All Rise for the Judge: $1.1M Ram Air IV is world’s most expensive GTO
It’s always nice to have choice when you’re shopping, and Mecum’s 2023 Kissimmee sale, the world’s largest collector car auction, certainly delivered this year.
Take a look at these numbers: 211 Camaros, 119 Chevelles, 60 Pontiac GTOs, 43 Porsche 911s, 23 Hemi Mopars, 16 Boss Mustangs, and five genuine Shelby Cobras, all among the 4000 vehicles to cross the auction block over the past 12 days. Consignments ranged from bad (like this 1987 Renault Alliance) to badass (like this Ford GT40) and from weird (like Elvis’s rickety old airplane) to wonderful (like this handsome Chrysler Ghia ST Special).
We’ll be crunching numbers and sorting out trends from Mecum’s Kissimmee mega-sale and the Scottsdale auctions in the coming weeks, but Kissimmee’s immediate aftermath does offer one clear theme: Despite the market’s recent cooling, demand for top-tier American muscle, even from long-defunct brands like Pontiac and Plymouth, is still high and records are still breaking.
One such record was the $1.43M price for a Hemi-powered, four-speed Dodge Charger Daytona, the same car David Spade bought for $900K in 2015. One of 19 Mopar Wing cars (Plymouth Superbirds and Dodge Daytonas) offered in Kissimmee this year, it broke a record for the model set just last May when the market was still accelerating.
Even more remarkable, though, was this 1970 GTO convertible. At $1.1M, it’s one of the most expensive muscle cars ever sold at auction and the most expensive GTO, period. Well, Pontiac GTO, anyway.
This Orbit Orange droptop was the star of a nine-car collection that consisted of nothing but Ram Air IV “Goats.” And for Pontiac folks, IV is a magic number. “Ram Air” designated the hot 400-cubic-inch V-8s in Pontiac’s GTO and Firebird starting in ’67, followed by an improved Ram Air II in ’68, and then a Ram Air III in ’69–70. Then, the IV took things furthest in 1969 with redesigned intake ports and special aluminum intake. The 1970 Ram Air IV engine nominally posted just four ponies more than the Ram Air III (370 hp vs. 366), but it was almost certainly underrated on purpose.
A Ram Air IV was the fastest GTO you could buy in 1970 as well as the most expensive, so few were built. The orange record-setter is one of just seven convertibles fitted with an automatic (another ten cars got a four-speed manual).
It’s also a Judge, which. If you’re not old enough to have been watching TV half a century ago, know that this was a package named after a skit on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In. GTO Judges came with a Ram Air 400 engine, Rally II wheels, Hurst T-handle shifter, a rear spoiler, and of course, those graphics. Other options on this car include a Formula steering wheel, hood tach and tinted glass.
But what truly got the muscle car maniacs—and bidders—oohing and aahing is this car’s triple threat: Ram Air IV engine, Judge package, and convertible body style.
In addition to its gotta-have-it specs, Mecum’s was reportedly used as a factory exhibition car, and eventually received a restoration good enough to win several concours awards in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The condition #1 (Concours) value for a 1970 Ram Air IV GTO Convertible in the Hagerty Price Guide is $562,000, and others have sold in the past for big money, including one for $682,000 back in 2010. But $1.1M is nearly twice that #1 value.
The eight other Ram Air IVs out of this collection (all coupes) had estimates near or under $300K, but Mecum perhaps wisely didn’t put an estimate on this convertible. Only one Pontiac has sold for seven figures before, and that was the 1954 Bonneville Special, a one-off Motorama concept car, that brought $3.3M in 2015. In the world of muscle cars, meanwhile, seven-figure price tags are usually reserved for Hemi ’Cuda convertibles, ZL1 Camaros, or movie star Mustangs. Not anymore.
We’ll be taking a closer look at more of the most interesting cars from Mecum Kissimmee 2023 later in the week, so keep an eye on this space.
Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it.
I love this car but the convertible is a negative for me. I don’t really like convertibles, too flexy for me. Having said that that auction had crazy prices so people clearly had too much money.
The bottom valance on the GTO looks like the body shop dude’s seeing eye dog was having a bad day. It doesn’t line up- top, bottom, left or right.
Probably how it came from the factory
I have always believed a vehicle is worth what the buyer was willing to pay. In this case, I have to say this was surprising. The dude must have just had to have it.
I am the proud owner of a 1967 GTO, the GTO was the first real muscle car for the average person. It is interesting reading what the kids write about the GTO and it’s value. One day maybe you will have the opportunity to own one and appreciate the joy of Driving a GTO.
Somebody has way too much money!!!!!!!
Is it just me, or is the passenger’s front wheel opening moulding pulled away from the fender?
Factory option…….
Wow a lot of jealous haters. GTOs and Pontiacs in general usually had some special perf kicks or rare production figures, as compared to a typical Chevy.
Wow a lot of jealous haters. GTOs and Pontiacs in general usually had some special perf kicks or rare production figures, as compared to a typical Chevy. This heading just says this makes it the most expensive GTO. Not saying, it out priced a mustang, or or whatever else
So far as someone paying what most of us consider outrageous (some call it stupid) money for a car think about this: Everything is relevant. Someone that has a billion dollars and spends a million for a car is comparable to you or I having $100,000 in the bank and spending $100. for a car Plus, there is likely money to be made on it down the road. Look at the Hemi Daytona that David Spade paid $900K in 2015 that people thought at the time was stupid money. It just hammered for $1.43 million at Kissimmee! Color me a bit envious!
Sigh…I had a ’70 GTO Judge, RAIII with a 4-speed, bought it in ’74 while in the Air Force…got totaled out in ’76 (not my fault), insurance paid me $2500 for it. Luckily a few buds from the Auto shop helped me pull the engine and replace it with a 326 out of a ’65 Pontiac Tempest. Guess where that engine ended up?
As for me, the only reason to watch these bogus, self promoting, auctions is to view the old cars. The entire concept is strictly business for the auction promoters and wealthy investors. It’s 10% on the buyers end and 10% on the seller end to the auction company, and as for the wealthy, it’s a right off when they sell these cars in a year or two and take their maximum loss. It’s capitalism at it’s finest. As for the cars, well..show me a forensic documented window sales sticker and a build sheet, registration as well as proof of insurance and I might believe the car is authentic, other than that, it’s a fabricated tribute similarity.
Not really understanding the comments about rich folks. So what if they buy a car you cannot afford? If you want one, build a replica or whatever version you want and have fun with it!
Proving yet again that a car is worth exactly what someone is willing to pay for it.
Mecum is not your friend, they are the reason 99.9 % of “true car guys” can`t afford this, They bring in the guy`s with more money than common sense and reap the benefits of the 10% fee they collect which their entitled to. I especially dislike when the old man and his kid stand these trying to embarrass the seller to drop the reserve and throwing their arms up and arguing with the seller to let the car go at a lesser amount then he wants. Disrespectful to the seller.
Awesome rare car, the GTO was clearly an acquired taste as were most Pontiac models. No one wanted a convertible muscle car back in the day..2 door hardtop all the way! The color never grew on me but the Judge brand was different and popular. Ahhhh the good old days!