Eight Awesome LS-Powered Cars At Mecum Indy 2017

Check out some super-cool GM-powered pieces on the auction block.

Call them modern classics, but we came across some really great late-model cars in the listings for Mecum Indy 2017 from May 16 to 20. These include some super-rare and low-mile examples, but we also turned up some great LS-powered actual classics. We know restomods aren’t for everyone, but these look pretty tasteful. You can check out all the Mecum Indy listings right here, or you can check them out in person next week at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

SVE/Yenko 2017 Chevy Camaro

Specialty Vehicle Engineering built five Yenko Camaros under license for 2017. These aren’t stripe packages and show cars, however; each of these packs 800 horsepower from the stroked and supercharged LT1 V8. Just like the original Don Yenko Camaros, this will bring a big check from its new owner, who will also get big returns on grins-per-mile.

Mecum Estimate: $120,000 to $130,000
Listing: Lot S140.1

2012 Chevy Corvette ZR1

While a five-year-old Corvette seldom seems notable, this ‘12 ZR1 got our attention for its odometer that shows only 34 miles. The passenger seat still sits under the plastic with which it was delivered so what you have, essentially, is a brand-new ZR1. One hopes the buyer will enjoy it as such and not stash a 638-horsepower Corvette as an investment.

Mecum Estimate: $80,000 to $100,000
Listing: Lot T129

2012 Corvette Grand Sport Centennial Edition

Here’s another low-mile, five-year-old Corvette. This Chevrolet Centennial edition has just three miles on the clock so you have another totally new ‘Vette. Should this one sit idly in a collection for an investment, we might find it a shame. These Grand Sport Centennials really look menacing and make a great-looking basis for street or track machines. With three miles, however, this car and its LS3 probably will become collector eye candy.

Mecum Estimate: $50,000 to $60,000
Listing: Lot T140.1

2003 Chevy SSR

Chevy’s hot-rod-tribute SSR seems unlikely to materialize as a collector car. However, if you were to own one of these pickups for a collection, this would be the one. As the second SSR built and the first sold to the general public, this truck maximizes any value for the SSR. The odometer reads only 77 miles so you can see how even the rarest SSR compares to a like-new Corvette Grand Sport by Mecum’s estimations.

Mecum Estimate: $50,000 to $70,000
Listing: Lot T130.1

1969 Chevy Camaro Restomod

Of course, not every LS-powered car on the auction block is a low-mile collector’s item. This tastefully restomodded ‘69 Camaro doesn’t just look good, it also has run 200 miles per hour in the Texas mile. Under the hood lurks a monster 408 stroker LS with a monstrous 2.8-liter Kenne Bell blower. Everything about this one screams “purposeful” and you can read more about the car, called the Two Buck Assassin, on Super Chevy.

Mecum Estimate: $140,000 to $160,000
Listing: Lot F102.1

1962 Restomod LSX

Restomods might not be everyone’s cup of octane, but this ‘62 Corvette built by Factory Hot Rods in Cincinnati looks impeccably done. The monotone silver finish looks great and the 19-inch, five-spoke wheels with big brakes give a great retromodern look. It’s also plenty potent with an LSX V8 decked in fantastic billet under the hood. That engine? Yeah, it puts out more than 700 horsepower, giving this take on the classic American sports car some real bite.

Mecum Estimate: $300,000 to $500,000
Listing: Lot F140.1

1955 Chevy Cameo Pickup Restomod

Not everything at auction has to be a million-horsepower, low-mile, go-get-’em vehicle, either. This very tasteful 1955 Chevy Pickup gets its horsepower from an LS1 V8 with a 4L60E four-speed automatic. That gives modern running gear to a nice classic driver with comfy interior appointments. This one looks ready to cruise.

Mecum Estimate: $70,000 to $90,000
Listing: Lot F109

1939 Ford Coupe Street Rod

Finally, this ‘39 Ford looks positively fantastic for any old hot rod, let alone one with a healthy 450-horsepower LS1 in it. NASCAR promoter Humpy Wheeler built this one as a tribute to moonshiners and old-school oval racers, who both preferred the lightweight, Flathead-powered ‘39. This one carries modern running gear and a night-time-bootlegging paint job along with some gorgeous coachwork.

Mecum Estimate: $90,000 to $110,000
Listing: Lot F158