Fantastic in Plastic 2 LbNA #62422
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Nearby Boxes
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Add Location| Owner: | Boots Tex  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Jul 5, 2012 |
| Location: | Walker County Safety Rest Area Southbound, Huntsville, TX |
| City: | Huntsville |
| County: | Walker |
| State: | Texas |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Found by: | Llamacorn |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Apr 20, 2018 |
| Status: | FFFFFaFFFFFFFaFaF |
| Last edited: | Jul 5, 2012 |
This is a replacement box for Fantastic in Plastic, which went missing. Since the location is slightly different and the stamp image is different, it may be considered a new find.
The first Corvette rolled off a makeshift assembly line in Flint Michigan on June 30, 1953, a mere six months after the debut of the concept car at the GM Motorama. From the beginning, the Corvette was unique. It was only available as a two passenger convertible in Polo White with a red interior. All Corvettes were built by hand and its attractive and original body was constructed out of fiberglass, not steel. Partly, this was because of quotas on steel left over from World War II, but the real reasons had to do with cost. The concept car was never intended to go into production, so cost-cutting was standard procedure. But, it worked, and the plastic car was born. The 1953’s chassis, with a 102 inch wheelbase, was basically a shortened Chevy passenger car unit. The only engine available was named the Blue Flame Special and was an upgraded version of the 235 cid six found in other Chevy cars. The only transmission was Chevrolet's Powerglide two-speed automatic. Only two Regular Production Options (RPOs) were available, a heater and an AM radio. Exterior styling was done by Harley Earl and featured a toothy grille, stone guards over the inset headlamps, "twin pod" rear fenders, and "rocket ship" taillights. The first Corvette was a sales disaster as its high price (more than a Cadillac or Jaguar) and low performance made it far from desirable. A mere 183 were sold in 1953 out of 300 built. My stamp is of a 1958 model, my favorite, and truly fantastic in plastic.
Directions:
This letterbox is located at the Walker County Safety Rest Area, a few miles north of Huntsville on the south-bound side of Interstate 45, Mile Marker 125. This is one of the great new rest stops that have been going up on Texas Interstate highways in the past few years. Check them out at http://www.txdot.gov/travel/safety_rest_areas/map.htm . If you’re heading north from Houston, you must go past the rest area to Exit 132, cross over I45 and head south. Going south, look for Mile Marker 125 and exit into the rest area on the right. Park in front of the Visitor’s Building. Go inside.
To the box:
When you get ready to find the box, go out back and enjoy the view of the pond. Find the trail to your left (north) that loops around the pond. Walk past the two picnic pavilions on your left to the end of the paved walkway and the Nature Trail sign. Take the dirt trail until you come to a bench on the left. From the bench, take 37 steps up the trail to the right, just past a large but short stump. Look to the right, just off the trail toward the pond, for a small gangly tree with lots of branches that splits into 2 trunks about 4' off the ground and has light colored slouches. The box is at the base of that tree under bark and pine needles and a slice of pine wood. Take it back to the bench to stamp in. Be sure to replace it carefully under the wood and cover it completely so that it will be there for the next finder.
The first Corvette rolled off a makeshift assembly line in Flint Michigan on June 30, 1953, a mere six months after the debut of the concept car at the GM Motorama. From the beginning, the Corvette was unique. It was only available as a two passenger convertible in Polo White with a red interior. All Corvettes were built by hand and its attractive and original body was constructed out of fiberglass, not steel. Partly, this was because of quotas on steel left over from World War II, but the real reasons had to do with cost. The concept car was never intended to go into production, so cost-cutting was standard procedure. But, it worked, and the plastic car was born. The 1953’s chassis, with a 102 inch wheelbase, was basically a shortened Chevy passenger car unit. The only engine available was named the Blue Flame Special and was an upgraded version of the 235 cid six found in other Chevy cars. The only transmission was Chevrolet's Powerglide two-speed automatic. Only two Regular Production Options (RPOs) were available, a heater and an AM radio. Exterior styling was done by Harley Earl and featured a toothy grille, stone guards over the inset headlamps, "twin pod" rear fenders, and "rocket ship" taillights. The first Corvette was a sales disaster as its high price (more than a Cadillac or Jaguar) and low performance made it far from desirable. A mere 183 were sold in 1953 out of 300 built. My stamp is of a 1958 model, my favorite, and truly fantastic in plastic.
Directions:
This letterbox is located at the Walker County Safety Rest Area, a few miles north of Huntsville on the south-bound side of Interstate 45, Mile Marker 125. This is one of the great new rest stops that have been going up on Texas Interstate highways in the past few years. Check them out at http://www.txdot.gov/travel/safety_rest_areas/map.htm . If you’re heading north from Houston, you must go past the rest area to Exit 132, cross over I45 and head south. Going south, look for Mile Marker 125 and exit into the rest area on the right. Park in front of the Visitor’s Building. Go inside.
To the box:
When you get ready to find the box, go out back and enjoy the view of the pond. Find the trail to your left (north) that loops around the pond. Walk past the two picnic pavilions on your left to the end of the paved walkway and the Nature Trail sign. Take the dirt trail until you come to a bench on the left. From the bench, take 37 steps up the trail to the right, just past a large but short stump. Look to the right, just off the trail toward the pond, for a small gangly tree with lots of branches that splits into 2 trunks about 4' off the ground and has light colored slouches. The box is at the base of that tree under bark and pine needles and a slice of pine wood. Take it back to the bench to stamp in. Be sure to replace it carefully under the wood and cover it completely so that it will be there for the next finder.