Enjoying Vintage Cars

The Fallbrook Vintage Car Club’s motto is: “You don’t have to own a vintage car, just enjoy them.” That is what the members have been doing since the early 1960s when the group first met at the home of Paul Stiles. Stiles, now 90, is still a member. The club started life at as a Model “A” Ford club but then evolved into a vintage car club encompassing all makes and models. The club is “dedicated to the community of Fallbrook and to the preservation of the automobile,” according to their mission statement.

The year 1976 was a landmark year for the club, as the most ever — 250 cars — were entered in the annual car show. In the last several years, the car show has included over 300 cars and drawn crowds in excess of 10,000. Now in its 41st year, the Fallbrook Vintage Car Show is the longest-running annual charitable event in the history of Fallbrook. The club always returns much of the profits to the community by donating funds to charitable causes.

The members of the club own a variety of vehicles — Model Ts, 1965 Mustangs, a 1960 Bentley and a vintage Volkswagen “Bug,” to name a few. The oldest car in the club is a 1902 Cadillac owned by Bill and Ann Otteman. Probably the most unusual is a car that actually has a name. “Fort Fallbrook,” a 1947 Chrysler Windsor owned and named by Tom Long, sports white stars on the fatigue green doors and looks like a prop from a war movie.

A 1970 SAMCO Cord Warrior, inspired by E.L. Cord’s automobile of the 1930s and owned by Lee and Barbara Taylor, won a “Best in Class” at the Fallbrook Vintage Car Show last year. They have owned the automobile, which is equipped with a Ford 302 engine, since 1980.

Carroll and Cecilia Njust own a 1972 Citroen Station Wagon, a car built in France. The Citroen’s hydraulic system allows the car to operate at five levels with ground clearance from three to twelve inches. Carroll said that only 600 of the vehicles were shipped to the United States and as far as he knows, there are only thirteen left.

There are many stories regarding the sixty or so vintage cars represented by the club, but a story involving an automobile shown at the 2003 Fallbrook Vintage Car Show is one of the most memorable. During the show, Ron Dreher was given a surprise gift of a 1950 Ford convertible by his wife, Dianne. The vehicle had been Ron’s favorite car since he owned one in high school. With help from closed-mouthed friends Dianne was able to store the car and keep it a secret until the car show. As the couple approached the 1950 Ford, which was lined up on the green lawn with other cars, Dianne turned to her husband and said, “I have a little surprise for you…” Ron was “surprised and shocked.”

During the Avocado Festival on April 23, the Fallbrook Vintage Car Club will hold a mini show at Peter’s Auto Center located on the corner of Main and Fig. The 2006 Fallbrook Vintage Car Show poster created by artist Jim Krogle will premier at the festival. Krogle will be available that day to autograph posters, the sale of which will generate funds to support various local charitable organizations.

The 41st Annual Fallbrook Vintage Car Show will be held at Fallbrook Union High School on Sunday, May 28, beginning at 9:00 a.m. More information is available on the Web site http://www.fallbrookvintagecarclub.com.

The author wishes to thank Cecelia Njust and Fred Ragland for their assistance with historical information and the McDougal family for the use of the Grand Tradition.