Is there a roof rack how to out there? Was wondering since I could not find one.
There is no definitive tutorial on how to build a roof rack. However, an important question to ask yourself is whether you want to make a screen-accurate or original design rack. Either way, the Ecto-1 (post-restoration) section has some pretty good shots of all of the components.
http://www.gbfans.com/equipment/reference/31/
Of course, bear in mind that even the original car is no longer âscreen-accurateâ due to some of the liberties taken during the restoration process.
Not that I know of.
Study all the threads here and look at Theecto1.com
I am looking to go more for the Ecto-1a style of racks. I want to start getting all my parts for it so I am ready to build it once I have a donnor car.
Check out Ecto-1A Racks on wikihowâŚ
What kind of Ecto are you looking to build? A pro-car ambulance/hearse with a screen-accurate roof rack, or a modern-day Ecto with a similar 1-A rack (i.e. satellite dish, tank, LED boards, etc.)?
http://www.gbfans.com/equipment/reference/19/
This diagram of the ERTL Ecto-1a gives a pretty good breakdown of the various components on the car.
Oh my god I am SO posting this whenever someone asks me how to build an ecto. FROM NOW ON.
Well I am going to try and find a meteor if I can but if not some thing close to it as I can. I am torn between the Ecto-1a and the game style Ecto roof racks though
DONâT DO THIS.
Youâll look stupid driving around with a trash can on your roof.
Okay now I am lost on what type of material to build the rack out of.
Stuff that is not water-soluble.
Okay like steel wood pvc. If I cant find a meteor I will go with an older suv of some kind as my Ecto.
Steel wood pvc is the probably the best material you can use, itâs lightâŚstrong and is easy to use.
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The worst thing about steel wood pvc is when it rusts rots melts.
where do i get the equipment for the roof please help im a novice lol
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The same place Barris did. You have to build it. The only real piece you can âpurchaseâ are the yellow o2 tanks on the driverâs side. The rest is literally built from raw materials, assembled, and painted.
The basic components:
The cage: The steel or aluminum frame. Itâs a square frame with a cab overhang on the front, an aerial on the rear driver side, and a ladder on the rear passenger side. Also a mount for the Directional Antenna offset in the rear.
O2 tanks: Two on the driverâs side
Storange tank: the greenish long tube on the passengerâs side, opposite the 02 tanks.
âtvâ antenna/sniffer tower: twin barrels from a box, mounted atop a round tower
radome: cone-like structure mounted atop the aerial on the rear driverâs side cage
the tray: the open white box that sits in the cage, with a boxed unit with rib details in the rear section
control box: metal control box at the rear passenger side, with a long electrical hose that mounts on the side of the car behind the ladder
fan box: white box at the front of the passenger side with a fan unit inside
directional antenna: clear half-dome with a red âarrowâ on a platform that mounts on the backend of the roof rack.
Thatâs the main roof rack itself. Youâll also need a jet plane strobe for the center front cab overhang, a federal siren, and a propelloray light.
Four deck lights, and two Code 3XL lightbars.
I recommend using aluminum and PVC board for the construction. Plywood is great if you only need it to survive for 21 days while shooting a movie in 1984.
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Just to clear something up again. Barris did not build the Ecto. He has built replicas but he DID NOT build the original or the 1A.
He must have meant the same way Steven Dane didâŚ
When it comes to roof racks it really depends on what you have to work with. I mean many people donât have as much roof space as a hearse or ambulance to work with. If you want to do a 1:1 scale rack from the movie, then there are a lot of components to buy as well as many to build from scratch.
Buy:
Propelloray beacon
Federal C5GB Siren
Grimes Aircraft Strobe light
O2 Oxygen tanks with A6 regulators
Blue drain hose (used on RVs)
Grey liquid tight Electrical conduit, with connector
Code 3 Force 4 XL5000 Lightbars
4 Par 46 Deck Lights
Various Heat Sinks
Saw Mandrel to attach Clear Radomw
Build:
Fan Box
Sniffer
Clear Radar with red arrow antenna
Radome
Cross Sensitivity Unit
Roof Rack
Ladder
Radome Stand
Storage Tube
Iâm sure I forgot something but that is a basic list of the components on the roofâŚ
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ok this is only from what im learning from building my rack ( this week ) ⌠i built up a wood full size rack and mounted all my stuff on it and in it ⌠and then put it on the car to look at it for overall size âŚ
I ended up resizing the rack some to better to fix the carâŚ
so the rack spec for the 59 cad is a lot bigger than a 83 cad âŚ( dont get it )
but the take away here is
build in cheap wood and use it to scale it to your car ⌠because its not cheap to build a metal rack and then have to cut it down and rewieldâŚ
o ya dont use a early 80 caddy âŚLOLâŚ
Alright now, letâs play nice.
Ramcuda, what style of Rack are you going for? GB1? GB2? Custom?