Rare 1961 Maserati 3500 GT with Noble Provenance Joins DFW Car & Toy Museum Collection

The addition of a 1961 Maserati 3500 GT to the Ron Sturgeon Collection at DFW Car & Toy Museum represents an important preservation of automotive heritage and engineering excellence. This particular vehicle, originally ordered by British Viscount Guy Neville Montagu, showcases Maserati's transition into production grand touring cars and remains a benchmark for Italian automotive design and performance.

Originally introduced at the 1957 Geneva Motor Show, the Maserati 3500 GT marked the brand's first true production grand touring car, representing a pivotal moment in automotive history when racing technology began transitioning to road-legal vehicles. Designed by Carrozzeria Touring of Milan, the lightweight coupe features Superleggera construction with aluminum body panels wrapped over a tubular steel spaceframe, demonstrating advanced engineering techniques that would influence future sports car design.

This specific 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's mechanical specifications remain impressive by modern standards, 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 advanced suspension features double wishbones and coil springs up front paired with a leaf-sprung solid rear axle and tubular shock absorbers.

The museum's location at https://dfwcarandtoymuseum.com provides information for visitors interested in viewing this automotive masterpiece. 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. This example joins over 200 classic and exotic cars in the museum's collection, offering the public rare access to historically important automotive technology and design.

The preservation of such vehicles matters because they represent critical milestones in automotive engineering, design evolution, and cultural history. As manufacturers increasingly focus on electrification and autonomous technology, museums play a vital role in maintaining physical connections to mechanical engineering achievements that shaped modern transportation. The display of this Maserati provides educational value regarding materials science, mechanical engineering, and design principles that continue to influence contemporary vehicle development while preserving cultural artifacts that reflect specific historical periods and technological capabilities.