1969 Pontiac GTO Judge Was Designed To Be Outrageous

A 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge painted in the none-too-subtle Carousel Red is not a car for anyone wanting to keep a low profile. An exceptional example of one of these ultimate GTOs is currently for sale on eBay.

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Over Budget

Muscle car sales slumped in the 1969 model year due to rising insurance rates and stricter emissions standards. Car makers fought the trend by rolling out low-cost versions of their highest-performance offerings. Like the Plymouth Road Runner, these models had few extras other than whatever would make them go faster.

Pontiac conceived the Judge as a budget GTO to compete with the Road Runner. It turned out instead to be a premium GTO. The $337.02 option added a unique rear spoiler, multicolor side stripes, and special “The Judge” decals. It also had the first functional hood scoops on any Pontiac GTO. Trim rings were omitted from its Rally ll five-spoke wheels as a reminder that The Judge was about performance and good looks.

Pontiac painted the first 2,000 Judges in Carousel Red. Buyers of later Judges could choose from any of the 21 colors available for a 1969 GTO. They also had access to any of the 88 other options available for non-Judge GTOs.

Mostly Original

This Judge is largely original and still has its factory Parchment interior. It underwent a complete restoration with mechanical upgrades about 10 years ago. An original build sheet confirms this car rolled off the Fremont, California, assembly line equipped with the Judge package.

It also lists desirable options, including:

• Power front disc brakes
• Limited-slip differential
• Four-speed manual transmission
• Center console
• Hood-mounted tachometer
• GTO rally gauge cluster

More Potent

Pontiac upgraded The Judge with a more potent engine than a standard GTO. With functional fresh-air induction, the 400-cubic-inch Ram Air III V-8 made 366 horsepower and 445 pound-feet of torque.

This GTO’s engine is not an original RA III. It was built using a 1968 engine block and a Ram Air III camshaft. A Tremec five-speed manual transmission replaced the original four-speed. The original Hurst T-handle shifter remains. The seller also added aftermarket air conditioning during the Judge’s restoration.

Here Comes…

Anyone who didn’t grow up in the 1960s might wonder where this car’s name came from. Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In was a comedy television series at the time. One of the show’s popular ongoing gags featured Sammy Davis Jr. playing a be-wigged courtroom judge who walked onstage saying, “Here comes the Judge.” Maybe you had to be there.

Laugh-In and the ‘60s are long gone, but The Judge’s legacy continues. Pontiac produced just 6,833 for the 1969 model year. They are now among the most valuable GTOs, some commanding prices well into six figures. That makes this immaculate and largely original example a very special find.