WOOD POINT, N.B. — Bill Snowdon is what some might call a jack-of-all-trades.
Certainly a hobbyist by nature, Snowdon has tried his hand at a bit of everything and, even at the age of 81, continues to spend his spare time restoring, rebuilding and renovating anything that draws his interest.
Not one to sit idle, Snowdon can often be found in one of his garages in Wood Point, fixing up one of his antique or classic cars, or perhaps down the road where he has been methodically restoring an 1840 two-storey, four-bedroom home. He will be sure to give you a tour of the place if you’re in the area.
Snowdon is also somewhat of an amateur historian and also dabbles in antique collecting, flea market vending, writing and even beekeeping. You name it, he’s probably tried it.
The Wood Point native has made his mark over the years, humbly serving on a number of organizations and committees, both locally and regionally, while quietly gaining recognition for his pursuits.
His most recent accolades came just last month – this time for his avid interest in cars -– as Snowdon was inducted into the Maritime Motorsports Hall of Fame at a special ceremony in Dieppe.
Recognized under the builder category, Snowdon was among 10 inductees from throughout New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI for significant contributions to motorsports.
“We believe that Bill’s contribution to the hobby has been significant and very worthy of recognition,” stated William Jarvis, treasurer of the New Brunswick Antique Auto Club (NBAAC), in his nomination letter.
Snowdon has been a valued resource for more than 50 years as a member of the auto clubs, Jarvis noted, offering up advice or insight to those with questions or needing assistance.
Snowdon says he recalls always having an interest in cars, even before his teenage years when he entered a motor mechanics course in high school.
When he later went on to work as a mechanic at Lounsbury’s in Sackville, his interest deepened to the point he began to build and race stock cars. In 1959, he received his Journeyman certification as the first apprentice in Canada to receive the Red Seal.
He and his brother also soon got involved in drag racing, where Snowdon took care of a lot of the technical work. In 1963, he joined the Moncton Speed and Custom Club at Scoudouc Dragway.
“Cars were my life,” he said.
From 1961-1979, Snowdon taught mechanics at Moncton Community College, then moved on to work at Dorchester Penetentiary in prison education. He also later started up Marshland Educational Services, a private adult education school, in 1993.
Snowdon’s first antique auto restoration was a 1929 Dodge Brothers sedan, which he still owns and drives. In 1975, Snowdon and his wife Betty and their four children traveled across Canada in that vehicle as part of the Trans-Canada tour. It took them seven weeks, he said.
During his thank-you speech at the recent induction ceremony, Snowdon gave credit to his family who has supported him in his hobbies over the years. His wife of 55 years passed away last year due to cancer but he said Betty was his rock from the moment he first got involved in motorsports. The two were awarded life memberships into the NBAAC in 2014.
Still as interested today in cars as he was back then, Snowdon is currently restoring a 1931 Ford Model A sport coupe and a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air sedan. And he also takes pride in other vehicles in his collection – a 1947 International Farmall M tractor, a 1951 Ford 8N Tractor, a 1956 Chevrolet Deluxe 210 sedan and a 1987 Jaguar XJ12 sedan.
A member of the New Brunswick Antique Auto Club since 1969, Snowdon has served as president, southeast region director and historian. He has written technical articles for the Maritime Drag News and NBAAC’s magazine, as well as The History of the N.B. Antique Auto Club commemorating the club’s 50th anniversary in 2016.
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