The HO San Diego club at the San Diego Model Railroad museum has a Drive in on the layout. Don’t know if it’s one of the kits. If you’re electrically savy, you could probably make a slimmer screen by disassembling the plastic case and mounting the LCD directly. I’ve thought about using those mini projectors as well, but in a fully lit scene they wouldn’t work so well…of course, a drive in shouldn’t be populated in daylight hours, so there you go.
Great site with the old drive-in ads! Thanks for sharing! George
My first screen I did disassemble the case and made a slimmer version. Bad thing was that it went bad very quick and I had to tear it all apart and put in a new screen. I found a 7" monitor with a small housing. I works ok for now but I think I am going to find another screen and rebuild a whole new Drive-In screen. That will be down the road after I get some more of my important projects done.
Maybe its the pictures but to me it looks just like what it is, an LCD screen. It doesn’t really look like any drive-in screen that I have ever seen. Then, cars and a movie playing in daylight is all wrong too, IMO.
Not meaning to criticize your efforts, I’m just saying it doesn’t look at all realistic to my eye. Perhaps if it were a night scene…?
Is this a modern drive-in, after radio transmitters replaced pole mounted speakers, or maybe I just missed them?
Nice idea for a scene all the same.
Is that Smokey and the Bandit playing?
Kevin
Answering both replies: 1st - it is a LCD screen and that is Balsa wood around it with part of the Blair line Drive-in kit .I am going to make another one sometime this year to make it look more like a real one. Maybe I will take some pictures with the light s off and see how it looks, might be a good idea. Remember to the viewer they don’t think of the details like we do. As for the poles, they will come later just as all the other details will. This is just the rough outline of what I am doing. thanks for the observation. 2nd - yes that is Smokey and the Bandit. If you can see on the sign , that is what is supposed to be showing, plus I like the movie .
Thanks for the explanation. I look forward to seeing what you do with your new and improved screen. True story about the details, most visitors don’t think like model railroaders!
Indeed! Great movie to show at the Drive-in too. Since it is playing with the Gauntlet I assume this is a premiere at the drive-in, circa 1977. You’ll need those speaker poles for sure!
Two great movies for their time for sure. Here’s one more for the rivet counter in all of us…Smokey and the Bandit was released in May of 77 but The Gauntlet was released in December 77. Would these two have been shown as a double header? [wink]
A few other options that could have made up the double feature;
Star Wars
A Bridge Too Far
Annie Hall
An interesting detail might be a carload of teens getting caught hiding in the trunk…
This is a scene I could see on a layout in my future. Thanks for sharing!
Sounds like an even better scene is on the way. Looking forward to updates!
Just wanted to let everyone know that my trees are crooked because they are not glued down yet. LOL I have already moved the playground to the front of the screen like in the old days. Lot more detail to work out , it will get there. Another note is that if you are going to do this I would buy a 9" wide LCD. I think someone mentioned that and I think that would get you closer to scale. That will be my new one. Also can someone explain to how I can break my paragraphs up in this forum. I try to space stuff out and it is not working >
Forget it I figured it out. I use Apples Safari as a browser and it does not support the text editor for this forum so I can’t space things correctly.
See now it works [#dots]
Back to work I go!
There is also one in kent/ravenna ohio and one in wadsworth ohio both run by a former flight student of mine. the one in kent/ravenna is a 2 screen one and he uses the original (restored) commercials for the snack counter and stuff. It is really cool. Good price and he pumps the sound through your cars stereo.
We have the Holiday Drive- in here in beautiful Hamilton, Ohio
( Hamilton is not the end of the world but you can see it from here)
It is in real nice shape and operates 365 days a year. Also doubles as a tour bus storage.
There was an interview with the guy who runs the Cape Cod Drive-In in Massachusetts. They asked about kids sneaking in, and he said that he didn’t care much. He said that the film distribution company basically gets all the gate receipts, so he doesn’t lose much if a few extra kids sneak in. He makes his money from the snack bar, so more kids = more profits, particularly if they’ve got extra money in their pockets because they “put one over on the owner.” Yup, they sure did.
This Drive-In is a flea market in the daytime.
Great thread! [tup]
You’ve all got some great ideas and you’ve certainly awoken a whole lot of great memories of the “good old days.”
Don’t forget to add a car or two with fogged up windows! [swg]
On page 118 in the March 1979 Model Railroader, is the article re building a Drive-in Movie (Passion Pit) using a under-the-table 8mm movie projector, and a periscope (two mirrors) Anyone interested, I can provide more details.
Westshorefan (nearing the end of the line)
I am interested in this but i do not have the issue. Can u give more infromation on it?
Need “E” address to send article (3 pages)
I saw on TigerDirect that you can get an 8.5" LCD for $80.
You could probably just buy one brand new off ebay, cheaper than the junk man would sell you a used one, assuming he even had one. Screens and displays, even whole units with the dvd player and everything aren’t that expensive anymore. Go peruse ebay and see for yourself.
John
That’s really nice, well done!
John
That’s what I was thinking. As soon as I saw the TV ad for the new projector phone I thought HO drive in scene. The DVD players and LCD screens don’t really look like a real drive in screen.