Page 1 of 1
Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2025 4:35 pm
by Mark Nunn
Check out rbauction.com for a list of cars selling in White Bluff Tennessee. I think I counted 59 Model T's in the listing. It looks like something for everyone with only a handful of project cars.
Re: Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2025 7:01 pm
by ThreePedalTapDancer
Nice bunch of Ts in that collection. Bunch of early, 1909s, even a town car project.
https://www.rbauction.com/search?freeTe ... earch=true
Re: Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2025 7:15 pm
by Ed Fuller
Wow! That is a massive collection, not just cars but also parts.
Does anyone know who Mr Meadows is?
Re: Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2025 7:55 pm
by Scott_Conger
Don Meadows collection
Re: Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2025 7:56 pm
by Dan Hatch
He was Don Meadows. Had a museum just outside Nashville. Very large collection of Early Fords. Passed away few years ago. Always at at Chickasha, Nashville and an auction with early Fords.
Re: Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2025 7:58 pm
by jiminbartow
Are these from one collection or from a museum that closed or from individual families of collectors who passed away and no longer want the T? Whoever buys them, I hope they are not the Boyd Coddington type and leave them as original Model T’s. That is the only danger I see in massive auctions like this.
Re: Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2025 8:02 pm
by Dan Hatch
Going to knock the bottom out of the T market. Specially the Carb and lamp market.
Re: Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2025 10:35 pm
by DHort
Wonder if they all turn over. Would not want to deal with a locked engine, although it is a T.
Wonder if they will have minimunes, since nothinglisted yet.
Re: Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2025 12:10 am
by Dan Hatch
Most have not been run in years. I think everyone of the lots say bill of sale only, no title and have not run.
Re: Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2025 8:43 am
by Jim Eubanks
Don owned a readmix company. His cars have been well taken care of.
Re: Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2025 10:19 am
by ThreePedalTapDancer
There is so many quality cars, I bet they will go for good money. I may throw my hat in the ring, just in case it turns out to be the bargain auction of the century.
Re: Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2025 10:22 am
by ForestAcres
If you are thinking of bidding on some of the smaller non car lots, be certain to read their auction terms for fees. Unless I read it wrong, they charge a minimum buyers fee of 100.00 per lot. Maybe it does not apply to this specific auction, but definitely would need to clarify before bidding.
Looks like lots of great Model T's are going to be hitting the market all at the same time. It will be interesting to see final prices.
Re: Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2025 10:37 am
by Erik Johnson
Utilizing Ritchie Bros. to conduct an antique car and parts/automobilia auction is a very odd choice, in my opinion.
I also noticed that every car that I clicked on indicated the terms were bill of sale/no title. That also seems extremely odd. It's hard to believe that a majority of the cars don't have titles.
It's obvious that the various collections of parts were well organized by the late owner. However, creating lots of each individual collection where-is/as-is instead of breaking them up into smaller lots is also odd and perhaps lazy. I think smaller lots would bode much better for both the seller and the bidders.
Re: Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2025 2:11 pm
by Dan Hatch
I did a quick search on line about titles for antique auto in Tn and does not look like they require one. Only bill of sale.
So that may all you can get.
Does not bother me cause my state doesn’t require one either.
As far as running I think these cars have be sitting around 10 years since Don passed. I think this is a court ordered sale to settle estate.
Re: Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2025 3:52 pm
by TXGOAT2
If bargains are to be had, maybe some young people will take advantage and get an affordable T.
Re: Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2025 6:32 pm
by Wayne Sheldon
A lot of cars in those listings are misidentified. SEVERAL 1926/'27 cars identified as anything from brass era years into the mid 1920s. I hope bidders know what they are bidding on and get what they think they are.
A lot of nice basic model Ts in there as well as some very desirable models. I suspect a bunch of people are going to be happy with their new acquisitions.
Re: Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2025 6:44 pm
by DHort
Wonder how long it will take before they turn the bids on. I highlighted a number of cars, but nothing coming through yet. What would be the normal time period, one week before the auction ends?
Re: Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2025 11:38 pm
by TrentB
Read the bidding instructions carefully!
Before you can bid you must provide your credit card number and authorize Ritchie Bros to put a hold on your card for the amount you want to bid.
The buyers fees (aka buyer’s premium) for purchases less than $25,000 is 10% with a MINIMUM buyer’s fee of $100 PER LOT! If you win a single bid for $25 the auctioneers will add an ADDITIONAL $100 to your bill.
Re: Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2025 1:16 am
by frontyboy
We visited this collection some 15 years ago. Not as well organized as it is now. In one building we counted 10 open valve blocks stacked up form supports for shelving. In his office were several show cases jammed with restored brass early '09-11 carburetors. Also as many brass lamps are far and you could look in one building.
Very nice gentleman very gracious and friendly. Often saw him at swapmeets lots of purchases money did not seem an issue. Wonder were all the surplus parts are and if they are going to be sold later?.
just sayin'
frontyboy
Re: Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2025 9:54 am
by 1925 Touring
W.O.W. what an amazing collection! Shame it has to be auctioned off and split up. I sure hope all the stuff finds a good home. It looks like they are auctioning everything from the Cars to the parts to tractors and more.
Car parts are under luxury goods. What an amazing collection!
https://www.rbauction.com/heavy-equipme ... tn-2025384
Re: Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2025 7:00 pm
by Henry K. Lee
If you knew Don Meadows on a personal level and he liked you, he would give you a tour of what Dad and I called "The Secret Willy Wonka Factory Warehouse". The celebrity cars, movie prop cars were mind blowing! RIP Don...., You are missed old man! A real self made man!
Re: Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2025 7:09 pm
by Dan Hatch
You are correct Hank.
I was working a trade show in Nashville, when one of the guys I was with called me and wanted to know if I wanted to go with him to the Cars of the Stars museum.
Told him not really, let me make a call. Called Don and ask him if I could bring someone out to see his cars? Don said sure come on out. Long story short, friend said Stars museum couldn’t hold a candle to Don’s place.
This was along time before his museum. Sorry to see it broken up, that is the way it goes. Dan
Re: Ritchie Brother's Auction Sept 27
Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2025 7:22 pm
by Dan Hatch
Another Don Meadow story. Don didn’t mind paying for good early Ford stuff.
I went to an auction in Ind years ago. Lots of early T and pre T stuff. Left the preview, back to hotel. Said yo myself “ Looks like could be a good auction.” Get up next morning, ready to go buy some T stuff. Open the curtain, look out over the motel parking lot and there it is! Big trailer with “Don Meadow Antique Cars.”
Might as well go home. Saw him bid a 03 Model A to 227k before he dropped out. He brought 09/10 Runabout for close to 100k and a ton of other parts. 10/11 rear ends, engines, lights ect.
I was able to buy a 13 Roadster body/ project.
Should be an interesting auction.