Frame Up Restored GTO Judge 400 RA III M20 4 Speed w/AC

Ever hear the old saying “That's a horse of a different color”? It's an age-old idiom popularized by Dorothy and her pals in The Wizard of Oz, and it literally means a fact or issue that shatters preconceived notions and challenges irrelevant assumptions. Here at RK Motors Charlotte we don't know much about horses, but we do know a heck of a lot about goats. And this documented 1970 Pontiac GTO Judge is literally and figuratively “a goat of a different color”. With a long list of optional equipment, which even includes factory air conditioning, it shatters the preconceived notion that muscle cars have to be big block strippers. And with its refreshing Sierra Yellow and Sandalwood color combination, it ends the irrelevant assumptions that Detroit's premier muscle car builders couldn't make anything without bathing it in neon paint. If you're in the market for an investment grade muscle car that's as much fun to drive as it is to show, there's no place like the cockpit of this extremely rare GTO!

One of only 514 L74/4-speed cars to come out of GM's Fremont, California manufacturing facility, this subdued GTO's VIN and cowl tag break down as follows.

VIN: 242370Z109954

* 2 – Pontiac
* 42 – GTO and Judge
* 37 – 2-door hardtop
* 0 – 1970 model year
* Z – Assembled at GM's Fremont, California facility
* 1 – One of the first 100,000 V8 cars produced
* 09954 – Sequence number

COWL TAG:

* 70 – 1970 model year
* 24237 – 2: Pontiac, 42: GTO and Judge, 37: 2-door hardtop
* BF – Assembled at GMs Fremont, California facility
* 02252 – Sequence number
* 257 – Sandalwood interior
* 50 – Sierra Yellow lower paint
* 50 – Sierra Yellow upper paint
* 10B – Assembled during the second week of October, 1969
* 132773 – Facility sequence code
* 420311 – Facility sequence code

Naturally a muscle car of this caliber comes with substantial provenance. Two of the items included with this car's sale are original build sheets which highlight the following optional equipment.

* A01: Tinted windows
* A51: Bucket seats
* B30: Carpet
* B50: Foam front seat cushions
* B80: Roof drip moldings
* C24: Recessed wipers
* C60: Air conditioning
* D10: Armrest ash trays
* D80: Decklid spoiler
* GU5: 3.23 axle ratio
* JL1: Custom pedal trim
* JL2: Power front disc brakes
* J50: Power brakes
* L74: 400 cubic inch Ram Air III V8
* M20: 4-speed transmission
* N10: Dual exhaust
* N30: Deluxe steering wheel
* N41: Power steering
* N98: Rally II wheels
* PK5: G70x14 white letter tires
* T42: Ram Air hood
* UA1: Heavy duty battery
* UB5: Hood tachometer
* U05: Dual horns
* U27: Glove box lamp
* U28: Ash tray lamp
* U63: Pushbutton radio
* WT1: GTO performance group
* Y96: Firm ride group
* XXX: Customer order

The beneficiary of a highly detailed, frame-off restoration that's so fresh you can almost smell its clearcoat, this super slick '70 GTO wears correct GM code 50 Sierra Yellow urethane under vibrant yellow, white and green Judge decals. Back in 1969 the car was custom ordered through Quebedeaux Pontiac in Tucson, Arizona, where it was optioned with almost every luxury Pontiac had on its order sheets; and currently, it sits as an exclusive collector piece that features factory air conditioning and a rare color combination. Sight down the sides of its spectacular body and you'll find straight panels that display better than factory fit, and solid doors which open and close effortlessly. On top of those panels, a deep and rich two-stage finish has been sanded and buffed to an eye-popping shine and displays no sign of orange peel, waviness or any major defects anywhere. And overall, the car presents as one clean, lust-worthy classic that looks great idling through the show field or hammering down the highway!

By 1970 Pontiac had pretty much perfected its revolutionary performance car both mechanically and aesthetically. At the front of its body, a highly renowned Endura bumper hangs narrowed 'kidney' grilles and a pristine white “GTO” emblem between four chrome-seated halogen headlights, ornate parking lights and a small black chin spoiler. Behind those grilles, a fully-functional Ram Air hood incorporates satin black Pontiac 'twin nostrils' in front of an optional tachometer, recessed windshield wipers and like-new glass that's framed by excellent stainless trim. Below those nostrils, expressive 'coke bottle' fenders are highlighted by a correct chrome driver's mirror, traditional chrome door handles, dent-free wheel well trim and stainless rocker moldings that add just the right amount of flash to a pale yellow profile. And at the back of the car's body, a massive GTO decklid spoiler floats above clear tail lights, a pristine chrome bumper and spotless quad-outlet exhaust tips.

Pop the hood on this awesome GTO and you'll find an original 400 cubic inch Pontiac V8 that's branded with a 9799914 casting number, a Ram Air III exclusive “WS” engine stamp and a matching 109954 partial VIN. Turning stout 10.8 to 1 compression into 365 horsepower and 455 lb./ft. of torque, this fully rebuilt and completely blueprinted powerhouse utilizes original open chamber heads, Ferrea valves, Competition rocker arms, a Competition cam and forged TRW pistons to provide the legendary Pontiac performance we all know and love. At the top of the storied mill, a hand-operated Ram Air system funnels wind into a correct 4-barrel Quadrajet carburetor that's bolted beneath a traditional satin black air cleaner. At the back of that carburetor, a correct points distributor sends fire though fresh Packard TV R Suppression wires that snake around fully restored, cast iron exhaust manifolds. In front of those wires, a traditional heavy duty radiator holds a correct fan shroud between reproduction GM hoses, familiar tower clamps and a standard issue seven-blade fan. And below those hoses, a heavy duty oil pump makes sure explosive combustion is met with plenty of heat-quelling lubrication. The big Pontiac block displays a slick coat of Turquoise paint from its intake all the way to its oil pan. The car's fenders, firewall and hood are covered in a smooth coat of GM satin black paint. And niceties such as a bright yellow carburetor spring, mirror-like valve covers, a Delco Moraine brake booster, a reproduction Delco Energizer battery, and even correct Harrison air conditioning hardware can be found in all the right places.

Drive this GTO up on a lift and you'll really begin to appreciate the amount of time spent on its frame-off restoration. Clean satin black floors, which appear to be original, ride above a super clean frame that's held together with new stainless hardware. Traveling up and down those floors is fresh stainless fuel and brake lines that run to either a new stainless fuel tank or correct power front disc and rear drum brakes. In the middle of the chassis a correct Muncie M20 4-speed sends power through a fresh driveshaft to a fully restored and freshly marked 10 bolt rear end. The car's original Firm Ride double A-arm front and four link rear suspension has been completely restored to factory specifications and features correct variable ratio power steering, new spiral shocks and correct GTO sway bars. An aluminized true dual exhaust system lines up with factory replacement mufflers to create one of the toughest exhaust notes in the classic car hobby. And at the corners of the car, black and silver 14 inch Pontiac Rally II wheels spin modern 205/70 Goodyear Wingfoot APs around red-lettered “PMD” center caps.

Take a look inside this A-Body's airy cockpit and you'll find a correct GM code 257 Sandalwood vinyl interior which conveys a level of luxury and detail that's traditionally absent from 70s muscle machines. At the front of the car, a straight and crack-free Sandalwood dash wears awesome looking engine turned trim below bright wood applique and original gauges. At the bottom of that dash, you'll find a knob to actuate the car's Ram Air system; in the middle of that dash, you'll find a correct Delco radio; and on the passenger's side of that dash, you'll find a correct “The Judge” emblem which features a signature Orbit Orange outline. At the center of the car, a chrome Hurst shifter rides between fully restored and stainless-trimmed Sandalwood bucket seats. At the sides of those seats, good looking Sandalwood door panels, which are set of by correct stainless trim and correct red-inlayed “GTO” emblems, feature new chrome hardware for both their latches and cranks. Below that hardware, fresh carpet runs from under the car's chrome trimmed foot pedals to its plush rear bench. In front of the driver, a correct Formula steering wheel features correct satin-finished spokes. And behind the passengers, a fully restored trunk features a correct mat and a full-size spare tire.

Included with this sale of this supremely cool Judge is two original build sheets, a small stack of Pontiac Historic Services documents, a specs sheet for the car's rebuilt engine, a replica window sticker and a few hand-written GTO stats.

This is definitely one of the nicest and coolest GTOs we've ever featured, and most folks who love muscle cars will agree that 1970 is a high-water mark in terms of styling, performance and exclusivity. With its detailed restoration and numbers matching V8 engine, nothing will interfere with this car being both a weapon on the street and a winner in the show field!