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1970 Pontiac GTO Judge Ram Air III Mecum Indy Auction Bound

In the early 1960s, Pontiac brass was trying to come up with a new way to attract the lucrative youth market. The traditional manner or selling excitement through motorsports involvement was a no-go as GM had signed an agreement with the other members of the Automobile Manufacturers Association to stay out of competitive motorsports. This agreement had stemmed from the horrific crash at the 1955 24 Hours of LeMans that killed driver Pierre Levegh, more than 80 spectators, and injured 120 more.

In testing at General Motors’ Milford Proving Grounds, John Z. DeLorean and his pack of engineers came up with an idea that might attract the youth market. By doing something that would normally be high school study hall fodder, shoving the biggest engine they could in a mid-size car, the group made a tire-smoking beast out of a Pontiac Tempest. Big performance in an affordable car was just the thing to draw younger car buyers to the showroom, and thus the Pontiac GTO was born.

Getting the Pontiac GTO off the ground wasn’t quite as easy as it sounds. First off, there was a rule within GM that mid-size passenger cars were limited in displacement to 330 cubic inches. The engine the guys had crammed in the Tempest was 389 cubes. It was determined Pontiac would pitch the GTO as an option package for the Tempest, claiming the 389 was not subject to the displacement rule as it was a specialty option. Secondly, GM was fearful the anti-monopoly arm of the U.S. government would come calling as General Motors owned 55 percent of the new-car market in the early 1960s. So even though the “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” market strategy worked, GM decided to abstain from motorsports involvement to avoid any undue governmental attention.

The Pontiac GTO name was somewhat controversial. Lifted directly from the Ferrari 250 GTO, the Pontiac was a thumb in the eye of the Italians. Whereas the GTO moniker on the Ferrari stood for Gran Turismo Olomogatto, it was quipped that on the Pontiac it stood for Gas, Tires, and Oil.

DeLorean and Company pitched the Pontiac GTO to Pontiac general manager Pete Estes and Estes bit. The idea was to offer the GTO as a Tempest option package that included the aforementioned 389 cubic-inch V8, a Carter AFB carb, chrome valve covers, chrome air cleaner cover, dual exhaust, a beefier suspension with thicker front sway bar, stiffer springs, and wider wheels with redline rubber. The GTO would be available with a two-speed automatic transmission, or three- or four-speed manual gearbox. The sales target was 5,000 units, but the Goat was such a hit, Pontiac sold 32,450 of them in 1964. DeLorean and the Pontiac whiz kids had their youth market car.

The Pontiac GTO became a model unto itself in 1966. A complete redesign in 1968 included a body-color Endura soft front bumper, horizontally arranged headlights, shorter wheelbase, length, and height. 1970 would be the acme of horsepower for the GTO, as it would for all GM muscle cars. The 400 cubic-inch Ram Air IV engine put out 370 horsepower, while the suspension had a new rear sway bar, stiffer front sway bar, and available variable-ratio power steering.

Our feature 1970 GTO Judge Ram Air III is finished in Candy Red over a black vinyl bucket seat interior. The correct Ram Air hood is fitted. The Goat is powered by a stroked 400 cube Ram Air III V8 with Edelbrock intake, heads, and polished red logo valve covers. The 400 is backed by a four-speed manual gearbox and twelve-bolt rear differential with 3.64 gears. Equipment includes power steering, power brakes with front discs, woodgrain three-spoke steering wheel, center console, Hurst T-handle shifter, machine-turned dash trim, pushbutton radio, and seventeen-inch Series II style alloy wheels.

This 1970 Pontiac GTO will cross the Mecum Auctions block at its Indianapolis, Indiana event happening May 10th through the 18th.

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Comments

  1. My cousin had the same car only in orange. It was his first new car he bought. He still says he wishes he still had it to this day. Memories.

    Reply
  2. I still have a red 1971 GTO hardtop 400 4 speed that I bought in 1983. It was my 4th GTO and 6th Pontiac.

    Reply
  3. Pretty sure this wasn’t a factory color, but it works very well with the stripes. And looking good on those slightly larger wheels.

    Always liked the front 7/8ths of these, but could never understand why Pontiac matched an endura bumper on the front with a chrome bumper on the back. They did the same thing on a few other models that just looked unfinished to me…earlier GTO’s, 69 Bonneville (kind of), the early 70’s Firebirds and the 73 Grand Am Two different design concepts mushed onto one vehicle…at least to my eye. They finally fixed it with the 74+ Firebird.

    Reply
    1. My first car was a 1970 GTO Judge. Wish I still had it now! Also had a 1989 Grand Trans Am. Love Pontiac!

      Reply
  4. I love the article about the history of the GTO and the car itself is beautiful. I own several 1970 GTO’s and Judges. It is one of my all time favorite muscle cars. My only problem with this is that after you are describing what a 1970 GTO had as stock options, you are showcasing a vehicle that is more of a restomod than a stock 1970 GTO. The car is absolutely stunning, and will bring big bucks at the auction, but you are describing one car and showing another. Just my personal opinion.

    Reply
  5. The GM A-body cars of 1970-72 have to be some of the best looking cars ever made, despite some oddball styling cues across all the lines. Its crazy how much interest there is in these cars today and psychologists would have a field day with how attached a person can be to a hunk of metal, glass and rubber.. Love it !

    Reply
  6. This car belonged to Arnie Beswick at one time. Not a bad looking restomod Judge with the tastefully done custom touches. I absolutely loathe those stupid red air cleaner decals that pop up on way too many nice GTO’s nowadays. Peel them off and throw them in the trash FFS

    Reply

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