Saving a piece of American automotive history

[charlie8575]

I just received this link in my Yahoo! model car group, and I thought it was very cool that Honda is doing this.

Apparently, because of the switch to digital "film," a lot of drive-in theatres around the country are in danger of closing- in fact, just about all of them.

Honda is willing to donate five of the upgraded projectors to these small businesses- many of which are landmarks, and family-owned enterprises. At $80,000 a pop, these projectors are not cheap, and the revenues simply aren't what they used to be.

I'll be hitting a drive-in before the end of this summer now. Perhaps we all should if one is within a convenient distance and do our part. $20-25 for two or three movies for a whole carful of people? Tell me how you lose like that?

The voting is here.

http://projectdrivein.com/

Charlie Larkin

[jeffs396]

LOVE the drive-ins!!!

Being a teen in the eighties, they were a weekend ritual pretty much all summer My '68 Impala was the car of choice for our larger groups too...two or three of us up front, three in the trunk!

There are several still in our area, in fact one very close to my work is open YEAR ROUND (weather permitting of course).

My bride & I go as much as possible, the kiddos like it too!

Edited August 21, 2013 by jeffs396

[slusher]

There was 3 drive ins in this area and they have long gone....

[Joe Handley]

There's one that isn't all that far from Harry or myself, maybe 10 minutes from home for me, not sure for Harry though.

[Guest]

I do not believe there are any now in the Twin Cities.

[PappyD340]

The closest one to me is over hour away, used to have one only 1/2 mile from my house, have a grocery store sitting on the site now, what a shame I have some fond memories of going to the drive-in!!

[zenrat]

Not many left here but we've got one about 15 minutes drive away.

3 screens and a 50's styled diner. Open all year round.

We probably go once a month. Even in winter. There's something special about watching a movie through the rain and starting the engine up every so often to get hot air to demist the windscreen...

[Fabrux]

We have a drive-in here in Sussex, which is about a 45 minute drive for me. It is based a campground and seems to be doing pretty good. It is only open during camping season as our winters simply wouldn't support a drive-in theatre. Not sure what their equipment is like but they show all the latest movies so I'm assuming they've upgraded to digital?

[charlie8575]

We have a drive-in here in Sussex, which is about a 45 minute drive for me. It is based a campground and seems to be doing pretty good. It is only open during camping season as our winters simply wouldn't support a drive-in theatre. Not sure what their equipment is like but they show all the latest movies so I'm assuming they've upgraded to digital?

Apparently, most movies are still released on celluloid as of right now, but this may be changing in the next year or two.

Charlie Larkin

[Deathgoblin]

The two that were in Portsmouth are long dead. The Scioto Breeze still has the screens, but the main building has been razed. the Jonda Lou in Wheelersburg has long since been plowed under and is now a Lowes. I used to love going to the drive-in.

[Ju Ju]

That's a bummer.....I was always told I was conceived at a drive-in.

True story-

[Ju Ju]

P.S.- Just for Moms sake, I hope it was a drive-in theater and not a drive-in restaurant............

[Fabrux]

Apparently, most movies are still released on celluloid as of right now, but this may be changing in the next year or two.

Charlie Larkin

According to their webpage they've already gone digital, woo hoo!

Edited August 21, 2013 by kataranga

[Eshaver]

LONG LIve Joe Bob Briggs , former writer for the Dallas Morning news newspaper an drive -in movie theater critic !

[Rob Hall]

I don't think I've ever been to a drive-in..maybe when I was little and don't remember. Never really had one close to places I've lived that I noticed.

[Craig Irwin]

There were a few left near here, if an hour drive is close, but Indiana switching to DST killed them off. In the summer it doesn't get dark untill 10 PM, to late to show a double or triple feature.

Loved 'em.