Thread: Ron Hill Family: Hill Marine and Signature Propellers

  1. #251
    Administrator Ron Hill's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Tustin, California
    Posts
    3,407
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default I've Never Been A Saver, Except Memories

    That motor was delivered to Southwestern Sporting Goods.....owned by the Schwarzenbach family, before they moved to Apple Valley. Dan Schwarzenbach gave me a fair price, considering shipping was free, but I don't recall the price, seems $1,000. Same as I had won at the race. Jimmy Jost always like me, for several reasons, one Ann Strang liked me Charlie was CEO of Evinrude and Johnson) and whatever Ann liked, everybody liked. And two, my dad and Jimmy had been friends for years back when Jim worked for the Martin Outboard company.

    When the three cylinder OMC came out, their first looper as I recall, they were anxious to sell them. So, Jimmy Jost would give me one every year to use as a patrol boat engine for the club. Of course, the boat was mine, so when we weren't patrolling, we water skied with it. At the end of the season, Danny Schwarzenbach would buy the used engine at a great price, and Jim Jost would send me another one....(I think we got 60% off plus free freight, so Dan was always anxious to buy the motor)....When I say "GIVE" I guess loan is a better word, because we did pay for everyone we ever got. But we paid when we sold it, not when we got it.

    I don't keep stuff, may be pictures and magazine...But I usually look ahead, I do think back and remember, though!
    Last edited by Ron Hill; 01-18-2022 at 12:21 PM.

  2. #252
    Administrator Ron Hill's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Tustin, California
    Posts
    3,407
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default Crankcase for My KG-4

    I decided I wanted a KG-4 crankcase, like I had as a kid. John Schubert found a new crankcase like I had in 1955.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by Ron Hill; 05-27-2019 at 11:48 AM.

  3. #253
    Administrator Ron Hill's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Tustin, California
    Posts
    3,407
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default World's Fastest Teacher

    WOA! I must have written this one myself!!!
    Attached Images Attached Images

  4. #254
    Administrator Ron Hill's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Tustin, California
    Posts
    3,407
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default Old News Clippings: 1955 Bellfower, California

    I was about 11 here. My brother had just gotten out of the Army!
    Attached Images Attached Images

  5. #255
    Administrator Ron Hill's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Tustin, California
    Posts
    3,407
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default Jimmy Jost Photo, Havasu Outobrd World Championships, 1967

    They had just announced that the Governor's son had won the race? It was a strange feeling knowing I was one lap ahead on Saturday, and had been lapped once on Sunday...........Then, I un lapped myself about 15 minutes from the end of the race. Like the McCullough's told me, "You did win the twin engine class, and you get second place over all money. You get more money than the Governor's son." Evinrude tried to protest but the wire service had already announce that Mike Reagan had won....Mike drove 30 minutes in eight hours and lost one full lap while he drove, but he "WON"...Bill Cooper and Rudy Ramos did the heavy lifting that weekend!

    The in set picture was my passport picture..
    Attached Images Attached Images

  6. #256
    Administrator Ron Hill's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Tustin, California
    Posts
    3,407
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default Havasu Was In The Land Selling Business, Not The Boat Race Business

    Ralph Evinrude was a partner in the "Land Swindle" as many called it. Ralph told me he made more money in the Havasu Land deal than he ever made in Evinrude motors. California's Governor's son winning THE OUTBOARD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS made front page news in the L.A. Times.......You have heard of Ronald Reagan, I'm sure. No one cared if Ron Hill won! Havasu was in the land sales business. They bought the London Bridge to to promote land sales.

    The next year the race was run under APBA and UIM approved it as an Official World Championship. In 1967, the race was run by McCullough!...Jim Briggs of Briggs and Stratton's sister was married to Bob McCullough. Briggs was OMC's largest stock holder and it was clear to the McCullough's that OMC was NOT happy with the way the race was run!

    No real "BIG DEAL" here, just the rest of the story!
    Last edited by Ron Hill; 09-14-2013 at 07:12 PM.

  7. #257
    Administrator Ron Hill's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Tustin, California
    Posts
    3,407
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default LA Boat Show Cira 1984.....

    I just got off the phone with Lars. Thanks for the call re Ted march's passing. I saw this picture of the L.A. Boat, as I was thinking about 2013 L.A. Boat Show NEXT week, February 7-10, 2013. The guy holding the nose cone is Eric Erikson who was killed in a helicopter crash a few years ago. Eric was a friend mine and Lars. Eric would work the boat show for "FREE", but I'd give him a good discount on props he'd sell to Lars. I miss the guy, he was always fun to be around, always up beat.....He was the first person I ever saw with a portable phone, he carried it into the LA Show.....It was "way cool", but then again 1984....It was ahead of things to come!

    We didn't sell many of these MINI BOATS...or props. Rod Zapf helped us sell props. I told Rod, "If we don't sell 10 grand worth of props, we can't go to Parker, next month." Money always motivates ROD!
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by Ron Hill; 05-27-2019 at 11:50 AM.

  8. #258
    Administrator Ron Hill's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Tustin, California
    Posts
    3,407
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default Paris 1968: Rough Water Racing


  9. #259
    Administrator Ron Hill's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Tustin, California
    Posts
    3,407
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default 1954 DePere, Wisconsin Nationals

    My dad was the motor inspector at the 1954 Nationals at DePere, Wisconsin. A guy named Vic Bonnam ran second to Don Baldacci. My dad disqualified Baldacicci's motor as it was "BLUE PRINTED" to the max specs, except one port was illegal.

    My dad had disqaulifed Don Guerin's son at the 1952 Oakland, California Nationals for having a cut "FOOT". Guerin was a Mercury Distributor and he became Stock Outboard VP. He carried enough "PROXIE" votes to rule the Commission. Guerin over ruled my dad's call on the illegal motor.

    That fall, at Parker, Vic Bonnam threw a rod in his KG-4 and my dad bought it from him, My dad replace the sand cast case with a new die cast cast, and put the motor back together.

    I was ten in the fall of 1954. My brother was in the Army in Germany that year. My dad and I went "TESTING" ever Saturday and Sunday through the winter of 1954. I got five gallons of gas a day. My little Terrill runabout had a front seat and my neighbor friends always had a sore butt from riding with me, as the front seat was just a piece of plywood.

    I probably would have let these memories die, but when I met Laurie Stern, I realize she was born on August 8, 1956, the day I raced my first Nationals....

    Ron Hill


    Well, thanks to John Schubert, my KG-4 is basically finished...I raced one like this in the 1956 Nationals at Cambridge, Maryland. I was 12, finished third. Oh, ****, I need a propeller!!!

    Attached Images Attached Images

  10. #260
    Administrator Ron Hill's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Tustin, California
    Posts
    3,407
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default Russ Hill, Jr. Driving C Racing Runabout

    My brother, Russ Hill, Jr. driving Ed Karakowa's Morehouse runabout and Hubbel Pr-65 at the San Diego Flood Control channel, 1955. Check out the well equipped patrol boat! We miss those days of racing at the Flood Control Channel!
    Attached Images Attached Images

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 16 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 16 guests)

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •