The DFW Car & Toy Museum has added a historically significant 1961 Maserati 3500 GT to its Ron Sturgeon Collection, featuring a vehicle originally ordered by British Viscount Guy Neville Montagu. This rare Italian grand tourer represents Maserati's first true production grand touring car, originally introduced at the 1957 Geneva Motor Show and designed by Carrozzeria Touring of Milan.
The Maserati 3500 GT showcases advanced engineering for its era, featuring Superleggera construction with aluminum body panels wrapped over a tubular steel spaceframe. This particular example underwent a meticulous three-year refurbishment in Italy from 1990 to 1993, emerging in pristine Bianco (white) finish with a luxuriously re-trimmed red leather interior. The vehicle was originally delivered to Cagliari, Italy, blending timeless Maserati engineering with aristocratic provenance.
Under the hood, the Maserati is powered by a 3,485cc Tipo 101 DOHC inline-six engine featuring an aluminum block and cylinder head, hemispherical combustion chambers, triple Weber 42 DCOE carburetors, and twin-plug ignition. Power is delivered through a ZF five-speed manual transmission to the rear wheels, while the advanced suspension system features double wishbones and coil springs up front, paired with a leaf-sprung solid rear axle and tubular shock absorbers.
Ron Sturgeon, owner of the DFW Car & Toy Museum, emphasized the vehicle's significance, stating that few cars capture the romance of mid-century Italian motoring quite like the Maserati 3500 GT. The museum, located at https://dfwcarandtoymuseum.com, now features this Maserati among over 200 classic and exotic cars. The 150,000 square foot facility offers free parking and admission, operating Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.
This acquisition matters because it preserves an important piece of automotive history while making it accessible to the public. The Maserati 3500 GT represents a pivotal moment in automotive design and engineering, showcasing Italian craftsmanship and innovation during the golden age of grand touring cars. Its display allows enthusiasts and historians to study original design elements and engineering solutions that influenced subsequent generations of sports cars.
The vehicle's aristocratic provenance adds historical context to automotive collecting, demonstrating how luxury cars served as status symbols among European nobility during the mid-20th century. For the automotive industry, such preserved examples provide valuable reference points for restoration specialists and manufacturers studying historical design and engineering techniques. The public display of this vehicle at the DFW Car & Toy Museum contributes to cultural preservation and automotive education, making high-quality restorations accessible for study and appreciation.
