Gentleman’s Muscle Car: 1970 Plymouth GTX

They say, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” and so it would seem with the Plymouth GTX. Seeking to copy the success of the wildly popular Pontiac GTO, in production since 1963, Plymouth developed its own intermediate muscle car in 1967 and called it the GTX. Unlike the letters “GTO,” which stood for the Italian phrase Gran Turismo Omologato, the letters “GTX” don’t stand for a specific official acronym; instead, they meant Grand Touring, with the X added simply because it sounded cool and aggressive. But Plymouth’s new muscle car became legendary in its own right, and if you readers would like to obtain a great example of the model, this all-numbers-matching 1970 Plymouth GTX, located in Barrington, Rhode Island, is available here on eBay with current bidding up to $32,600 and two days left to go in the auction.

The seller’s Plymouth GTX is a stunning example, as evidenced by the number of bids in the auction. One unique aspect of this GTX is its color: Burnt Orange Metallic (code FK5), a one-year-only color. The color looks quite striking combined with the white vinyl roof and side stripes and the black longitude sports stripe on the “power bulge” hood, which was introduced for the 1970 model year. Also new for 1970 were a redesigned grille and rear taillights, along with non-functional rear-brake air scoops. The GTX’s body looks spectacular, and the seller notes that the car has all original sheet metal and components and, not surprisingly, has been owned by one family since the 1980s and has always been garaged. The GTX’s interior is color-keyed burnt orange and features the unique “buddy seat,” optional front bucket seats paired with a C21 padded armrest that doubled as a center cushion, letting a third person sit in the front row when flipped up.

Under the hood of the GTX sits the original 80,000-mile “Super Commando” 440 cu in V8 with a single 4-barrel carburetor, rated at 375 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque. A 3-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission and heavy-duty suspension handle the GTX’s power. An air conditioning unit is present, though it is not noted whether it is working; with the power of the 440 V8 and the windows down, the driver will certainly cool off quickly.

You don’t often come across a rare muscle car in excellent original condition with plenty of documentation. The seller notes that this Plymouth GTX has been pampered and maintained for four decades and comes with a Massachusetts title and plenty of paperwork. What do you readers think of this Plymouth GTX, and would you like to have it in your garage?