Contrary to popular belief, Orbit Orange was not the only color that the Pontiac GTO “The Judge” was available with. Here’s proof in the form of an original 1971 Judge finished in its factory Tropical Lime paint. The car is well used across four owners, having spent much of its time in one collection after another. Its next owner will get to see the odometer roll back to zero since it’s at 99,000 now and domestic cars only had five-digit odometers back then. Located in Mazomanie, Wisconsin, this Pontiac is available here on eBay where the Buy It Now price has been reduced to $47,900 (was $51,900). But the Make Offer function is provided.
In the late 1960s, Pontiac was going all out with its performance car offerings and introduced The Judge as the top GTO available. It would only see three years of production, so the seller’s car was one of the few built for 1971. The Pontiac gets its name from the popular skit “Here Comes the Judge” which featured Sammy Davis Jr. on the popular comedy television show Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In. 6,833 Judges would be built in 1969, followed by 3,959 in ’70 and just 374 in the swan song year of 1971. The Judge would become known for its 455 cubic inch High Output (HO) V8 engine.
As the muscle car market was beginning to wind down, the Judge saw a lot of changes under the hood for 1971. Ram Air engines were gone and the 455 was now rated at 335 hp due to the compression ratio being lowered to run on unleaded fuel. Despite those changes, the Judge was still a formidable contender, capable of doing 0 to 60 in just over six seconds and the quarter-mile below 14 seconds at over 100 mph. The license plate on the seller’s car: “All Rise.” What a perfect fitting for a Judge!
On Barn Finds, some of the best cars we see have stories that go with them and this ’71 Judge may have the most detailed history we’ve ever witnessed. According to the seller’s data, it’s a low production car in a sea of cars that saw light production. First off, it’s one of 357 coupes built-in 1971. Next, it’s one of just 11 cars that came with a 3-speed manual (most were 4-speeds) and it’s said to be the only one painted Tropical Lime with a Sandalwood interior. The car comes with oodles of documentation, which includes its original build sheet (still affixed to the factory gas tank), warranty card, and PHS paperwork.
The first owner, a purveyor of fast cars, took delivery of the GTO in early 1971, and over the next 50 years, the car would never leave the State of Wisconsin. While in his possession, he was known to take on other street racers (some half his age) and beat them much of the time. That’s how the car acquired many of the bruises it wears today. After about a decade, the car was taken off the road and finally sold in 1990. The car’s second owner was a collector and the car spent most of the next 20 years on display. It changed hands again in 2010 and was on display once more until the seller bought it in 2015.
When the seller acquired the rare Pontiac, his goals were to get it running in top shape again and keep as many of the parts original as possible. The drivetrain is numbers-matching which adds to the appeal of the car, even though the paint is faded, rust is present, and a few dents can be found here and there. Some of the work the seller did in the past five years includes:
- Complete tune-up and fluids change as well as all hoses and belts
- Swapping the original gas tank with another from the same period as to preserve the build sheet which was glued to the top of the original tank
- New exhaust system that is as close to original as possible in specs
- All new brakes and tires and adjustments to things like the clutch and shifter linkage
The car starts and runs as it should and several videos are provided to demonstrate this for potential buyers. Rather than include all the links here, you really should review the eBay listing because it’s one of the most extensive we’ve seen. The interior is original although the carpeting and package tray have been replaced. There is a small separate vinyl on the driver’s bucket seat. From the level of detail the seller provides, you can tell he’s a car guy and really loves this one, so it’s a mixed blessing that he’s decided to sell it. He refers to ownership of the car as being a “caretaker”, so he’s looking for caretaker #5 to pick up where he’s leaving off.
Although I think the ask is too high due to the amount of Wisconsin rust, dents, and work needed, but the owner definitely gets an A+ for the vanity licence plate.
I don’t remember ever seeing a GTO in this color. The more I look at it the more I like the color. This is a rare car for sure. The price is high but more than likely a one off car. The original owner was my kind of guy.
That looks like a Hot Wheel color!
It’s different in a good way. I think the author was referring to Carousel Red as being a common color. Orbit Orange is pretty rare…
Makes no sense to mention either color because neither have anything to do with 1971.
Orbit Orange was one of the most popular Judge colors for 1970.
SIR… are you color blind? that is the most GOD AWFUL color..
WHO would order a GTO in Lime GREEN… thank the Lord.. this
is the only one made in this ugly color…
The color is awesome, and others exist in this color. Claim was likely among 3-speeds, and it’s just a claim.
This is an amazing color, see one. I doubt if anyone here complaining about the color has actually seen this color in real life, or maybe they just drive a white car with black interior…boring
3-speed is amazing! That was the “standard” or “base” transmission on Corvettes from 1955-1969. 4-speeds came in 1970.
I had a 61 and a68vette both with 4 speeds manual
I’m sure you did. Please note the 3-speed was the “base” offering. Yours were obviously ordered with 4-speeds.
Gee Guy. You don’t say???
I just looked at a 68 corvette in Florida that was with a stock 3 speed manual.
GTO Judges came with 3speed transmissions. The transmissions were ford three speeds. The muncie 3 speed could not handle the torque of the 455
“Orbit Orange ” is actually yellow.The common orange Judges were called “carousel red ” , due to Some GM politics.(I have a 70 in Carousel red ).
Way too much $ considering the bodywork needed.Count me in as a fan of the Snorkel front end ,and the colors though.
A 1970 Judge in Carousel Red is my absolute favourite car of all time…I am certainly jealous!
The Surf City Garage collection in California had a limefire ’71 Judge with the green bench seat interior, a car I remember seeing sitting unsold at the Anchorage GM dealer in late ’72. I told the story, and the car was restored a coupla years later, probably the nicest of the SCG restorations.
Unfortunately the musclecar’ day was done by ’71, so the extreme cars like this were almost sale-proof. Pontiacs top executive management after the DeLorean/Wangers era couldn’t have cared less.
This one is cool except for the see-thriugb sheet metal. Too bad Miller and the SCG crowd has moved on to other pursuits. They could make it whole…
I really like this Judge, including the color. Not too crazy about the rust or the price, but with a rare car like this it will be interesting to see what the market brings for such an unusual Pontiac. The license plate is one of my favorites ever!
A 3 speed Judge in Tropical Lime? Some people had no brains…or taste!
But they had the money to buy the car and order it any way they pleased. Pretty sure GM did not require an IQ test before taking an order.
The ’71 455 HO is a round port engine. It is right there power wise with the Ram Air IV and super duty. With that said, this is probably worth the price albeit deceiving. I’m not a big fan of a ’71. But if you haven’t driven a 455 HO, you’re in for a treat.
I agree! I have a ‘71 T/A with the 455 HO (only engine offered) and it’s a blast to drive.
Road tests proved that they were actually a little quicker than the ‘70s with the RA III and IV engines, probably because of the increased displacement and higher torque output. Fantastic engines!
If it wasn’t for the 3-speed, this would be the ultimate ’71 GTO…too bad it’s not a 4-speed.
very EASY to swap out the OG 3 speed and “convert” it to a 4 speed for your driving needs.
The car is what it is though
Simple enough to rectify, if you don’t care about originality
The original tranny can sit in the garage while I enjoy the fun factor of the M-22 4 speed whine!
Stunning color combo, white guts and tropical lime hide. I mean wow, someone wanted something unique when this was ordered and they had good taste. Most had black or green interior which does not look good with tropical lime.
Dewey “Pigmeat” Markham’s most famous routine was “discovered” by the general public only after Sammy Davis, Jr. had performed it as a guest on the March 25, 1968 episode of Laugh-In.[9] Due to the years of racial segregation in the entertainment world, he was not widely known by white audiences, and had almost exclusively performed on the “Chitlin’ Circuit” of vaudeville, theatres, and night clubs[1] and appeared in several race films, including William D. Alexander’s 1949 revue film Burlesque in Harlem, which documented the Chitlin’ Circuit.[8]
The phenomenal ripple effect of Davis’s version of “the judge” led to Markham’s opportunity to perform his signature Judge character himself as a Laugh-In regular during the 1968–69 television season.[10] Archie Campbell later adapted Markham’s routine, performing as “Justus O’Peace,” on the country version of Laugh-In, Hee Haw, which borrowed heavily from the minstrel show tradition.[11]
Thanks to his Heyeah come da judge routine, which originally was accompanied by music with a funky beat, Pigmeat Markham is regarded as a forerunner of rap.[12] His song “Here Comes the Judge” peaked at number 19 on the Billboard[13] and other charts in 1968. He published an autobiography, Here Come the Judge!, in the wake of his Laugh-In success.[14]
Thanks for the history lesson.
like the plate…hate the color…im sorry…once the 70s got their hands on the GTO it was all over (emissions)
and thats a lot of $$$ for a rusty goat.
It’s never the rust you can see, it’s the rust you can’t see. My sister bought a 95 Firebird out of Ripley, New York in 2000. It had no visible rust when she moved to Florida in 2003. Six months later it broke in half at the cowl as she crossed railroad tracks. Buyer beware!
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! That is big-time snow and salted roads territory.
Gee Guy. You don’t say???
Too bad he didn’t select the droptop version. Would be quite a valuable piece. Not sure what a 71 hdtp goes for in nice cond, 60-70,000 maybe? I almost bought a 68 GTO that was a 3 spd. Original owner, I asked him why he didn’t get the 4 speed, he said “it cost 180 bucks extra!” lol
That was a lot of money 50 years ago. Buyers who ponied up for performance paid at the dealership, the gas station, and the insurance company!
And paid again 50 years later taking cheap shots from trolls!
It may not have been a customer ordered car , its possible a Pontiac dealership ordered it to put on the lot to attract customers . It sure is an eye catching color !
Good point. This is a Wisconsin car. Maybe the dealer thought a Packers fan might be interested. After a few beers and a dozen bratwurst, who knows the difference?
If memory serves, the idea in drag racing is to get into “high” gear as soon as possible and let HP+torque get to work. With a high-winding engine HP and torque peaks are higher so keeping RPM in the ‘sweet spot’ requires more gears. Since the 455 wasn’t a high-winding engine but was/is a torque monster, getting into high gear and letting all that lower RPM torque work, with fewer shifts, was the ticket. It’s also 33% less chance of missing a shift! I’d say whoever ordered this knew what they were doing and since it sounds like they were out prowling the streets with it, their plan worked quite well!
That’s why modified Powerglides are the choice at the drag strip. Brief burnout and you’re in high going for that low ET
I had a 68 442 with the 3 so manual. Being all of 20 yrs old I just knew it needed a 4 speed to be faster so a Muncie 4 speed was located and installed. A direct swap with no other changes other than a Hurst shifter. Guess what? Not a bit faster but did seem cooler. Had the Ford 3 so tranny originally.
Other than the homely front sheet metal, lower horsepower, slime green paint, 3 speed, and rust, it’s perfect.
I know the 3-speed may seem odd in such a car but there could have been a reason for it. I had a friend who ordered and bought new a 1972 Chevelle SS. He wanted a 4-speed so badly but he was only 19 years old and the insurance would have been prohibitive if he got a 4-speed.
So, a 3-speed it was.
@Guy F Gingras
I had the following in 4-speeds:
1963 Corvette
1966 Corvette
1967 Camaro
1969 Corvette
1969 Corvette #2
1969 Corvette #3
1970 Camaro Z28
1971 Corvette LT-1
1971 Corvette 454
1978 Corvette
and finally a
2004 Corvette 6-speed
Wasn’t it Flip Wilson?
Restore the body, Tremec 5 speed, give her 2 more gears, beautiful car, put the 3 speed on the shelf
not only is color rare but this does not have the stripping on it! i saw one in late 70s but it had all the stripping and ugly word judge on it. this looks so much better just in paint also it has the better hood not all had this hood.
That’s about as awful as a Judge could be. Awful color, white interior, 3-speed, smog motor.
Having owned many Pontiacs, always loved the 70 – 72 front ends. One of the best designs in my opinion compared to the other GM sisters, even the earlier GTOs
With all the cancer and very possibly a motor that’s needs a rebuild this price is extremely high.
I’m sorry but that nose,and color are gawdy to me,I’m still a stacked headlight fan on the goats,but to each,their own.
We are cranky today! On the plus side I dont recall ever see a lime green Judge,plenty of the red( orange) ones. But the 3 speed! Come on guys At least its not a stoplight burner! And the license plate…hell thats worth a couple of bucks! Like two. But yeah white interiors dont do me.I’m so conflicted but I love the row your own. Even if its short a gear :) Hallelujah!
I am a Pontiac Guy, but not this one has too much rust. Probably cost too much to fix than the rust bucket is worth.
Many of the above comments just solidifies why I’d never own a GTO…..
Which comments? You’re obviously in the minority here…
I don’t care for the front end compared to 68-70 but the color is cool. Over all I like the car, but the lack of a four speed would always bug me, no one brags to his buddies about having a three on the floor…
Amazing survivor GTO. Man, what are the odds 50 years later? The car is worth very close to the gentleman’s asking price.
I agree, very cool! If that’s a 7041273 Quadrajet it’s worth $7000 alone. Incredible car!!
He probably drives a Rambler.