Ron Hill Family: Hill Marine and Signature Propellers

[Ron Hill]

My dad would have been 110 today. It seems a very short 20 years to not have him here. My dad and mom came to California in 1935 BROKE, by the time I was born, 1944, they owned a house and 22 acres at Lake Elsinore, and my dad was racing boats. My sister was 13 years older than me, and my brother was ten years older.

My dad started me in racing when I was 11, 1955, and supported me til about 1989. We won a lot of races together, he rebuilt many of my factory motors to make them faster. We won the Elsinore 500, 1973 and the Parker 9 Hour (Division II) 1975, with motors my dad built. He and I are bought APBA Honor Squadron Members.

I'd get crazy ideas, and my dad would make them come true. We raced Stock, Alkies, OPC.

I'm not sure my dad ever complimented me and I'm not sure I ever really thanked him.

One time someone told my dad, "Those Hill kids aren't very good losers." My dad said, "Well, they haven't had much practice."

We went to races to "WIN" and we did "WIN" often.

Miss you dad. I'M HAPPY YOU WERE ABLE TO TEACH CHAD SO MUCH ABOUT MOTORS BEFORE YOU LEFT US.

We were racing at the Parker 9 Hour the weekend my dad passed, 1997. A good weekend to go, I always thought!

12/29/2017

[Ron Hill]

I've really only known Dudley for the last 15 years. Not knowing him longer is my loss, what a great guy. Have have not read his whole book, but I got one on Amazon and one directly from Dudley. The book is well worth the $19.95 or whatever it costs.

He's one of a kind, I consider him a true friend.

[Ron Hill]

Red Thomas gave me my first "A" Stock Mercury motor, 1954.

[Ron Hill]

These KG-4 propellers are kept in my safe at the office. They are from a by gone ear, never to return. We raced these props on Chad Hill's Sorensen Runabout with a restricted Johnson 15. Chad won the Winter Nationals at least once, we never went to the Summer Nationals as Chad played football and APBA expected him to be at their nationals for a week to race two heats.

I think Chad won 56 straight races but my memory is often wrong anymore.

Of the six, only one was ever on a 60-J Mercury, it has two small shear pin holes on the hub, this is my casting made by me.

There are two Smith Wheels, two John Csypulski wheels and one Lockhart, that says , "Younger"....Keith Keith or Mark Yunger's KG-4 prop.

I had planned having a Propeller Museum, but got side tracked along the way.

10/71 is the oldest. A Cary, aquired from Roy Miner and I modified it.

[Ron Hill]

Jake qualified 5th on Saturday and ended up 5th. Qualified 3rd, Sunday and ended up 16th after a roll over. Jake and Jordan Hill in the pits.

Thanks to Redline oil for the support!

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

Jake qualified 5th on Saturday and ended up 5th. Qualified 3rd, Sunday and ended up 16th after a roll over. Jake and Jordan Hill in the pits.

Thanks to Redline oil for the support!

Jake looks like a younger Ronnie Hill

[Ron Hill]

This was the first 12' DeSilva with a single chine. The made for a guy in Texas that hated it, so the built him a new one with double chines. Ralph told me to sell for anything over $250. So, I took it home, set the motor back 2", cut the after plane off and moves the steering wheel over so I could get it to "Lay Up" in the corners. Bill Boyes and I were good friends in those days, he'd borrowed one of my "C" motors for two years...Anyway, I put him in this 12' DeSilva, we were all running 13 footer, and Bill just hauled ***. I named it "Mother Please, I'd rather do it myself". Bill's mom was great but very protective of her "BILLY". Bill won this C Runabout race. I told him to give me a check for $350 for my motor and check to me for DeSilva of $500. Bill's mom gave me a check for $850.

I won the Divisionals the next week! I paid Ralph the $250 and made a BIG PROFIT!

I posted this on the DeSilva page, but they don't allow sharing.