Autos on display: Maserati heaven in L.A.

Toronto entrepreneur Michael Taylor went on a motoring holiday in California this spring. One stop was to see the largest collection of Maseratis in North America. As well as taking all the photographs, here is his report:

The sad news is that the 55-year-old who put the Riverside International Automotive Museum together, Doug Magnon, died from cancer in February. Doug and his father, Ray, built this collection over the past several decades. We met Doug’s widow, Evonne, and took a tour of the museum in Riverside, east of Los Angeles.

Doug Magnon built the 20,000-square-foot facility that opened to the public in 2007. It is unique in that it features examples of every Maserati model sold in the United States since 1951.

Of the more than 40 cars in the collection, 26 are Maseratis, including a 1951 Pininfarina-designed A6G 2000 coupe; a 1965 Mistral coupe and Spyder; a 1968 Ghibli coupe; two 3500s from the early 1960s — one owned by the late actor Dan Blocker, best known for his role as Hoss Cartwright in the ’60s TV series Bonanza — a 1973 Bora; two 1970s Meraks; a 1980 Kyalami; eight Quattroportes from the 1960s to 2005; and a 90th anniversary 2005 Spyder.

There are also three Ferraris and two Alfa Romeos, including the most vibrant red 8C Competizione I’ve ever seen.

According to Evonne, Doug was always asked which car was his favorite. His response was always the same: They were all like children to him and he loved each one equally, for different reasons.

Of all his children, you can’t help but be instantly drawn to the impressive white and blue 2006 Maserati MC12 Stradale. This model is currently changing hands in the $2 million range.

Doug was known for not letting his cars collect dust. All are in working order. Each street-legal car is driven on a regular basis, including the extremely rare MC12 — one of only 50 road-going examples ever built.

Evonne’s goal is to try to keep the museum going.

“It was one of his passions and has become mine as well. I’ve grown very fond of Maseratis. They are my absolute favorite car,” she said.

“We would like to get the museum more exposure and plan more events. The goal is to get a full-time manager/curator to help with the tours and event planning, so we can continue Doug’s legacy and what he created. We’re trying to put a board together comprised of Doug’s friends who were all car guys and very supportive of the museum.

“We’re going to do whatever it takes to make it happen to see this place flourish.”