This 1971 Pontiac GTO being offered for sale is one of those builds that clearly crossed the line from simple restoration into long-term passion project territory. Listed here on eBay, it’s a real-deal 242-code GTO, backed up by PHS documentation, and it shows just how far the owner was willing to go to create something special. Thanks for the tip, Curvette!
According to the seller, the car was originally built on February 3, 1971, equipped from the factory with a 400-cubic-inch engine. In 2011, the GTO underwent a full rotisserie restoration, addressing the body and structure from the ground up. That alone places this car in a different category from the average “fresh paint and polish” muscle car, as a rotisserie job typically means nothing was ignored underneath.
While the car may have started life as a 400, it now packs a far more formidable 455 HO. The block is a 1971 YE-code four-bolt-main unit, topped with HO round-port heads that were ported and flow-tested by Brossard Performance in March of 2003. Internally, the engine received a series of thoughtful upgrades, including .040-over flat-top Speed Pro pistons yielding a stated 9.8:1 compression ratio, a camshaft upgrade, and roller rocker arms. Oil control was addressed with a Milodon 8-liter deep oil pan with baffles, a detail that hints this car was built to be driven hard, not just admired.
Backing the big-block is a Turbo 400 Hydramatic transmission, also rebuilt and upgraded in March of 2003. The transmission features a shift kit, a large pump, a deep pan, and a B&M Tork Master 2400 torque converter. Power is sent out back through a 10-bolt rear with 3.55 gears and a limited-slip differential, a combination that suits the 455’s torque-rich personality well.
Visually, the car makes a strong impression finished in Lime Kiss Green (code 42) with a Jade interior (code 266). A hood-mounted tachometer reinforces the car’s muscle-era attitude, while Rally wheels wrapped in Indy 500 Firehawk tires complete the look. “The Judge” decals have been added for appearance, though the seller is clear about their cosmetic nature.
This GTO has also enjoyed some public recognition, having been featured in Big Block Muscle Cars magazine. It has since been appraised and insured at $68,365 CAD, which also serves as the asking price. The car is currently in storage but is available for viewing and is located in Goderich, Ontario.
For buyers looking for a documented, rotisserie-restored 1971 GTO with serious big-block power and a known build history, this one checks a lot of important boxes.
Personal preference but I’d ditch the Judge decals. It does fine without them
This car was never “The Judge” anyway. Those decals must be an afterthought.
If you nail the throttle on that 455, the car will dislocate your spine. It’s built for performance, but if I had it, it’s so nice I’d drive it like an old man going to the store to buy some cat food. I suspect the buyer will do the same, or worse, squirrel it away while it appreciates.
$68365 Canadian is about $51000 USD which seems reasonable for a car built to this standard. The paint/bodywork and drivetrain build almost adds up to that if wanted to do your own, and then you’d have to find a real GTO to do it to. If you don’t like the stripes they can be peeled off.
Another attack of the clones. Maybe I’m just getting older, but this offends my sensibilities. That shouldn’t be happening if you can still bench press 50% more than your body weight IMO, LOL!!
It’s a job well done IMHO. Green is my favorite color and this combo is perfect, just leave the Judge decals off. After that pull up to a light while you’re getting groceries and let her growl, but every once in a while you got to take her to a good road off the beaten path and drive her like you stole it. If I had an extra 56 g’s laying around I would make the plunge.
never understand why the decals need to put on this body style if it’s not a real judge. the PHS docs at this point only tell that it is a real gto cool it has a 455 in it, but it would be nice if it were still as born. i would lose the decals, hood tach, and the surfboard on the trunk. i would put the tach in the cluster. but that’s just me. it is a nice car but no longer original
Someone got a gift card for the Year One catalog! Only a small fraction of 1971 GTO’s were equipped with the hood tach, mainly because it was stupid and not necessary if you had a tach on your dashboard that was much easier to read. Yet, about 90 percent of the restored ones have it.
Ditto for the biplane spoiler. I don’t even remember seeing one with that back in the day outside of a judge, yet today, almost all of the restored cars have it.
Since these things were probably made in China, you would be good to ditch them immediately upon purchase.
Agree with you about clones. Nowadays, well for the past twenty years post-interweb, many of these cars that have been restored have been over-restored. Common to see spoilers, added stripes, badging, etc. I know with Olds, it seems nearly every 442 has an aftermarket W25 hood and W35 spoiler, thick W30 side stripes. Outside of mine, I hardly see any more steel hooded, thin side stripe 442s running around these days. I’ve said it before here time and time again, I’d rather drive a base Cutlass, Skylark, Le Mans, etc, than a clone and I’d be proud of what it is, not envious of what it is not.
I still like the ’71 GTO here, but the Judge stripes would be gone immediately. The spoiler would get eighty sixed at some point too.
I had one just like this one, except it was root beer brown with a tan vinyl top. It came with the 455 HO, and Ram Air, but did not have the full Judge package other than the striping over the fenders. It was a formidable car and was a rocket! Unfortunately, some doofus ran a red light with a F-250 and T-boned it, bending the frame pretty badly, and my foot got caught on the throttle, so I threw a piston through the block. One of the saddest days in my young life at that time. I used the salvageable parts on my 71 Lemans Sport 4 door hardtop (Front clip, front seats, tires and rims) and created a faux GTO sedan! At least it did have a 400 in it, so it did have some punch, but not like the 455!
Sigh…another overpriced clone. No one with any sense is paying this much for a non-original car. Invest your hard-earned money in something that will actually hold its value. This is another $25K car.
This still is a very clean Pontiac GTO. Some changes can be made here Price is to high.