Phi Delta Theta got a jump on the recruiting process this weekend.
Ecto-1, the car from the original “Ghostbusters” film, was on campus for most of the weekend - the fraternity used the car as a recruitment tool.
The owner of the car, Bob Lintz, shipped the car from his home in Rocky River, Ohio, to add a little fun to Saturday’s greek tailgate.
“(The kids) love it,” he said. “People are getting their pictures taken with the car and the most heard response to it is ‘totally cool.’ All the girls say ‘totally cool.’”
Lintz, a 1963 MSU graduate and member of Delta Tau Delta, has a son, general management sophomore Ryan Lintz who is a member of Phi Delta Theta. His wife Karen, also an MSU graduate, was a member of the sorority Pi Beta Phi.
Bob’s love for classic cars led to the purchase of Ecto-1. He attempted to buy the car from Universal Studios, but was unsuccessful.
After two years of trying to purchase the car from the studio, which was reluctant to let the vehicle go, he gave up. He eventually acquired the car from a second party who purchased it from the studio and sold it to him.
“I collect old cars,” he said. “This car is a ’59 Cadillac, and the ’59 Caddy had the ultimate fin. I always loved the ’59 Cadillac.”
Bob said his family does a lot with the car back home in Rocky River.
“Halloween is a big thing in our city,” he said. “We drive it all over the place on Halloween.”
Ryan was only 3 years old when the car was purchased and said it has become a part of his life.
“I’ve grown up with this car,” he said “When I was about 13, I was a little too cool for it. Then I got older and realized it was a part of our family.”
The Ecto-1 arrived on campus from the Lintz home Friday afternoon and was quickly put to use.
“We went to a bunch of dorms and just drove around campus,” Phi Delta Theta member Dan Briks said. “It’s just a spectacle, people just want to come up to it and take a look.”
Briks also said people were having trouble believing it was the original car from the 1984 film. For the sequel, released in 1988, a second car, the Ecto-2, was used.
“People kept saying, ‘You guys did a great job recreating that car,’” he said.
Aside from all the fun and attention the car brought, it was also used as a tool for the upcoming Interfraternity Council recruitment, which starts today through Sept. 12.
“The whole event we planned originally evolved around Interfraternity Council recruitment,” Phi Delta Theta President Todd Joyce said. “We were extremely proud to have a member that would let us use the car.”
Joyce said it was something the whole campus could enjoy.
“It goes beyond Rush,” he said. “It’s just something so unique to the Lansing area.”
