RIDE-CT – Classic Cars Celebrating Classic Cars in Connecticut
WINSTED – Chris Briglia says that it has been his “lifelong dream to build a replica of Ecto1 from the movie ‘Ghosterbusters'” and now he’s getting the opportunity to do so. The Winsted resident purchased a 1959 Cadillac Eureka combination car (designed to be used as an ambulance or a hearse) last month and is preparing to get to work restoring it.
“I have years of work ahead of me but I’m a happy guy,” Briglia wrote in an unexpected email on Monday afternoon.
This tale actually started 13 months ago when Briglia first wrote RIDE-CT seeking advice on where he might find a suitable car to restore. “I’m not a avid car collector or mechanic but I do appreciate and love classic cars,” he wrote at the time.
“The exact model used in ‘Ghostbusters’ is a Miller-Meteor edition but I’m not sure I’ll have the luxury of finding that exact model,” he wrote.
Cost being a consideration as well as availability of Cadillac models from 1959, Briglia ended up with 1959 Cadillac Eureka “in my price range” that was located in Rutland, MA (northwest of Worcester). “While not a Miller Meteor, it shares the same roofline and will make a nice Ecto tribute. The condition also allows me to restore a rare classic, saving it from a junk yard or as a parts car,” he said.
Briglia has been doing research before beginning work. “I’ve been buying up books where I can find them to make things as accurate as possible to both the Eureka and the ‘Ghostbusters’ (model),” he wrote.
This may be a project that was meant to be as the Eureka that Briglia bought came with the “Ghostbusters” logo already attached.
(Photos courtesy of Chris Briglia.)
