The Pontiac GTO is the seminal muscle car of the era but, by 1969, the market was crowded and stealing the Pontiac’s mojo. Pontiac reminded everyone who was king with the introduction of the Judge performance and ornamentation package. Though intended to be a seasonal promotion, Pontiac bean counters persuaded the bosses to bring back the Judge for 1970. Two very interesting 1970 GTO Judges will be crossing the block at Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale Auction at Westworld from January 20-28, 2024.
The first one that has caught our eye is painted Mint Turquoise, which just so happens to be the rarest color (per production records) for both regular GTOs and Judges — only774 were produced. Why was it so rare when your eyes and mine can see it’s an absolutely dazzling hue? Here’s a possibility: perhaps turquoise was not a color associated with high-performance cars. The default stripe color for Mint Turquoise Judges was orange/pink/blue, making for an eye-popping combination, but what’s truly eye-popping is the color with the red interior. While a red interior is not unusual, it is for a car painted Mint Turquoise because it was not a recommended combination by Pontiac. It almost seems like the original buyer was color-blind until you see how fantastic it looks (no doubt assisted by the stripes, which help pull the two colors together). Besides, Richard Petty’s car is orange and turquoise, but no one complains about it not matching, right?
Equipment on this very unusual GTO Judge includes the standard Ram Air III engine, a Gear Vendors overdrive transmission upgrade (though the original TH400 is included), 3.55 Safe-T-Track rear, console, variable-ratio power steering, heavy-duty battery, handling package, and more. Plus, the Goat comes with Vintage Vehicle Services GM Canada documentation certifying its pedigree.
But, what if that color combo doesn’t work for you? That’s quite alright because there’s another 1970 Judge at Barrett-Jackson that you may find more exciting. In fact, some Judge fans feel that this is the best color combo of all: Starlight Black with red interior. For black cars, the default stripe was blue/yellow/red, less flashy than the orange/pink/blue but nonetheless are really set off by the shiny black paint.
Unlike the turquoise car above, this Judge is equipped with a four-speed transmission. As the online description doesn’t give us info on what gears are in the rear, we can’t know if the transmission is a M20 wide-ratio or M21 close-ratio four-speed but, for those who prefer to handle the shifting themselves, this black and red Judge should be the bee’s knees. Other tempting equipment on this Judge includes console, Safe-T-Track rear, AM radio, Rally Gauge Cluster with hood tach and, of course, the Ram Air III 400.
Which one moves ya? A funky starburst of colors, or a formal look with stripes that pop? It’s a tough choice — maybe let the transmission be your guide!
There’s a ton of other interesting cars slated for the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2024 Auction from January 20-28th, so be sure to check out the docket. Plus, if you have a car or truck to sell, you can consign it and be a part of the best week the automotive world!
Source: www.classiccars.com