Dr. Snively's Austin Healey 100-6
Medical Doctor - Enthusiast - Racer - Researcher & SCCA Hall of Fame Award Winner
A little under 70,000 Big Healeys (Austin Healey 100 & 3000) were produced over a 14 year run from 1953 - 1967 and rather surprisingly it is reported that 90% of these cars were delivered into North America with of course the vast majority, by a very wide margin, going to buyers in the USA. This was the era of the British Sports Car Invasion, innocently started by the first arrivals of MG TC into the American Market after the end of WW2.
Kjell Qvale, a young American war vet was an early convert to British Sports Cars via the MG brand after a chance sighting of the TC in New Orleans back in 1947 and he instantly arranged to be the MG Distributor for the Northern California Region. This was not only the start of Qvale automotive dynasty, but also MG's toehold into the untapped wealthy American Marketplace, briming at the time with young men & women fresh out of the service, with some change in their pockets, and looking for adventure. California, already a hotbed of automotive adventurism, fell fast and hard for the MG and every other British Sports Car that followed.
Qvale's first opened British Motors - San Francisco in 1947 to sell the MG TC, but he was soon one of the larger disturbers worldwide for MG, Austin Healey, Jaguar, and Rolls Royce, before later branching out to sell VW, Porsche, Maserati etc.
It was from here that this 1959 Austin Healey 100-6 found it's first owner... young Doctor George Snively. George purchased this his second Austin Healey in 1960, the first being a Healey 100M. Dr. Snively a former WW2 Veteran, an Internal Medicine Specialist, Sports Car Club Racer, Track Doctor, and a race team co-owner of note by this time, and as if that wasn't enough he had also co-founded the Snell Foundation, which until today remains the international authority on Head Protection Gear - Racing Helmets etc.
In 2015 Dr. George Snively was posthumously honoured by the SCCA (Sports Car Club Of America) as a member of their Hall of Fame, including him with the other greats of American Motorsports.
the california club racing scene
Club Racing in California back in the 50's & 60's was not at all like club racing today as public interest in sports cars was hot and near anyone with a bit of gasoline in their veins wanted to be present and take part in the action. As an example one such club event held in 1957 by the San Francisco SCCA at Stockton CA, was attended by 17,000 enthusiasts and the good Dr. Snively was there, in the middle of the action, at the wheel of his Healey 100M. Snively's first Healey the 100M was raced by his team not just locally, but also across America, even travelling to Argentina for the Buenos Aires 1,000K race in 1957 where the event winner was none other than Sterling Moss driving a Maserati 300S.
Dr. Snively at the wheel of his first Healey a 100M
Snively in Scca action with his Healey 100-6
Back to California and the Sacramento based Dr. Snively continued his club racing activities into the mid 60's with teammates Dr. C.O. Chichester (a co-founder of the Snell Foundation) and John Savarino Head Mechanic and the owner of John's Automotive in Sacramento. John's was the Northern California go-to back in the 50's & 60's for servicing 'foreign sports & exotics' as most garages at that time had no idea how to fix the British & Italian sports cars being delivered into this market.
Time, especially in the fast pace world of motor racing, was moving on and by the mid 60's this Healey 100-6 was not as competitive, as it had once been, and it was at that time that Dr. Snively decided to have the team at John's complete a comprehensive re-development of his Healey a' la Carroll Shelby's original 'Cobra' plan for the Austin Healey. Out went the 2.7L Inline Six, the stock transmission and the differential and in their place John's installed a 327 ci Corvette Engine, a Richmond T10 - 4 speed and a 9" Ford Differential with LSD. In addition the braking system was modified using Girling Discs and a GM Dual Master Cylinder.
No longer a club race car, this professionally modified 59 Healey 100-6 became the Doctor's fast & furious 'Driver'. Interesting in 1965 the doctor purchased a new MGB for his wife Suzanne and it remained stock for just a year before it too underwent the 'Cobra-ization' treatment at John's.. (Link to the MGB Details) For many years to come Dr. George drove the Healey and his wife Dr. Suzanne Snively drove the modified MGB.
Sadly George passed away all too early in Sept. 1983, at 62 years of age, after suffering a heart attack at his home. This Healey 100-6 was passed onto his wife who kept it for a time before turning it over to John Savarino at John's Automotive. John kept the car for years before passing it along to his son Robert (current owner) prior to John's death in 2003.
The Next Chapter
Robert, the current owner, has a long history with the car as he worked at his dad's garage part time while in school, and he was present in his dad's shop during the car's conversion in the mid sixties. Robert has known and loved the car for it's lifetime, having lusted for it from his youth.
Take yourself back for a moment to your teenage self, and think of what it would have been like to experience seeing this 100-6 being reimagined from a somewhat sedate 117hp sports car, to what was then a fire breathing 300+hp Corvette V8 powered monster.
At 72 it is time for Robert to thin the herd!
The Rest Of The Story
It is important to understand that once this treasured car found it's way to Robert's hands he undertook a comprehensive, yet sympatric restoration, which involved stripping the car down to its shell and rebuilding and enhancing it from the ground up. Given it's life as a lightly used, garage kept, dry climate California car from new, the car had no corrosion issues that needed correction, but mechanically it was time for a serious refresh. while at the same time artfully adapting it to the modern era.
Robert completed a rebuild of all electrics, the 327 V8, is now fully blueprinted and balanced, along with rebuilding the Richmond Transmission & Ford Differential. Robert also updated the engine cooling system, replaced the old radiator with a large custom aluminum unit, which is now cooled by electric fans.
In addition Robert replaced the archaic Healey front suspension with a more modern era Coil-Over setup using custom unequal length upper and lower control arms along with a Rack & Pinion steering unit.
Braking was updated with Wilwood Discs & Caliper Units on all four corners too. The Healey now stops as well as it goes!
To keep the car connected to it's past Robert retained the car original (modified) set of 60's era correct, Crager Rims, with Healey Knock Offs.
For personal safety sake Robert installed a Rollbar, which still allows for the use of the standard soft top.
Since the work was completed the car has been used sparingly (just a few thousand miles) as a weekend toy and shown at the odd local car show.
Robert describes the car's condition as ready to be enjoyed, 100% corrosion free... no bubbles, no rust, with no past wrecks ever. Interior remains virtually stock with the exception of some replacement instruments.
The car was built to be driven and it remains a true 'Driver'.
Robert's Ask: $33.000 USD
a rare opportunity to own a truly special healey
Snively's Healey - Back In It's Days Of Glory
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