The Pontiac GTO Judge - A Historical Look at a Great Muscle Car

When fans debate about the best muscle cars ever, the Pontiac GTO Judge will almost certainly be part of the conversation. If you love muscle cars, then you have an opinion about the Judge!

To further that conversation, here are answers to a few frequently asked questions about this memorable muscle car, along with guidance in buying classic Pontiac GTO parts.

What was the Pontiac GTO Judge famous for?

From bright and eye-catching colors and bold decals to its powerful V-8 engine, this car demanded total respect on the road. The Pontiac GTO line, overall, is often considered to be the original muscle car, with the Judge model debuting in December 1968 in Carousel Red. Other colors were soon made available, including ones considered to be pretty unusual. For people of this era, this clearly wasn’t their grandfather’s car!

Dazzling as the Judge was, its beginnings were humble. Originally intended to be an economic choice for muscle car lovers and packaged as a $332 option for the GTO, either hardtop or convertible, additional options were available that further ramped up the vehicle and its cost.

Standard features of the Judge package included Rally II wheels without trim rings, a Ram Air III 400-cid V-8 engine, a T-shaped Hurst shifter handle, wider wheels, and an attention-grabbing rear spoiler.

The model’s name dovetailed perfectly with the pop culture of the day, with the extremely popular Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In television show providing the inspiration. This variety show regularly featured Flip Wilson, a comedian whose shtick included shouting, “Here comes da judge . . . here comes da judge . . .”

This phrase was originally crafted by another comedian, Dewey “Pigmeat” Markham—and, after Flip Wilson made it part of our daily lexicon, Sammy Davis, Jr. continued the tongue-in-cheek routine on Laugh-In. Smart Pontiac marketers, meanwhile, promoted the car through phrases like “The Judge can be bought” and “All rise for the Judge.”

What was the rarest color for a Pontiac GTO Judge?

Street Muscle Magazine gives us insight into the 1970 hues, when only 618 GTO Judges were painted Orbit Orange, a color that has been described as bright canary yellow. (Are you really surprised that this quirky car came in a shade described as orange but was really yellow?) If you thought the answer to this question might have been Mint Turquoise, then you’re close but not quite. This was the second rarest color for the 1970 GTOs, overall, with 774 of them built in this unforgettable shade audaciously paired with a red interior.

How much for a mint condition 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge in today’s prices?

As with the sale of any historic car, the value is what someone is willing to pay for it. According to ConceptCarz.com, a 1969 Pontiac GTO in “perfect” condition can go anywhere from $64,000 to $682,000.

The site also provides valuation information in another way for this 1969 treasure that’s specific to the Judge—and that’s whether it’s a convertible (only 108 built) or a hardtop (with 6,725 manufactured). Without taking into account its condition, as the first valuation did, the mean value of a 1969 Judge convertible is listed as $121,000 and a hardtop as $57,200.

Classic Pontiac Parts

Collectors Auto Supply, Inc. offers a wide range of classic Pontiac parts, including those that can be hard to find. Here, you can find GTO-specific vintage Pontiac parts—and here’s what’s currently in stock with classic Pontiac GTO parts for the Judge. 

If there’s a part you need and can’t find on our website, just contact us online and we can help you to source it. We’re car people, just like you are, and so we know how important it is to authentically repair and restore your vehicles. If you prefer to chat by phone, call us at 1-800-414-4462. We’re here to help!