He Loved Tonka Trucks as a Boy—So He Rescued 400 Full-Sized Classics to Prove a PointMotorBiscuitRahaan MazumderThu, September 24, 2026 at 12:30 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleSome kids outgrow their toy boxes. Others just wait until they are old enough to buy the real thing.For Tim Wertish of Redwood Falls, Minnesota, a lifelong automotive addiction eventually ballooned into a massive open-air museum of rust, chrome, and heavy-duty steel. Now, after saving nearly 400 vintage trucks, pickups, and classic cars from the scrap heap, the ultimate "Pickup Man" is finally handing over the keys.On September 25 and 26, 2026, the legendary Redwood County Truck & Car Collection will cross the block in a massive two-day event hosted by VanDerBrink Auctions. But the story behind how hundreds of mid-century haulers ended up sitting side-by-side in a Minnesota field is just as fascinating as the iron itself.The Ultimate Easter Egg HuntWertish's obsession with heavy machinery was practically inherited. His father bought and sold vehicles when he was growing up, even hosting a car auction back in 1979.AdvertisementAdvertisement"Started with Tonka trucks and then moved on to the real thing at 16," Wertish explained to WCCO – CBS Minnesota.What started as a hobby in high school shifted into overdrive around 2019, when Wertish and his uncle began actively scouring the Midwest countryside to save forgotten farm trucks and dilapidated cabs. They dubbed the operation "Vintage Vehicle Rescue.""Probably just an addiction with loving all this old stuff and, um, basically rescuing them from the crusher," Wertish admitted.The rescue missions frequently snowballed. "We'd head from here to Wheaton, to Luverne, to St. Peter, maybe to pick up one truck," he recalled. "By the time we got home, we had stumbled across 10, 20 more. They're just everywhere; it was just like an Easter egg hunt".A Sea of Forgotten TrucksThe result of that hunt is a staggering visual spectacle. Parked in meticulously organized rows by make and model, the Redwood Falls property currently holds roughly 100 Ford pickups, 100 General Motors pickups, and dozens of International Harvesters.AdvertisementAdvertisementBut it's not just standard pickup trucks. The collection is packed with incredibly rare heavy-duty haulers, including 1940s Dodge Cab-Over-Engine (COE) rigs, grain trucks, vintage tow trucks, and classic fire engines. Tucked among the commercial giants are a few high-performance muscle cars, including a 1967 Plymouth GTX and a highly sought-after 1966 Dodge Charger packing a legendary Hemi V8.There was never a grand master plan for the 400-car horde. "No, no, just going to go as long as it was fun and keep on trucking," Wertish laughed."Now Is The Time"So, why sell it all now? According to Wertish, a combination of his children growing up and persistent developers making offers on the property forced his hand."Then you sit back and think, maybe now is the time," he reflected.AdvertisementAdvertisementBecause the vast majority of the vehicles were stored outdoors and subjected to harsh Minnesota winters, buyers shouldn't expect showroom-ready trailer queens. Instead, this auction is a goldmine for customizers, rat-rodders, and restoration experts looking for raw project metal. For the massive COE trucks, buyers even have the unique option to unbolt and take only the cab, leaving the rusty frame behind for the scrap yard."I think most people will put them back on the road and street rod them, and I suppose the lower quality stuff will be yard art and parts trucks and that sort of thing," Wertish noted.While sending 400 vehicles to the auction block is a massive logistical triumph, it is also a bittersweet farewell to a daily family tradition."So my son and I would drive out here like every morning before school," Wertish said, holding back his emotions. "So yeah, he's sad, but it's fine".AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Redwood County Truck Collection auction kicks off on Friday, September 25, 2026, with parts and project lots, followed by the massive vehicle main event on Saturday, September 26.
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