When I paw through Mecum auctions each month, I always try to stay away from the obvious answers to “Which one would you have?” and go for what could be really interesting, really exciting or could fly under the radar of the bidders and wind up being the bargain of the show. This time around is, for the most part, no different, but we did find a surprise we weren’t expecting to see on the consignment list. Read on and tell us your thoughts on these picks!

11. 1962 Dodge D-100 Sweptline

Apparently I’ve been wrong in overlooking the Sweptline Dodges all of these years! The cleaner they are, the more I get it, and this 1962 is CLEAN. Painted in PPG Silver Ice, the running gear is simple (360/727 automatic), the Vintage Air A/C will blow cold, and the Sony sound system will blow your eardrums out if you feel like it.

10. 1972 Ford F-250 Ranger XLT

If this wasn’t the top of the line for Ford in 1972, it was very close. This Ford is loaded for kill, from the 390ci FE under the hood to the factory air conditioning. The interior is near-spotless and so is underhood. Simply put, this Ford is gorgeous.

9. 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1Hate your neighbors? Like scaring children and the elderly? Want everyone in a four-county radius to know that you’re heading out on a drive? Do we ever have the car for you…514 cubic inches of blunt-force trauma live under the massive hood scoop on this Mustang. It’s not resto-perfect, but that’s quite alright. As you’re barking each and every one of the five speeds, you won’t feel the least bit guilty.

8. 1968 Cadillac DeVille Convertible

That’s right, let your inner mobster shine through. Big, black and sitting pretty on wide whitewall tires, this Caddy is purposeful and menacing. The 472’s ignition has been converted from points to electronic ignition, and the air conditioning system has been converted to R134A, so it’s legal. Oh, and the Flowmaster exhaust should have a deeper tone, so that they can hear you coming.

7. 2009 Ariel Atom

Because what says fun better than a 365 horsepower go-kart that screams to 7100 RPM and is street-legal? If it’s good enough to warp Jeremy Clarkson’s face to no return, must imagine the fun you could be having. It might be powered by a highly-strung Honda i-VETC four-banger with a hairdryer attached to it, but for once, that’s a good thing, and with no weight to speak of, it’ll run like devil himself is in hot pursuit.

6. 1986 GMC Sierra Classic K-10

GM’s Rounded Line trucks are classics. Even the newest R/V Suburban is twenty-five years old, and they are still a solid standard for fans of good workhorse trucks. This 1986 GMC has to have been visually restored, and the lift kit and wheel/tire package is tasteful. 10/10 would daily, gas mileage be damned.

5. 1971 Plymouth GTX 440 Six Pack

If the Plymouth Road Runner was too stripped-down and cartoonish, there was an answer at Plymouth: the GTX. Essentially the same car, the GTX was positioned to be more upscale than the ‘Runner, but that didn’t mean that the options list was ignored. This Plymouth packs the 440 Six Pack and a four-speed…because someone had to teach the young punks a lesson.

4. 1970 Buick GS 350

A GS 455 or GSX would be better options, but the GS 350 was Buick’s answer to insurance agents who were on the attack against big-blocks. In “I borrowed it from my grandpa” brown, this 50,000 mile old Buick still calls out to us as a solid cruiser and with the smaller engine, might be the bargain deal at Houston.

3. 1974 Buick Gran Sport

It’s smog-era, but it’s still a big-cube Buick. The Gran Sport name managed to survive to 1974, as did it’s 455 cubic incher under the hood. Another potential bargain, we’d expect the styling to put off buyers, but GM Colonnade A-bodies handle extremely well and carry their heft with ease. This well-optioned example would be very tempting…

2. 1970 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS 396

Our “money no option” choice for this auction, this brown 1970 Camaro represents the heavy-hitter of the second-generation lineup: a Rally Sport/Super Sport equipped with the 350 horsepower L78 396ci big-block V8 and the F41 suspension package. Outside of an LT-1 powered Z28 of the same vintage, we can’t think of a better layout performance wise or value-wise. It all comes down to which you prefer: small-block scream or big-block roar.

1. 1999 Chevrolet Corvette

Finally, we come to a huge surprise in the auction. I did a double take when I saw the 1999 Corvette that is on the lead photo, and my suspicion was founded: I’ve raced with this car before. During a month-long road trip in 2009, I was introduced to Rick via BangShifter Dan Dunahue. We went out to Bandimere Speedway in Colorado for some test and tune action, and while my 2006 Chevy Monte Carlo SS was suffering from oxygen deprivation and turning in times more along the lines of a V6 Impala, Rick’s Corvette was ripping deep 11-second quarters like nothing was wrong. Unfortunately, aging is a bitch and Rick has encountered some health problems that requires some money to be freed up. Since I last saw it, a new LS and trans were built for the maroon-and-silver monster and the Corvette is a steady 10.20 car. Here’s hoping that this Corvette goes to a good home and to an owner who will give the car the exercise it so deserves.