Love of racing led to invention

He needed a certain tool while working on engines at the track, but it didn't exist. So he created one.

By CAROLYN HOPKINS

© St. Petersburg Times,
published July 31, 2001

HOLIDAY -- Milton Snowden, 61, says the greatest part of his life has been devoted to a love of automobile engines. That was his motivation for inventing a valve spring removal and installation tool.

In drag racing, engines are revved to extremely high revolutions per minute. "This leads to valve spring fatigue and breakage that needs to be replaced without removing the cylinder heads from the engine in a quick and timely manner," Snowden says.

For the uninitiated, Snowden explains that the average automobile has oil seals inside the valve spring. The spring has to be removed to replace them. The tool, which he has patented, is designed to be used for that purpose.

The tool can also be used in garages and by do-it-yourself mechanics.

All of his adult life, Snowden has been involved with automobiles.

He participated in the National Hot Rod Association and was in drag racing from the early 1950s. He built go-cart motors and participated in go-cart racing. He built automotive cylinder heads for circle track cars and helped sponsor Bubby McCarty's dirt track car in Ashland, Ky., where Snowden also owned and operated a cylinder head shop.

"When I finished drag racing, my love for the sport didn't stop," he says.

He became more involved with go-cart and circle track racing. Being a co-sponsor and preparing heads and valves led him to the invention. Obtaining a patent took several years.

Snowden and his wife, Lenore, moved to Holiday in 1999. They like soaking up Florida sunshine by the pool, doing tourist things, going to car and boat shows and enjoying retirement.

"I'm presently liquidating assets, including the complete automotive cylinder head shop in Ashland," he says. "I'm really not interested in manufacturing or distribution of the tool I invented and would like to sell the patent."

Several companies have already shown an interest.

Snowden was employed for 33 years in the maintenance department of AK Steel Coke Plant in Ashland. After retiring, he owned and operated the cylinder head shop.

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