Cars and Characters Part III: 'Fireball Fred'

For those of you who have not read parts I and II, Fred Ragland enlisted in the Marines and later served 34 years with the Los Angeles Fire Department, retiring from his duties as a senior fireboat captain in 1995. His tremendous energy and attitude of service to others were not diminished when he and his wife Connie moved to Fallbrook and into the house they designed and finished building in 1990. Their community activities fill their calendars with interesting and enjoyable appointments.

The 1919 Model ‘T’ Station Hack, shown last week, before Fred’s complete restoration began, is shown here in its glory after many hours of hard work and bruised knuckles, all decked out for Christmas in Temecula’s 1995 “Electric Light Parade.”

With the completion of their home and the sale of the ‘Hack’ Fred was ready for another project and he found it in the ’39 Packard, “built in ’38, just like Fred.” At the same time he was busily restoring the Packard that he calls his Gangster Car — he even painted bullet holes in the driver’s side! — he was also becoming more involved in the Fallbrook Vintage Car Club (FVCC), a region of the Antique Car Club of America. He eventually took on the FVCC president’s job and served from January 2003 through December 2004. Nearly a fulltime position, Fred led the group to many successes we have enjoyed and a close working relationship with non-profit and youth groups, as well as the Chamber of Commerce and Village merchants.

Fred’s chance meeting with renowned local artist Jack Ragland (no relation!) proved mutually rewarding. Fred arranged with Jack to do the original artwork for the 2003 poster, an annual car club project. Jack zeroed in on the type of poster we wanted: a Fallbrook landmark, with cars and good art. The poster was of the one-room Reche School above Live Oak Park Road. Fred’s Packard is the center car, with two other cars owned by car club members. History buffs, take note: it also includes a girl sitting on the schoolhouse steps and a woman standing by one of the cars. They are both Margaret Hindorff Ray, who was the entire eighth grade and the last class to graduate there in 1939. The poster was so well received Jack was asked to do the artwork for the 2004 poster, a lineup of cars and club members on the old Bonsall Bridge, opened for the special car club event and arranged by Past President Tom Long. This poster is very popular too, and Jack has again painted the poster committee’s selection of a Main Street scene for 2005. The painting was admired by members at the annual January kick-off breakfast and will be for sale to the public at the Avocado Festival.

Fred has arranged with car club members Peter and Cynthia Particelli, who own Peter’s Auto Center on Main Street, to donate their business’ parking area for a mini-car show, like last year’s, the day of the festival.

Not surprisingly, Fred Ragland is very busy now as he is chairman of the annual FVCC Car Show, the 40th, this year on May 29 at the high school. It is one of the biggest events in Fallbrook and this one promises to be the best ever. We’ll write about it next time.