By 1969, sales of the Pontiac GTO were shrinking due to saturation of the mid-size, muscle car market. So, they kicked up performance a bit and unveiled the Judge edition. The machine got its name from the famous Sammy Davis Jr. bit on TV’s Laugh-In. The car was in production for three years, with output never exceeding about 10% of total GTO builds. This ’70 Judge is a three-owner car wearing an older restoration and a relatively rare color, Palladium Silver. It’s available in Castle Rock, Colorado, and here on eBay, where the seller’s reserve is unmet at $48,101. Kudos to “Curvette” for the cool tip!
GTO sales continued to decline after the launch of the Judge, but that doesn’t mean the edition wasn’t a success. Demand for muscle cars in general was falling due to rising insurance premiums, and emissions-driven detuning of engines led to a further decline in interest as the 1970s wore on. That led to the car’s eventual retirement in 1974, a decade after it came to be. About six percent of all of the GTOs assembled in 1970 came finished in Palladium Silver paint. So, if you apply that math against the 3,629 Judge hardtops produced in 1970, this Judge might be 1 of 200+ made.
This Pontiac was restored around 2005, and the paint has been redone twice. Since it’s not wearing the more common Carousel Red paint, the car’s blue interior looks right at home. Power is supplied by the car’s original 400 cubic inch V8 with Ram Air III induction and a 4-speed manual transmission. The former has about 8,000 on it since it was rebuilt (as part of the 2005 restoration?). The Poncho was first sold in Wyoming and has only lived there and in Colorado.
We find that this Pontiac comes with PHS documentation, and build sheet and window sticker reproductions. The sheet metal is the same that came with the car when new, and it’s been in no major mishaps. Because of age, the paint is rated at 7.5 out of 10, and the interior is slightly better, so this is not a true show car, but a great weekend cruiser. Everything important is said to work as it should. The seller is thinning the herd in advance of a growing family, so could this Judge soon be sitting in your driveway?
This one is clean except for the bypassed heater core, add the spare tire and get rid of those RED spark plug wires. Nice drivetrain set up here!!
Hy do you have a problem woth red sparkplug wires???
Carousel Red was a 1969 color. 1970 had Orbit Orange.
Correct, though Carousel Red was still available for 1970. I also thought the naming of the signature Judge colors for each year was strange, as Carousel Red is actually orange(Chevy’s Hugger Orange actually) and Orbit Orange is actually yellow. Pontiac should have continued the cycle for 1971 and had a red color called Volcanic Yellow or something similar, but they decided against a signature color for ’71.
Ummm, if memory serves (it usually doesn’t now) correctly, the “Here comes da Judge” routine on R&M’s Laugh-In was performed by Flip Wilson. Great write-up notwithstanding.
Nope, it was Sammy. Flip was known for Geraldine and her boyfriend “Killer”. Great entertainment back then!
Actually the skit was originated by Dewey “Pigmeat” Markham. Sammy Davis, Jr., Flip Wilson, and Markham all took their turns appearing on Laugh In as “the Judge,” though perhaps Sammy’s is the most remembered today.
Get rid of those horrible red wires. $50,000 and climbing for a car with heater core bypassed? Otherwise nice 70. Had one 40 years ago.
that stupid plank on the trunk almost destroys it!
yes, red plug wires, surfboard on the trunk, the incorrect ram air cleaner and the hokey cut up fuel line to the carb. put that filter down at the pump. not in plain view. silver and blue combo looks good.
Does everyone here hate red sparkplug wires????? . Get over it!!!!
Y’all are brutal…not that I disagree. There’s no accounting for taste, or the lack thereof
RNM @ $50,401? I dunno, just seems to me he should take the $50k and run!
Beautiful goat, sounds healthy, but for $50k, reserve not met, seller couldn’t fix the heater core?
I bypassed the heater core on my ‘61 Olds Starfire because it comes out from the inside, and my wife would have to call the EMT’s to remove it (and me).
Always thought silver cars look like bare metal. Still do…
I could see the price climbing to these levels on a Ram Air IV 455 4 speed so I’d hate to see what the better version would pull out of these rich deep pockets!
No such a thing as a ram air IV 455
Pretty car and fairly well optioned, but methinks that the price point is a tad bit excessive.
No Hood Tach? I would miss that it was one of the best things on 70 Goat I had in 81
50k fix the passenger wiper too.
I believe the spoiler was part of the Judge package. This is the only way I’d tolerate it. Good looking driver.
This is a nice looking car , but for $54000 you would think everything should work as if it came from the factory . pealing paint under the hood and in the trunk. As is I’m sure it is fun to drive .
Ended at $55,300.
Reserve Not Met.
59 bids.