1970 Pontiac GTO Judge
The Pontiac GTO Judge was originally created to compete head-on with the Plymouth Road Runner as a so-called “econo racer.” The Judge filled the bill in style, perhaps too much style. It always looked wild and aggressive, not timid and aggressive, like a basic Road Runner concept was. Still, the Judge made plenty of impact on the street, even though sales never came close to corporate’s expectations. But car collectors didn’t mind that a bit. The Judge immediately became a rare, sought-after example of a classic era muscle car at its most outrageous. In addition to its conspicuous fender stripes graphics, prominent Judge decals and functional twin hood scoops, the Judge featured a hood-mounted tachometer that was the final poke in the eye of convention.
The Pontiac GTO was born as a sportier version of the Tempest, aimed at a younger clientele. The car debuted in 1964 and by-passed in the process GM’s policy that was limiting A-body intermediate models to a maximum engine capacity of 5.4-liters. As such, the original Tempest GTO came with the 6.4-liter V-8 that was also used by the larger Bonneville and Catalina models.
The Judge package remained available as an option on the GTO. The Judge came standard with the “Ram Air” 400 V-8, while the Ram Air IV was optional. Though the 455 HO V8 was available as an option on the standard GTO throughout the entire model year, the 455 HO was not offered on the Judge until late in the year. Orbit Orange (actually a bright school bus yellow hue) became the new feature color for the 1970 Judge, but any GTO color was available. Arch striping was relocated to above the creases above the wheel wells, a new styling trait of the 1970 GTO introduced the previous year on the 1969 Firebird. The Judge package also included dark argent grille surrounds, black painted hood air inlet ornaments, and a revised, higher rear airfoil.
The Pontiac GTO became known as “The Goat” due to an interpretation of the letters that make up its name. Figuratively speaking, the car’s “defiant, stripped-to-the-basics personality” also had a hand in cementing the moniker, according to Edmunds.com. It is speculated that the acronym GTO, which stands for Gran Turismo Omologato, was taken from the Ferrari 250 GTO. American consumers have a history of shortening the names of cars with multiple syllables, and this likely influenced the nickname of this Pontiac brand. “The Goat” is catchy, easy to remember and was essentially born out of convenience.
The Pontiac GTO Judge is an exceptional car, no matter what way you look at it. Whether it’s the original ’64 GTO that started the muscle car revolution or the 2004 model, which saw the introduction of the LS1 into the car’s history, the GTO is America’s favorite muscle car. However, there was one car that we didn’t mention for an excellent reason. This discrepancy is because it’s on an entirely different level. Of course, we mean the Judge. Like many mean muscle machines of the time, such as the Chevelle, Camaro, and Firebird, 1970 was the year that the GTO saw one of its most fantastic forms. This car epitomizes that point perfectly with its intense nature and ability to turn heads to this day still.
