One of the coolest programs that LEGO runs these days is their LEGO Ideas program: it lets creative folks across the world submit their best creations online. Users can then vote for their favorite sets, which can then end up being turned into official products for sale.
With Ghostbusters' 30th anniversary upon us, it's only fitting that an Ecto-1 set, complete with four custom Ghostbustin' mini figs, got itself voted into existence. I recently purchased at assembled this model, which is a perfect blend of satisfying-to-build and great-looking.
It's interesting to see the original project and compare it to the final product:
The original project.
The finished product.
They're pretty similar, but the team at LEGO was able to make some subtle changes to the build that make it pop just a little bit more. Of course, the four mini figs (with proton packs and a display platform) really steal the show—and you won't find them anywhere else. At $50, it's priced a little steeply, but it's hard to argue with the level of detail.
The box is actually much nicer than a typical LEGO set; it has flaps to allow you to open and re-close it without tearing any cardboard. This gives it more of a keepsake feel, and you can even store the finished product in the box after building (assuming you remove the lid).
The set also came with a higher quality instruction booklet that featured some background on the movie, the car, character quotes, and information about the original creator. The "bound book" quality of it made it slightly harder to use for actual building, though, because it wouldn't really lay flat the way a regular LEGO instruction booklet would. Still, it's a nice touch to round out the "collector's set" feel of the overall package.
Here's a quick gallery of pictures of the build. It took a little under two hours, but I went slowly so as to enjoy the process a bit more. Enjoy!
