This is the thing that got me back into diecast in the first place. This is why I started collecting again. All the JDM and Euro stuff, which I love, has been an offshoot of this.
It’s time to reveal my big project.
Remember the Baby Driver custom? The Pulp Fiction Bloody Nova?
This is why I made them. And why I’ll be making more in the months to come.
See, I used to be a screenwriter. And it didn’t quite work out. Now I have a lovely career in AI conversation design, but part of me is and always will be a screen junkie.
So here is my little tribute to cars and movies.
I don’t want to think about what I’ve sunk into this, but now that it exists, none of that matters. Let’s see how it came together.
Originally it was going to be a studio backlot parking lot, but once I realized what it had to be, there was no going back. Thankfully, the folks at Innovative Hobby Supply make a really nice papercraft Drive-in kit. They make a lot of cool stuff and I encourage you to check them out.
After building that, I had to find a surface, And like a meet-cute in a romantic comedy, I spotted the scrap board of my dreams at the hardware store. Six bucks and it was all mine.
Then came the asphalt. Oh Lord how I overthought this. I thought about sandpaper, craft paint, etc. etc. etc. Someone on this page suggested bedliner, and while I was at O’Reilly, I found this:
Two cans later (the coverage per can was appallingly small), I had my asphalt!
Then, some Vallejo Earth Gel, some clump foliage, some trees (arranged smaller towards the back for a bit of forced-perspective) and several hours of tiny-speaker-making later, I had my theater!
But since drive-ins make the most sense in the dark, I got a bigger LED string (remember the parking garage?) in a warmer hue and rigged them up.
As for the cars themselves, I plan to keep adding new ones as I make or collect them.
But a big part of the fun for me is the groupings. We get to see movie cars together that would never meet otherwise, so there’s some fun to be had:
The cops, always on the heels of the crooks they chase.
Spies and other heroes who drive their clever cars.
Dads know to stay near the snacks and bathrooms.
High occupancy vehicles full of misfits and weirdos.
Racers love being up front.
Figured the Griswolds would be late after the trip they had.
This has been a real thrill, and I couldn’t have done it without this incredible community. Keep watching this space, because Project:Screentime isn’t over. I have at least 4 customs I want to add next year.
