Pontiac’s GTO started a mid-size muscle car craze in 1964, and almost every competitor quickly reacted with their own performance machine. But, by 1969, GTO sales were already in decline and Pontiac decided to inject some interest in the brand by creating “The Judge” as the standard by which all other muscle cars might be measured. This 1970 edition is pretty rough and is going to cost a bundle spent alone in sheet metal repair. But it’s well-documented, located in Pinson, Alabama, and is available here on eBay where the current bid is $16,300.
The moniker for “The Judge” was borrowed from the Sammy Davis, Jr. bit on TV’s Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In. When you checked the option on the GTO order sheet, you got things like a rear spoiler, body striping and decals, and one of two versions of the 400 cubic inch V8 with Ram Air induction. The extra cost wasn’t outrageous, at between $300-400 in 1970 dollars. The seller has had this vehicle verified by PHS (Pontiac Historical Services), so you’d be getting the real deal and not an older clone.
Unfortunately, this Pontiac is no longer numbers matching. The Ram Air III 400 has been replaced by a similar engine from a 1978 Trans Am. The Muncie M20 4-speed manual could be the one that the car came with when new. The auto had drum brakes all around from the factory, but the front ones are now discs. This seems to be a well-equipped car with only factory air conditioning being perhaps the biggest delete.
The Cardinal Red paint gave up the ghost years ago and the paperwork that comes with the car suggests that the ragged Sandalwood vinyl top may have been a rare color choice. The interior will need work although the seats don’t look as bad as the carpeting. The big challenge will be fixing all the body panels, and the seller suggests that you can find replacements lifted from 1970-72 GTO and LeMans hardtops. This non-running auto will be a challenge to repair and does not come with a title, just a Bill of Sale. But this might be a worthwhile project as only 3,959 Judges were produced in 1970.
Nice find but it appears pretty rough. How are the floor pans, trunk floor and frame regarding their level of corrosion?
Been there done that and now with the crazy prices and lack of pride in workmanship in our area , i couldn’t, i wouldn’t attemp to tackle this !hope someone does
What he said. I can do basic mechanical and I have an interior guy who is amazing. I just can’t find a good body and paint guy. I can for a while and then he relapses or disappears or whatever.
Good bodyman is a lost art 🎨 Tbone 🥩
In my area, these days no body shop wants to work on an old car!
Well, now i don’t feel so alone .
YOLO
I don’t know body work either, so I brought one of my cars to a body man. He did nine linear feet of welding and charged me $2500. I’ll never do that again.
Judges are cool cars and very desirable and even though I could do every bit of the work myself the cost of the parts alone will be more that you could by one already restored. So sad to see one in that condition
Non matching motor and replaced by a far less potent 78 trans am motor, drum brakes gone and replaced by disks, and body panels that need to be sourced from a 70-72 LeMans or GTO? With all the work this pile of junk will need, this “Judge” should be taken off the bench and barred from the courtroom. This car may be in Alabama, but the owner is California Dreaming if he thinks anyone is stupid enough to lay down 16k plus for this money pit. GLWTS….
100% this
Someone already did! Lots of baby boomers will be interested. And they now have the disposable income.
I would love to see the condition of the floor pans, trunk pan and the frame. these items will tell you what its really worth, and how much work you are up against
With the prices of GTO’S, and especially Judges, climing in the last decade or so. One wonders if the owner never knew of the price jump, or didn’t care. To leave one of these cars out in the weather is pretty astounding.
See that everywhere now, folks that said “No I don’t want to sell it!!! I’m gonna get started on that (whenever)!!!” and “whenever”never came, leaving whomever to deal with it now.
As a case in point, my BIL has a neighbor in Bremerton. The ‘69 GTX (440 still in the engine bay) has been sitting in the side yard awhile-long enough for an 8’ pine tree to grow up through it. Years ago he gave up asking the neighbor when he wanted to sell it or work on it. Now that the neighbor is in assisted living, his estranged family doesn’t want it but the rusted hulk is long beyond any form of repair..
Note to brave souls who might bid on this Judge; Alabama did not issue a title on a car before 1975. Or 1976. As I’ve gotten older my memory is not what it used to be. Either one would apply to this car if it was originally sold in Alabama.
Looks like it’s coming out of an Estate of long time owner…..maybe a Vet from Nam….
Right now it is pretty easy to spend $1000.00 a day getting an old car worked on. Simple stuff now costs a small fortune. It has made owning and refurbishing an old car untenable for anyone on a budget.
Today just buy a driver with out matching numbers. Perfectly rstored is not affordable for the regular guy anymore.
Jay E. ……You are exactly right !
I have the ability to do the body and paint, and most of the work it needs.
But now, we can only look at these with a passing glance. Time is marching on, we’re too old… may not ever see it completed, let alone pay for it all.
No normal body shop will tackle this or other similar projects. I know. I worked in several. If you want MCACN Gold and have money, send this car to Scott Tiemman. He does the best GTO restorations. This red Judge will sell for close to $25,000.
Wise words of truth and wisdom PL
I had the identical car eight years ago. It was in bad shape but a real Judge. I sold it for $700.
Similar engine from 79 T/A 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
’78 but I know, right “similar to a 78″… smh…lol. It’s painful to see in this condition. Brings back memories of my own ’70 GTO drop top with just the “base” 400… you know, similar to a ’78 Firebird… lol, eye roll.
Meant to say body shop will NOT tackle this project. Typo. Sorry.
good projct for 5K
No original motor = no thanks.
No way I would put tens of thousands of dollars into body, paint and interior to have a car without its original drivetrain (or at MINIMUM a date coded/correct) drivetrain.
Hard pass.
Flip Wilson said here comes da judge. Not Sammy.
And no way it’s worth that much without the original drive train at least.
I am looking into shipping a car to Poland with parts and then driving it on vacation and shipping it back. One way to get good and inexpensive body work.
Clone no such animal as a 70 Judge I owned 69 SS Nova and 74 GTO with transam style shaker hood
Very familiar with those era cars especially GM products. Look it up for yourselves. Buyer beware
Ummm… WRONG-https://www.hagerty.com/valuation-tools/search?q=1970%20Pontiac%20GTO&submodel=Judge