In the early 1960s, Pontiac’s development team along with John DeLorean, Bill Collins, and Russ Gee discovered a loophole in the GM A-body engine displacement rule that had previously limited the Pontiac Tempest to a standard 326-cid 5.3-liter V8 engine. This legendary move created an iconic car and an ever revered segment in the American automotive market place.
With a focus on street performance, the plan was to offer a 389-cid 6.4-liter V8 engine as an option for Pontiac’s Tempest model. This was intended to make the car more appealing to a younger crowd and, almost with the snap of the fingers, the muscle car era of the 1960s was born. By the mid 1960s the GTO had grown into its own model and became more than just a Tempest with a big block. Shortly after, displacement grew to 400-cid. This helped the GTO keep up with an ever growing competition. In 1969, feeling pressure from the Plymouth Roadrunner, a new option called the Judge became available and in 1970 the option got even better.
Although this 1970 Pontiac GTO was not originally optioned as a Judge, the package was later added. It features a Polar White finish with the iconic Judge stripe package and a black deluxe interior. Under the hood, the original matching numbers 400-cid 350-horsepower engine is mated to an aftermarket Tremec 5-speed manual transmission. Power is put to the ground through a 3.23:1 ratio posi-traction rear end. The Ram Air hood is functional and features a rare hood mounted tachometer. Other features include factory air conditioning, power disc brakes, power steering, power windows, power door locks, power trunk release, factory rally gauges, and the original Rally II wheels.
This is a genuine PHS documented GTO that is accompanied by two factory original Build Sheets and the added Judge option and it is now being sold by Stephen Becker Automotive Group. It has been extensively restored by a GTO enthusiast and it won Best GTO at the all Pontiac 2010 Tiger Run in Bend, Oregon. If you are a GTO fan you will not want to miss this opportunity to add this example to your collection. For more information on this car click here, or if you are interested in buying or selling a collector car, please contact Stephen DIRECTLY at +1 (770) 900–5532.
