Why is the GTO called The Judge?

The Pontiac GTO was introduced in 1963 as a 1964 model. The significant event of 1969 was the launch of a new Pontiac GTO model called 'The Judge'. The Judge name came from a comedy routine, "Here Comes the Judge", used repeatedly by Sammy Davis Jr. on the enormously popular "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In TV" show.

What does the judge mean on a GTO?

“The Judge” was an options package that was only available for 1969 Pontiac GTOs. It was introduced to try and reverse the decline in GTO sales. GTOs had fallen into being moderately-liked, mid-range cars; they weren't a well-made cheap model but weren't considered a premium model either.

What's the difference between a GTO and a judge?

1969 Pontiac GTO “Judge”

Unlike the original GTO, the Judge was designed from the start to be brash and bold. Unique stripes, a blacked-out grille, body-colored spoiler and the requisite “The Judge” decals separated it from other muscle cars on the road.

How many Pontiac GTO judges were made?

The most number of Pontiac GTO Judges made was in 1969. And even then, only 6,833 were made, out of a total of 72,287 GTOs on the whole. By 1971, the number had halved, and only 3,848 Pontiac GTO Judges were made and sold. By 1971, sales were made and only 374 of the GTOs were Judges.

Why is the GTO called the goat?

Somewhere along the way, the guys on the street began to call GTOs “Goats.” Only it wasn't a reference to “Greatest of All Time,” it was a play on the letters and a term of affection. By 1969, it even appeared in a corporately controversial GTO advertisement championed by DeLorean and Wangers.

1970 Pontiac GTO Judge - Jay Leno's Garage

What year GTO was the fastest?

On getting to the market, the 2006 GTO was quickly regarded as the fastest GTO ever sold in the US. With the 6.0-liter V8 engine, the car could deliver a whopping 400 HP.

Was the GTO the first muscle car?

The GTO is the car that's widely credited as the first true American muscle car, and it was built with a formula that hot rodders and racers had already been using for decades — a bigger engine in a lighter car.

What makes a 1970 Pontiac GTO a judge?

JUDGE FEATURES The WT1 Judge option for the GTO included the L74 366-hp Ram Air III 400 engine; driver-controlled Ram Air system; HD three-speed manual with Hurst Thandle shifter; a 3.55 rear gear; black grilles, grille surrounds, and hood-scoop trim; Ram Air callouts on the hood scoops; tri-color eyebrow stripes; ...

What is a 1969 GTO Judge worth today?

The prized beast of the show, the 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge Convertible, sold for $620,000, as the crowd rose to the occasion after almost four hours of buying.

What motor was in the GTO Judge?

ENGINES Though the 350-hp L78 400 engine was standard in GTO's, the L74 366-hp D-port Ram Air engine, which was later listed as the Ram Air III, was standard in the Judge.

Was there a 68 GTO Judge?

Pontiac's Judge appeared in 1969 as an option package with the 366-bhp V-8, a rear spoiler, and special graphics. The 1968-1969 Pontiac GTO and Judge were built for performance. Check out the car's specs below.

What color did the 1969 GTO Judge come in?

Project Manager John DeLorean - of DeLorean auto fame - dictated that the Judge would always be this color orange, which was first patented by Chevrolet and called Hugger Orange. Dunbar said General Motors wouldn't allow cars in one division - such as Pontiac - to use colors from another division such as Chevrolet.

What is the rarest GTO Judge?

Since only 108 convertibles were made under the name in 1969, the convertible Judge is the rarest of the trim.

What does 242 mean on a GTO?

The 1964 GTO vehicle identification number (VIN) started with 82, while the 1965 GTO VIN started with 237. The GTO became a separate model from 1966 to 1971 (VIN 242...). It became an optional package again for the 1972 and 1973 intermediate LeMans.

How can you tell if a 1969 GTO Judge is real?

The most obvious exterior differences were with the grille, the parking lights, the taillamps, and the front and rear marker lights. The vent windows, the Pontiac crest on top of the Endura bumper nose, the “GTO” tape letters on the rear quarter panels, and the famous 6.5 Litre GTO emblem were all dropped in 1969.

How much did a 1970 GTO Judge cost in 1970?

That put the base price of a hardtop with “The Judge” equipment at about $3,604.02, although there may have been some mandatory options that added a little more to that. Prices on the convertible version started at about $3,829.02.

How fast is a GTO Judge?

Car Life Magazine tested a Ram Air IV, 4-speed equipped Judge and scored a 0 to 60 time of 6.2 seconds. The Judge ran the quarter mile in 14.45 seconds at 97.8 mph.

What was the most powerful Pontiac engine?

The rear-drive G8, hailed here at AutoWeek and elsewhere in the wheeled world in its original rear-drive, 361-hp, 6.0-liter V8 form, now has a mighty 415-hp 6.2-liter V8 driving those rear wheels, making it the most powerful Pontiac ever.

What car is referred to as the goat?

Introducing the Goat

GTO is often known as The Legend or The Great One, and has also been referred to as The Grandfather of Muscle Cars. However, the name of “The Goat” is what defined its reign, and remains common when it comes to classic GTOs.

What is the most popular muscle car of all time?

What's the fastest American made muscle car?

What is the fastest old muscle car?

The 1963 Shelby Cobra 260 boasted the ability to accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. That makes it the fastest old muscle car by a healthy margin. This performance made it one of the most feared and admired street racers on the road.