Hot Wheels casting info · Complete collector guide

Hot Wheels Ghostbusters Ecto-1 — Casting Info & Complete Collector’s Guide

Hot Wheels brought the Ghostbusters’ long-roof Cadillac ambulance to 1:64 scale in 2010. The roof rack, ladder, emergency lights, red side stripe and door logos make the casting easy to recognize; release details are what separate one Ecto-1 from another. This guide follows the movie-based casting through its retail, seasonal, convention and collector editions, with each pictured release linked to its identification page.

Quick facts

Vehicle represented
1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor ambulance conversion used as the Ghostbusters Ecto-1
Hot Wheels casting reference
R0942
First Hot Wheels release
2010 New Models · #25/240
Scale
1:64
Designer
Manson Cheung
Guide scope
Movie-based Ecto-1 releases; the cartoon-series version has its own guide

What makes this Ecto-1 casting recognizable?

2010 Hot Wheels Ghostbusters Ecto-1 R0942 white mainline release
2010 R0942 mainline release.

The casting is based on the 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor ambulance conversion. Its elongated body, rear ambulance doors and roof-mounted ghost-catching equipment carry the movie car’s silhouette. On the original white release, the red stripe and Ghostbusters logos are the strongest side-view cues; later versions add event markings, seasonal artwork, and different wheel and base combinations.

R0942 is the casting reference associated with the 2010 design. Individual codes identify a release or package. CFR31 is the animated-series Ecto-1, a different casting with its own guide.

Hot Wheels Ghostbusters Ecto-1 variation web

Compare the finish, graphics, wheels and base together. Several releases are white, but their retail, RLC, convention and premium details differ.

2010 Ghostbusters Ecto-1 R0942 release photo2010 · R09422010 New Models #25/2402010 Ghostbusters Ecto-1 R8461 release photo2010 · R8461Comic-Con release2011 Ghostbusters Ecto-1 V0497 release photo2011 · V0497Red Line Club Special Edition2012 Ghostbusters Ecto-1 W4071 release photo2012 · W4071Happy Halloween! #4/52013 Ghostbusters Ecto-1 X8919 release photo2013 · X8919Retro Entertainment2014 Ghostbusters Ecto-1 BDL62 release photo2014 · BDL62Happy Halloween! #5/52014 Ghostbusters Ecto-1 BLR37 release photo2014 · BLR3714th Annual Collectors Nationals2015 Ghostbusters Ecto-1 DJX32 release photo2015 · DJX32Mexico Hot Wheels Convention2016 Ghostbusters Ecto-1 DJF42 release photo2016 · DJF42Entertainment Mix 12016 Ghostbusters Ecto-1 DVG08 release photo2016 · DVG08Ghostbusters movie two-pack2016 Ghostbusters Ecto-1 DWF01 release photo2016 · DWF01Ghostbusters series #7/82020 Ghostbusters Ecto-1 GJR39 release photo2020 · GJR39Replica Entertainment Mix 2

The cartoon-series Ecto-1 has different proportions and roof equipment, so it is cataloged separately.

How to identify a loose Ecto-1

  1. Start with the tampo layout. Compare the side stripe, door emblem, rear markings, hood graphics and roof equipment. The orange Halloween and ZAMAC Nationals cars stand apart from white releases.
  2. Check the wheel pattern. Standard five-spokes, Real Riders, whitewall Real Riders, redline wheels and wire-spoke wheels are release clues. Match the wheels to the exact record.
  3. Read the toy code and base separately. A release code identifies an issue. The small base date code identifies a production window; B50 is a date code, not a separate variation.
  4. Use packaging as supporting evidence. Series numbers and event cards help separate similar white cars, but the loose car still needs to match.

Inspect the roof rack and light bar for bent or missing parts. Check paint chips at roof edges, front fenders and rear doors; rub-through is easiest to miss on the red stripe and Ghostbusters logos.

Physical details collectors compare

Feature What to compare
Body Long Cadillac ambulance profile, rear doors and roof equipment.
Paint White, pearl white, black, metalflake orange and unpainted ZAMAC finishes appear in the releases below.
Tampos Side stripe and door logo, rear emblem, rooftop gear, Halloween flames and pumpkin, Nationals hood mark or convention markings.
Wheels Standard five-spokes and multiple Real Riders styles. Compare the pattern rather than relying on a broad wheel label.
Base and origin Material, color and country vary. Use the individual release record instead of applying one specification to the family.

Packaging and collector condition

Packaging can confirm a series, event or assortment, but cards and blisters can be swapped. Use the printed code as supporting evidence, then compare the car. For loose examples, record roof equipment, wheel style, paint, tampo wear, base condition and casting marks.

Ghostbusters Ecto-1 collector FAQs

Is R0942 the release code for every Ecto-1?

No. R0942 is the casting reference. Individual releases use their own codes, including R8461, V0497, W4071, X8919, BDL62, BLR37, DJX32, DJF42, DVG08, DWF01 and GJR39.

Is the cartoon-series Ecto-1 the same casting?

No. CFR31 is the animated-series casting and has a separate guide on Muncle Mikes.

What should I photograph?

Take clear side, front, rear, roof and base views to show the stripe, logos, roof equipment, wheels, base material and casting marks.

2014 Mexico Convention Code 3 references

Collector catalogs also list two convention Code 3 customs: an orange car with brown flames and a hood convention mark, and a chrome-blue dinner car with a Hot Wheels logo. These are custom references, separate from the 12 Mattel product releases in the variation web above.