Dick "Grubby" Sidor The Prop Man from Michigan Wheel

When I first started my propeller business, I dealt with Lou Lancioni. He ran Michigan Wheel. I started buying "BLANKS" from Michigan. Pop Smith and I were good friends, but he shared my "SECRETS" with everyone. I started making plaster Paris blade molds from props. Lou would send them to "GRUBBY" and "Grubby" would make me some damn nice blanks. By 1977, I learned that "GRUBBY" was Dick Sidor. I had been in the prop business 8 years by then. I can't begin to tell you how many people won races with my props, that Dick Sidor had made my blanks. Sorry for your loss, Tim!

Interesting, Ron. When did you start your prop business? Was the original idea just to do outboard racing props or a whole range of racing or pleasure boat props?

In the winter of '65/'66 I took my only decent prop, an unmodified Michigan 7 X 14 for BSH with gears, down to George Lockhart who was probably our best-known prop-beater at the time. Right away, George warned me that he had found Michigans to be occasionally prone to break during a re-work, and that would have to be my loss. Well, unfortunately he soon called me and said my $36 steel Michigan had broken (leading edge of one blade, right at the root) after only a couple of hits with the hammer. He was very apologetic, but I had no problem with it since he had warned me. Ron, did you find this with Michigans, particularly? I can see where any prop might be more likely to show slight metallurgical defects in this area, where the casting/forging transitions from the thick section of the hub to the thin section of the blade . . .

Actually, I don't remember when I figured out I could buy stuff and then get my dad to fix it. Then sell it an make money. The Boston Nationals, 1963 was a major turning point in my propeller life.

In 1962, Doc Collins had given me two Smith CU Kamics. He said, "He made them". Why he said that I don't know. I ended up 2nd in CU at the Nationals in Guntersville that year. I had a habit of pulling on the steering wheel to get off the corners, while leading, the finals, on the final lap, I pulled the dash board out of the boat, which cost me handling and crossed my steering cables. Don Pontius passed me for the win.

In Guntersville I learned about Pop Smith Props. When I got home from the Nationals, I called Pop Smith and told him I was pretty sure I had two of his CU wheels. Pop said he'd made them for Doc Collins. I ended up sending about 8 wheels to Pop the next day.

One C Hydro wheel really helped my brother and the Square Hub Kamic helped my DU.

With a few modifications to my CU boat, I planned to win Boston as I'd picked up a mile with a CU plus a half Kamic. That Pop made just for ME. My boat MODS had gained me another mile an hour.

In Boston, they lined all the CU's before our race, I recognize 10 CU plus a half KAMICS by Pop Smith. Ed or Jack McCortie had a Michigan, I think and Joe Schule had Ted May's D Stock prop, a 7 1/4 X 14, our Kamics were like 6 3/4 10 1/2.

Without going into it, I didn't win CU and neither did Joe Schulte. But, Joe was fastest by far and came home and broke the Kilo Record in CU.

For the next couple of months I thought about Pop Smith. His work was great and prices were good. But I started telling him "Little Whoppers" when I'd send him props. I kept tell I needed faster props, quickness didn't matter. So, early in '64 I was taking Long Course Smith wheels and grinding on them. I rubbed lipstick on like my dad did, and even hammers on some.

In '64, I built my own CU and broke the Kilo Record by 10%. I also broke the DU kilo record that year and I won the DU Nationals.

By early '65 I was selling Smith Props, that i had worked on to lots of people at the races. Jimbo bought from me, I'd buit Carl Myers a BU, I sold him 12 Smith Wheels as he had two boats and I always drove one. I sold Smith wheels to Dave Mayer.

Smitty, when I started my business, I would make a little Plaster Paris blade mold and send it to Lew Lancioni at Michigan Wheel. They gave 40% on my first order which was two props.

So, for 1969-77 I'd send these pieces of Plaster Pair to Lew and "GRUBBY" would send me props back. We I did several tricks to these castings (Blanks if you will) and they'd gain 1-5 MPH. Grubby, I learned in 1977 with Tim Sidor.