA7V]

From old-and-busted to new-hotness. Brilliant work!

[@toypolloi]

Thanks

[@lostonwallace1396]

This video is of particular interest for me because I just purchased a 1984 Ecto-1, and it will arrive this comic week! I sold my Real Ghostbusters toys about 20 years ago, but recently, I missed having them, and I'm trying to get them back. So far, I have all 4 of the main Ghostbusters (the regular figures without play features) and the Ecto-1. My Ecto-1 chair is broken where one of the gun pegs used to be, but it is otherwise in grand condition. I'm sad that your clear headlights didn't work out, Dave, but I think you still managed to salvage things nicely with the clear plastic. The lights look AMAZING! Very well-done, my friend! Thank you for also putting up the Ecto-1 stickers on your site. I may be downloading some in the coming weeks! As always, I find your videos brilliant, and I wish you well, amigo!

[@toypolloi]

Thanks. Much appreciated 😊

[@muttrogers6586]

This one came out great, Dave! Fantastic work!

[@toypolloi]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@philashby2823]

Another upgrade to consider: You can buy recordable sound chips like those used in musical greeting cards for sirens. (I'm currently working on a Zargonite backpack & heavy laser cannon with light and sounds using that)

[@toypolloi]

It would be possible. But for me lights are enough.

[@alvarobarandiaran8848]

Bravo, Dave! This was a pretty ambitious project that certainly paid off in the end, and i gotta say, i have a pretty nice (and surprisingly inexpensive) spin master batmobile that i got earlier this year and it's begging for some lights to be installed as well after seeing you do that for this ecto-1, thank you so much as always for your top-notch videos and i look forward to more projects like this! Cheers!

[@yunoyuluvit]

Aw, yeah! The music you used for the first two montages was ace. That bass line reminds me of that used in the opening voiceover of Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors. Please use this (a lot) more.

[@twc1282]

Hello from Australia! Comment for the Algorithm! Love your work. 🙂

[@toypolloi]

Thanks 👍

[@scottbutler83]

Wow, what a transformation. Great work, Dave! My thought on the broken pillars is that they must break under the weight of kids pushing their Ecto-1s around the house.

[@toypolloi]

Thanks. Could be. Some of the broken ones I have looked completely crushed.

[@Razorgeist]

As someone who had one of these as a kid this video brought a tear to my eye. This started out as a rotting plastic wreck but you turned it into a proud display piece. Bravo!

[@toypolloi]

Thanks

[@NiteHawke69101]

Just like the original Ecto-1 started out as a rotting metal wreck when Ray bought it in the movie…

[@garyclem4765]

Best looking ecto 1 custom I've ever seen done, looks amazing, may have to do that with a spare one i have

[@MRaadesign]

That was a really good save!

[@toypolloi]

Thanks

[@Danelectro_56-U2]

Amazing.

[@toypolloi]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@robertgreen7593]

I love upgrades. They look so much better with some lighting.

[@toypolloi]

It makes such a difference.

[@steveday6671]

Dave, if you google "clear domed buttons" I think you will find something that might work perfectly for your headlights

[@toypolloi]

Thanks for the info

[@jasonaich8071]

About the headlight lenses: There’s a scale model painter named Lou Dalmaso on KZbin that uses the clear plastic from googly eyes for lenses. May be worth a try for a future attempt! Great video, Dave, the Ecto 1 turned out great! This was one of my favorite toys growing up, watching your video brought back a flood of happy memories… I would have killed to have a light up Ecto 1 as a kid!

[@RageONTv]

It would be fun If Toy Polloi could add lights to the new plasma Ecto and he could also fix the back seats so the Gi Joe O ring ghostbusters could fit inside ❤

[@toypolloi]

Could be a fun project. I haven't picked one up as I mainly collect vintage. But always like a challenge.

[@garym6315]

I'd love to see you do restorations of the Ecto 2 and Ecto 3 vehicles. I didn't have a huge amount of Ghostbusters toys but had those two and they've somehow become the victim of numerous little breaks here and there.

[@toypolloi]

What are the common issues on those two? I can certainly keep an eye out for some as it's not a toy I currently have. Cheers

[@Disujgthn]

Came out awesome

[@benflay6038]

You can get a pack rack for the back. Thays awesome wiring makes it

[@paulkirkby9413]

Well awesome looking. Makes Ecto 1 look outstanding, great work as always .

[@toypolloi]

Thank you very much!

[@Stratoliner]

That's really neat! I don't have the real vintage one, but I do have the recently release reproduction of the vintage one! May have to dig it out of storage now :)

[@garypalmer5514]

That is now one super cool toy!

[@Modshmockers]

That looks superb👌

[@toypolloi]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@jasemac5391]

This looks brilliant 👍🏻🇦🇺

[@toypolloi]

Thanks

[@markrobinson8865]

Great job 👍🏻

[@toypolloi]

Thanks 👍

[@SamSnoekBrown]

Brilliant work!

[@toypolloi]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@KennyRigby-pd1vv]

Great job 👏👏

[@toypolloi]

Thank you! 😃

[@Tim-57]

Hey Dave Your lighting customs (in my opinion) are the best out there . Happy Halloween and Weekend to you and MrsTP. Take care😊

[@toypolloi]

Thanks, you too!

[@Tim-57]

@toypolloi Thank you Dave.

[@ooneybird27]

Great repair and customization. The lights seem like a no-brainer. This is the way it should've been made from the factory. Do you ever use Milliput for any of your repairs? Also, I was thinking if you painted the plates you created for the police-type lights silver on one side, it would reflect the blue LEDs back up into the roof lights. It also wouldn't really be that noticeable because of the gray base. I recently saw a custom Ecto-1 the builder named "Dark Ecto." He painted the whole vehicle black, then added red stripes & accents and replaced all of the decals. He said he was inspired by the Dark Millenium Falcon Lego set. Food for thought. Love the video.

[@toypolloi]

Hi, Yeah you will see me use milliput often in repairs. It works great.

[@ThePapaVader]

Simply gorgeous!

[@toypolloi]

Thank you! 😊

[@mistermatix8241]

It's cool that the headlight led mounts look kind of like tombstones! Extra spookiness! It seems that the Kenner Ecto was made for those features then they omitted them at the last minute. Great job on this, looks excellent. I always hated the solid rear hatch, that blue to represent the window always looked lame, I'd cut that out and replace with clear blue plastic sheet

[@toypolloi]

Unintentional. But they do a bit.

[@mistermatix8241]

@toypolloi I notice stuff like that!

[@MadMansCosplay]

Awesome job!

[@toypolloi]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@mx472000]

Love this!

[@marcbradley5394]

Awesome stuff!

[@toypolloi]

Thanks!

[@snellingjam1]

Love this! 😊

[@toypolloi]

Thank you!! 😊

[@thecollectiondudemrdude821]

Awsome job dude 👏

[@toypolloi]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@toypolloi]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@ras79r]

Thanks!

[@toypolloi]

Thanks. Much appreciated 👍

[@bluraydiscojayejames]

Absolutely amazing work! You should have made a window for the back instead of the sticker and maybe chromed up the front grills. Other than that, chefs kiss amazing

[@toypolloi]

It depends what you want it to look like. For me I still want it to look like the original toy, just better 😀

[@bluraydiscojayejames]

@toypolloi oh I feel you. I have no qualms. You do amazing work! It's too bad the resin headlights didn't fit properly. That cross hatching would have been stellar.

[@BOXERCRAZYBROWNCLOWN]

Hella cool !!!

[@kieronball8962]

" Let There Be Light(s)! " :)

[@chrismayer3919]

Next time, TP makes ECTO-1s siren! REEET! REEET! REEET! 😀

[@sammywestenberger9303]

Awesome 😎

[@crushingiv]

That was great! How about adding lights to a vintage Kenner Millennium Falcon .

[@toypolloi]

Thanks. I've already done that! Check it out here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4q2immlgJd4oqs&pp=ygUYdG95IHBvbGxvaSBmYWxjb24gbGlnaHRz

[@MrShermanleo]

In Argentina they've released an "Ecto-2" car that came with lights and sound.

[@landonjr5063]

Ghost busters 31ist Happy Halloween

[@nerdcraftercoley7305]

I believe the pink slime is Ghostbusters 2. I agree though I like the green better.

[@Rocket1377]

Technically, they are different psycho reactive substances. Green is ectoplasm (residue left behind by ghosts), pink is mood slime (generated by human emotions, not by ghosts).

[@batangbatugan]

Amazing mod! If I remember correctly, I saw a commercial of the ECTO-1 from Brazil but it had flashing roof lights and sounds, if I am not mistaken.

[@Rocket1377]

Yes, the lights were red, yellow, and blue. It was made by the Argentinian company Jocsa.

[@luismiguelsuarezbarrios2057]

Happy Halloween, Dave! 🎃👻💀

[@toypolloi]

You too!

[@TheRetroTinker]

This was an amazing project from start to finish! It’s a shame the resin headlights didn’t work, they would have looked amazing. But you found an excellent solution nonetheless! If I’m lucky enough to eventually pick up an ecto 1 I may have to try this myself! Love your work Dave!

[@toypolloi]

Thanks. With more time I probably could have got the resin ones to work. In the end the quicker option did all I wanted.

[@TheRetroTinker]

@ yeah and it looks great this way anyway

[@slaysghosts8238]

Nice work, I tried my hand at this, don’t have big KZbin presence though.

[@SuperRobertson79]

I would put back the lenses after you glue that piece of clear Plastik behind the cutouts.

[@paulbennett4548]

Hi David thank you for a most excellent project, it left me thinking I should do this but where the heck do I find the Ecto-1 toy. As an avid model maker and toy collector I haven't seen one at a toy show for many years. Then two days ago I am going through our local FB marketplace and there is one for sale. I bought it :o) it still has the seat and the twin proton rods on it and is still very white. Me thinks it has spent many years in a box or cupboard. So quite a serendipitous moment. This septuagenarian is very happy.

[@MaggieKeizai]

You did October right. Great restoration!

[@toypolloi]

Thanks!

[@benjaminkitaura498]

I found that they have modelers cockpit glue that doesn’t turn white it’s great for projects that need clear plastic glued in place. It dries clear and you can’t see it.

[@toypolloi]

I use that often.

[@mikemulitsch6584]

Unbelievable vision and execution What drill is that ? The tiny blue one ?

[@toypolloi]

Thanks. I've reviewed the drill here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p3jXfXRmqd9jaLM

[@JGStarkiller]

Amazing work Dave the lighting make its a great eye catcher. Dit you now that Hasbro,s Haslab is coming out wit a New ecto-1 Ghostbuter car. Bud i dont like the Haslab concept its a verry rich toy company and stil they are greedy afther are money. Bud your Ecto 1 looks verry good your a talented toy restorer/ customizer. 👍👍👍👍

[@pinfarmer]

I chromed the bumpers and trim on mine and detail painted the roof. Fun project for a beater toy.

[@jon-580]

You should take your most broken Ecto-1 and make it look like the junker Ecto before they fixed the car up. Mottled black and primer gray paint, bare hubs, no roof gear, etc.

[@erickavery1]

I love this, it's one of my favorite projects you've done. One of the big complaints with this Ecto-1 is that it only seats 3. Maybe a future video you could design a 4th seat? Edit: I completely forgot to say I like the wiring on the inside since the ecto had a lot of exposed wires as part of its design language

[@Rocket1377]

You can put an extra seat on the roof if you have the Ecto-1a. The other one goes in the back.

[@bugsjunior3338]

I like my ecto 1 just the way i like

[@russellpoland6637]

A most comprehensive build Sir! I thoroughly enjoyed it! That little hand drill is super! That little thing looks to be most useful! Is it an Amazon buy? What is the adhesive in the brown bottle, white label with black and red printing You used? And those "chop" blocks? Those are really handy things as well, Amazon again? Looking forward to seeing more from You! New subscriber! Take Care, Be Safe, God Bless, Later

[@toypolloi]

Thanks. The drill I have reviewed, you can check it out here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p3jXfXRmqd9jaLMsi=8CqD6m_GSptzAigU You'll find more details on all the other things I use across various videos. Plastic weld is the solvent. Chops blocks. I get most of my supplies on ebay. Check out the tool shop section of toypolloi.com Cheers

[@UnknownUnknown-zd9lm]

Hello Toy Polloi, A quick question if you don’t mind. The amazing work you did on the Ecto-1 inspired me to spruce up some on my vintage die-cast cars. With that said would you happen to have any handy hints or videos on how to touch up the paint on metal die-cast cars which have been played with and loved over the years. These cars have your average paint scraps and gouges which I was hoping to camouflage without having to pull the cars apart and spray paint them. Any hints and tips would be greatly appreciated.

[@toypolloi]

Check out @baremetalHW he has lots of videos on that very topic.

[@amcaesar]

This is so much fun to watch, Dave, but I bet you have yet more fun doing all this.

[@toypolloi]

It was a really fun project. 👻🎃

[@rpgracer2135]

Now make a Rc Kenner Echo!

[@cwwCADAVER]

Love the channel and I've been a fan for years. How come you didn't put your mold back into the part and drop the liquid resin in from behind and cure it in place? Just a thought.

[@toypolloi]

Thanks. It wasn't good enough. So I went down a different route.

[@benjaminkitaura498]

What a beautiful finished product! It’s awesome! Who needs the expensive Haslab stuff when you can make a custom one cheaper that is just as beautiful!

[@toypolloi]

Thanks so much!

[@Rocket1377]

I do. This is awesome, don't get me wrong, but it's from the cartoon, not the movies, and it's not compatible with the 6 inch figures.

[@erik352]

Amazing work!! How many hours did it take for you to do the entire modification?

[@toypolloi]

Thanks. I'm not quite sure as I did this over a few days and there is time spent waiting for paint to dry. Maybe six hours over a week? I really should keep track.

[@pinfarmer]

I think the best mod I did was using whitewall wheels from that old TMNT flying car to give it the right look. Even as a kid I disliked the wheels in this toy.