White Whales at the 2012 Woodward Dream Cruise

Ford 4B, aka Bright Green-Gold Metallic, a rare paint color seen here on a Torino. We're looking for a Mustang Mach I in this color at the Woodward Dr

Not just any Aries K, but an Aries with a floor-shifted four-speed manual transmission -- quarry at the Woodward Dream Cruise.

An overhead-cam engine in a '50s-vintage Jeep? The Tornado Six is on our list at this year's Woodward Dream Cruise. Photo by Murilee Martin.

One of my favorite rare musclecars, the 1970 Plymouth Sport Fury GT. Can we find one at the Woodward Dream Cruise?

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One of my favorite events in all of autodom is just around the corner. On Aug. 18, the annual Woodward Dream Cruise will dump 40,000-odd muscle cars, classics, imports and a few just-plain-weird rides onto one of metro Detroit's main thoroughfares, Woodward Avenue.

Sure, you'll be able to see more 1967 Pontiac GTOs than General Motors ever built, but the real entertainment value lies in spotting cars you're less likely to have viewed before--at least not driving under their own power.

An ASC McLaren Capri convertible, for example; a Dodge Dart Hang Ten complete with surfboard; a Twin-H-powered Hudson Hornet. Not the rarest of cars (nor--at least in the McLaren's case--the most desirable), but their mere presence, burbling away on the same strip of asphalt at the same time, is sheer magic.

With that in mind, here's my checklist of oddball, whack-job American cars I want to see at the 2012 Woodward Dream Cruise:

Any Willys model with the Tornado inline-six engine: I've only seen drawings and photographs of this 1950s-vintage overhead-cam I6 that actually used the same camshaft lobe to open the intake and exhaust valve for each cylinder.

A K-car with a floor-shifted manual transmission: I drove an early-1980s vintage four-on-the-floor Aries through a used-car auction once when I was a teenager working at a car dealership. I haven't seen another one since.

1970 Plymouth Sport Fury GT: My favorite part of the “Plymouth Rapid Transit System,” fewer than 800 Sport Fury GTs were built in 1970, and they're some of the meanest-looking full-size muscle cars to come out of Detroit. There was also a 1971 model, but the grille didn't look as cool.

1973 Mustang Mach I in 4B Bright Green-Gold Metallic: I owned one in this relatively rare color, but it had been resprayed black by a previous owner. I've seen color chips and photographs, but never an actual Mach I in this fantastically '70s color.

Chevrolet Celebrity Eurosport: What are the chances that one of these dogs is still running around? Besides, it gives me an excuse to watch this hysterical dealer-training video again.

Be sure to throw your picks in the Comments section below, and we'll try to snap a photo for you from Woodward Avenue. You'll be able to check out the whole event in real time on our 2012 Woodward Dream Cruise page.

The Woodward Dream Cruise is a celebration of Detroit's golden age and all things automotive, but the event as we know it today was born in 1995. As we prepare for the Woodward Dream Cruise, we'll be looking back at coverage from past years and keeping you up to date on the latest news. Whether you're looking for Dream Cruise photos, a bit of Woodward Dream Cruise history or recommended hotels and restaurants near Woodward, you'll find it all in Autoweek's Woodward Dream Cruise section.

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