Being stuck at home doesn’t have to be all bad. You’ve now got time to rewatch some of those classic movies and remember a few truly iconic cars. And I’m not talking about the sleek ones either. On this list we remember the engine bearers that captured our attention for slightly different reasons. Here’s April’s top 5 most iconic and unusual movie vehicles for your reading pleasure.
5. Ecto-1
Where better to begin than the Ectomobile, best known for being driven by those unforgettable four guys with matching CWU-27p Flight Suits, the Ghostbusters.
This beauty was a 1959 Cadillac Ambulance Miller-Meteor Futura Duplex. The design was truly unusual, with an ambulance and hearse combination of the end loader variety.
Dr Ray Stantz bought it for $4800, and he had to make many repairs to get it fully functional. Of course he added his own customisations, including a roof rack to mount some of those ghostbusting gizmos.
The final look sported their famous logo and a license plate that spelled it’s name “Ecto-1”.
4. Herbie
Also known as the Love bug, this self aware Volkswagen Beetle raced into our hearts with the evergreen number “53”, all-American red, white and blue, and a Californian license plate that read “OFP 857”.
In the original movie, Herbie possessed KONI shock absorbers, and a Porsche 365 engine and brakes. By the third movie, she started to sport Goodyear GT Radial tires with special rims.
Well known for defying the odds, Herbie really was a fun little machine, oh yeah, and she also sold for $128,700 at an auction in 2018. Not bad for the little fella.
3. Delorean
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/48655779/06.0.0.jpg)
0-88 miles per hour and when you go back, don’t forget your sports almanac.
Even Marty was surprised Doc had chosen to use this car, and in so doing turned forever changed the significance of owning a Delorean.
This 1981 sports car was the brainchild of John DeLorean. The DMC-12 initially had a V6 Powertrain motor, but a Porsche engine replaced it for the movie, to, you know, help it go faster.
It also came with blinking lights and airport parts to sell the idea that it was a time machine.
Fun fact: the law capped speedometers at 85mph back then, but hey if you’re gonna time travel what’s a few mph over the limit.
2. 1969 Mustang Mach 1
What 2 things does John Wick love just slightly more than being a total badass? His dog and his Mustang. Which were exactly what set him off on a brutal crusade to do both canine and car justice.
Charcoal grey with two, low gloss rally stripes, a 7.0 litre V8 residing under the hood, John Wick’s car was very much the classic American muscle.
Originally valued at $4798, the car sold for $550,000 in 2015.
1. Mystery Machine
Sure the others on this list may deserve top spot more, but call this one childhood nostalgia.
It was the van that carried our favourite meddlesome gang through all their adventures. The sides were painted a distinctive blue with a swirling green stripe, and orange flowers. At the front, there was a spare tire, while the roof had twin racks for further storage. And of course the tires themselves had green with orange flowered hub caps. Perfect for the job.
Hope you enjoyed this walk down memory lane and remember ‘we would have gotten away with it if it wasn’t for those meddling kids’.
There you go. April’s top 5 most iconic and unusual movie vehicles. Stay tuned for the May edition coming next month.
Did you enjoy reading this? We’ve got a couple of other series, including our GOAT wish list and a Dummy’s Guide that answers questions you’re too afraid to ask out loud. Why not give them a try?
