This is a pretty rare car, but it might not be all that valuable. For sale is a 1970 Pontiac GTO Ram Air IV. The car is located in Spofford, New Hampshire, and the seller is asking $12,000 buy it now, or you can bid to meet the reserve. The current bid is $4,000. The VIN is listed and the title is clear. It has 64,230 miles on it. You can view more on eBay.
While the seller states that the car does have PHS documentation and original build sheet, it is missing the motor and transmission. So, while you can put a new 400 cubic inch V8 into the car, it wouldn’t be the original motor. But, it would at least facilitate it and the seller notes that the car has the original 3.90 rear end.
Inside, the car does have a RAM Air lever, so that further helps support the rarity of the car. The rest of the interior is in decent shape. It needs to be restored, but the parts seem to be there and the dash and center console all seem to be intact. There is a lot of rust in the floors though and behind the back seat headrests.
There is a lot of rust all over the car. Photos of the bottom of the car show rusted exhaust, wheel wells, suspension, and frame. The rear end of the car on the topside is rusting in many places as well. Judging, pun intended, by the looks of the car and the documented rarity, it is certainly a toss-up on how far and how much money and time need to go into this car.
I guess it would take almost 50 years to go 64,000 miles on the bottom of the ocean.
Or, 50 years and 64,000 miles in NH.
Great opportunity to install turbo Volvo ‘red block’ engine. Then go to car shows and say that you scrapped the original drive train for the conversion.
I suppose you are comparing apples with oranges, once you start to compare model years.
But I’ve seen several other GTO’s with matching numbers for not much more and a lot less work to be done.
The problem of 1 in 81 is referencing a matching numbers complete car. This is far from that. So this car not that special.
It’s like painting your house red inside and out. It’s fine and dandy until you go to resale it. Then finding out red is not everyone’s favorite.
After seeing pictures and BIN price. Only someone who knows something I don’t is going to pay that amount.
If I was a serious buyer I’d be at 5 grand. Because you could make it nice but these cars, to a serious collector, are Frankenstein’s.
Could still make a fun car with many miles to put on it. And as always, I like to see these forgotten cars back on the Hwy.
Hope someone makes it happen.
The only way I would be willing to pay what the bid is currently at is if I had the matching numbers engine in my garage on a stand!
FYI 1 of 81 is referencing what was originally produced, not what exists today. Likely only a fraction of those 81 both still exist and have their original drivetrains.
The lack of an original engine is mutually exclusive from the number that were built. It’s still 1 of 81 even without an engine.
It’s rough, but is documented. The top dog muscle cars often lost their original engines, that will hold down the cars value, but won’t make destroy its appeal. Buyers often pay big money for cars such as Chevelle LS-6’s without any documentation which have questionable engine stampings. I’d be surprised if this car didn’t sell with someone pulling the trigger on the BIN option or a closing bid close to that dollar figure.
Steve R
I remember seeing a Maroon one of these parked on the street @1986 in Oakland. Ram IV 4spd. no idea it was so rare. What made me notice was it’s Alaska plates and big snow tires. It’s license plate read GRRRRRR and it looked as though it was driven down and definitely had spent time off-road.
Made me miss my green 69′ ram IIV/auto.
This car is an automatic, which was much rarer than the 4 speed.
This is a valuable car original engine or not. Documented Ram Air IV car. Could build a date coded engine for it. While not numbers matching, it’s still second best with such a rare car. The question is, why is a Pontiac parts supplier likes Ames Performance selling it? They have every part at their disposal and cheaper than what we would be spending. This is out back of their building. Ideally, they are the ones to restore it.
They have probably gotten burned on too many cars like this. Possibly they realize that they could sell it as is and make, say, ~$10k, or fully restore it, spending ~$30k, and sell it for ~$40k, netting…~$10k…D’oh!
I’ve got to think that they used the power train out of this to restore a better car. I’m sure if you bought it they’d be willing to undertake a restoration if you gave them a big enough check.
The Ram Air IV motors were often blown up back in the day, so the original engine might have been long gone anyway.
Nick P, what makes you think Ames is the owner of this car?
Steve R
Because I recently realized that we drive right past their street when we go to visit my son at college in New Hampshire. On the last trip over, we pulled in to have a look. I took a pic of this car sitting out back. If you look close, you can see their bone yard against the building behind it. Im not sure of the current values of Ram Air IV’s, but given the fact that I do all my own work, I wouldn’t be completely opposed to this one if I were looking for a project, given its rarity. But there are currently 3 in front of it. So I’m out.
No motor or trans makes it worth way way less. It would be a candidate for a resto mod. 572 BB, FI, 5 spd, 4 wdb but at the end of $125,000 you still have a 1970 GTO. Way too much work and $$$ for a not very desirable car.
Patrick McNally, sorry but no poncho fan would desecrate a true Ram Air IV car by turning it into a restomod. Anyone wanting to do that would start with a far more common standard engine car. Plus they could buy a car in far better condition for the same money. Makes no sense to pay up for rarity if you aren’t looking to restore it to factory specs.
By the looks of the firewall/cowl area, this car will need a complete disassembly restoration. Not for the faint of heart or wallet.
$12k? For this?? PHS documented or no, the “1 of …” , the claim is basically meaningless since what made it special is no longer with the car. There are better, more complete cars that will cost you fewer of your dollars
What made it special is in its VIN. Put a non# RAIV in this and what was originally a 455 GTO and do you really think they would be worth the same?
Not worth it NE rust bucket with the only real value is in the motor which isn’t there. there are better more complete cars out there.
Anothet rusted out piece of crap that someone thinks is worth big money.
The “One of 81” means nothing if what it concerns isn’t even in the car anymore. The BIN is a joke; all I see is $5K. TOPS. If you’re serious for a `70 Goat, spend more, get a better numbers-matching car that’s complete and runs, and you’re money ahead. The seller’s obviously banking on the Ram Air IV option, which is now long gone. Sorry; I wasn’t born last night…..
Bidding at almost 8 grand.
On this scrap.
No way, Jose.
More joke bidders
Sometimes I do watch the bidders if I’m interested….there are always some signs on the bidding up that makes you want to bail out.
Patrick McNally I would forget the 5 speed and put a 4 speed with the 455 hd in this car and get the ram air working that would be fun the 4 speed manual is what true muscle cars were about and some 4 speed automatics and 3 speeds and 2 speed power glides
Steve S.,
Agreed. If you want the extra gear, better to use a correct trans and maybe add a GearVendors overdrive; an easy mod that can be easily undone.
Without the original motor, it’s just another boat anchor.
ACZ, ah….no. Lots of very valuable Pontiacs running around with service replacement blocks or non-original but correct engines.
More than a few rusted out goats have come through this site lately, this here former street terror looks to have been seriously hammered on! This was the top dog for ’70 GTO’s, despite the low revving 455 H/O being available later. I just don’t see the 400 stacking up against the likes of LS6 Chevelle’s or stage 1 455 Grand Sports, or even the rare 429 SCJ Ford’s and Mercury’s. Still would have been a strokin’ good ride though.
Sorry but I must say, alot of guys on this site do not know what they are looking at or talking about. A Ram Air 4 70 GTO is about as high as you can go next to a Judge. It’s already over 8k and will rise, engine missing or not. If this was a Ram Air 4 Judge in the same condition, the bidding would be at least 30k by now. Go look up what Ram Air 4 GTOs are selling for these days. I don’t even care for GTOs, however, this is not just a pile of junk.
Nessy, agreed.
It seems like some of these folks feel the need to comment on everything, even when they are not knowledgeable about that brand or model.
As a Pontiac lover I cringe at a lot of the ignorant comments.
While this car is not a project for me, for someone looking for a documented Ram Air IV GTO for a ground up resto, this is right up their alley.
Personally, I like “what if” or “one of none” cars. If I can’t locate my brother’s old ’71 GTO to buy, my Pontiac project in the future will either be a ’68 Tempest V8 Sports Coupe or a ’69 LeMans V8 convertible, maybe both.
I’d love to do up the ’68 with a Ram Air II, 4sp with Hurst Comp+ T-handle floor shift w/ reverse lock out and roll control, and black bench interior with blacked out grille, GTO taillights and exhaust extensions, and black painted steelies w/ chrome acorn lug nuts, Rally Green paint, black racing stripe offset to the driver’s side centered on a hood tach, and under bumper mounted outside air induction scoops, hoses, and air cleaner from an Olds W-30. Kind of a Pontiac A-body version of the Road Runner, sort of like the aborted ET concept. I’d add some modern touches such as electronic ignition, fuel injection, and a Gear Vendors overdrive to make the 4.33:1 Safe-T-track livable.
The ’69 LeMans convertible I’d equip with the GTO Ram Air III and the same W-30 OAI setup, column shift auto., loaded with a/c and all the power accessories, GTO Endura front end with hidden headlamps, blacked out grills like the Judge, GTO exhaust extensions and taillights, Goldenrod Yellow paint with color-matched Rally II wheels with trim rings, Parchment bench seat interior and white top. Again I’d add some modern touches such as sound deadening under the carpet, electronic ignition, fuel injection, and a Gear Vendors overdrive for serene low RPM highway cruising.
Sorry for the long post. Until then I’ll keep dreaming while playing with my ’66 Mustang coupe(bought new by my grandmother) and ’92 Maxton Rollerskate roadster.
SteVen
Like you, I too am a GTO/Pontiac enthusiast and dream of building a 1 of none. In my case, a ‘69 GTO convertible RAV 4 spd Liberty Blue Parchment interior and white ‘RAV’ accent stripes.
And meanwhile I’ll keep driving my ‘67 GTO HO, M21, 3.90 convertible and restore my ‘67 GTO RA hardtop.
As for this ‘70 RAIV GTO. Ya, diamond in the rough but worth the restoration. ‘70s aren’t my preferred year of GTO so I’m not looking. Yes, without the original drive train it’s worth less than those with. But replace with a date and code correct RAIV drive train and it’s wicked. Even though RAIV Judges are more desirable, a non-Judge RAIV is still very cool.
If you can find an engine that does not have any stampings on it from this time period it would still be correct and there have been a lot of original engine that have blown up in some way and replaced with an engine that has no stampings on the block but that doesnt mean anything and that might bring the value of the car down some but not that much or it could stay the same or go up some
A RAIV engine with stampings would be no less correct.
But if you are suggesting that someone can make an instant #match car, then you’re terribly mistaken.
SteVen I forgot to add good luck with them 2 projects in my last posting
This is Pontiacs equivalent to a Hemi Cuda, LS-6 Chevelle, or SCJ Mustang so on and so forth. I dont see many people complaining about junk when those get restored or go up for sale. Definately worth the fix, Ram Air IV parts are available. Many restorations are running around with non original but date code correct parts.
I do have a 428 from a 1969 Bonneville station wagon rebuilt .40 over added #16 heads 068 cam. I could add a 3 speed manual or hydromatic sitting in my garage. It looks like a nightshade green color very similar to a 69 Ram Air IV sold in a Vanderbrink auction in Minnesota. That one was missing the motor too and painted over with orange.