How rough is too rough for a 1969 GTO Judge?
When it came to bold colors and splashy graphics, Mopar pulled out all the stops in the muscle car era. Pontiac, too, got in on the action. From 1969–1971, the boisterous stripes and prominent rear wing of the GTO Judge made it one of the loudest muscle machines available. As its Paul Revere and the Raiders theme song announced, it also had, “Wide-Trac, mag-type, Polyglas shoes for traction.” Under the hood, various Ram Air V-8s provided plenty of power to back up the boastful claims of its advertisements.
This 1969 Judge was spotted for sale and pointed out by Barnfinds.com back in June, and now the car is back on eBay. The 1969 model is arguably the best-looking of the three-year run, including its split horizontal grille (with or without the hidden headlight option).
Unfortunately, this car, originally powered by the 366-hp a Ram Air III Pontiac 400 V-8, now has a mystery Pontiac 400. The seller states it’s a 1970 Pontiac 400 with #13 heads, which should make it a 330- or 350-hp example. There aren’t a whole lot of photos that indicate whether or not the floorboards, trunk, or rocker panels are in need of rust repair, but it does look like the car has seen its fair share of bodywork and wears a replacement hood.
Highlights of this Judge: An interior that is in surprisingly decent condition, and the fact that the car is finished (mostly) in what appears to be the original Carousel Red. If you’re going flashy, why not go all the way? Another bonus is that it’s equipped with a four-speed. That four-speed option adds 15 percent to the Goat’s value, on average. Unfortunately, its present condition is well south of #4 (Good) condition where it would be worth close to $45,000.
Luckily, the car’s owner is under no impression that it’s worth anywhere near that much. The Buy-It-Now price is $24,000. With six days left in the auction, the current price sits at $14,500 and the reserve has not been met. If you’re a Pontiac fan you surely hope this car is restored to get another Judge back on the road in original condition, but muscle car fans of every stripe have to appreciate the significance of this historic machine.
If you purchased this car, would you try to reunite The Great One with a correct-for-1969 engine, or do a quick clean up to get it back on the street? Or is it just too rough?
