Introduced in 1964, the Pontiac GTO is usually credited for being the first muscle car advertised accordingly. While that's not necessarily true, the GTO did help popularize the muscle car segment, which started to gain traction around that time.
The GTO was actually introduced as an optional package for the Pontiac LeMans and didn't become a separate model until 1966. In 1969, one year after the GTO was redesigned, Pontiac introduced The Judge, which went on to become the most iconic iteration of the nameplate.
A stripped-off, performance-oriented package designed to make the GTO competitive against the Plymouth Road Runner, The Judge was fitted with the Ram Air 400 engine as standard. It also featured Rally II wheels, a Hurst shifter with a unique T-shaped handle, wider tires, a rear spoiler, and side decals.
Come 2021, and first-year Judge models are as desirable as Pontiac get. You won't find many survivors that haven't been restored out there, but there's at least one GTO Judge that's still with its original owner, untouched and unmolested. The car was recently uncovered by YouTube's "Auto Archaeology" and it's the very definition of a time capsule.
Amazingly enough, the GTO is still with the original owner, who purchased it in 1969 while also trading in his 1966 Pontiac. The car is finished in the gorgeous Carousel Red, the only color the GTO Judge was available in over the first few months on the market.
In case you're wondering why the orange body is covered in dust, it's because the owner hasn't driven this Poncho for 41 years. He used it as a family car for a few years and parked it in his garage back in 1980. Fortunately, dust is this GTO's only problem, as there aren't signs of rust issues.
This Judge is a numbers-matching original. The mill is a 6.6-liter 400 Ram Air V8 rated at 366 horsepower and it mates to a four-speed manual for row-your-won fun. And it still has the famous Pontiac hood tach and the hockey stick-style stripes running along the front fenders and doors.
It's a fantastic "garage find" and one of the finest unrestored 1969 Judges out there. Too bad it's no longer running though. Hopefully, the owner will put it back on the road soon or at least sell it to someone who will put the GTO's V8 engine to good use. Until that happens, check out this sleeping beauty in the video below.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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