Pontiac GTO Judge Convertible. * 1 of 29 Automatic Judge Convertibles ever made
* One of -- if not the -- Earliest GTO Judge Convertibles Built
* One of Only 108 GTO Judge Convertibles Produced
* Stunning and Fresh Restoration and Color Combination*
Only Test Miles Since Completion of Restoration Work 400 cid Ram Air III V-8 engine, single Rochester four-barrel
carburetor, 366 HP, GM M40 Turbo-Hydramatic three-speed automatic transmission, independent front suspension with
unequal-length A-arms and coil springs, live rear axle with four-link suspension and coil springs, and four-wheel
hydraulic brakes; wheelbase: 112" Just in case the owners of competing muscle cars began thinking Pontiac's
groundbreaking GTO was getting soft in the middle by 1968, the folks at Pontiac reminded them on December 18th of
that year that the GTO's performance and image were indeed alive and well. That reminder came with the release of
"The Judge," an unrestrained performance GTO with an irreverent attitude and marketing to match, with famous
taglines including "All Rise for The Judge" and the infamous line, "The Judge can be bought." While the Code WT1
Judge Option package added $337 to the standard GTO sticker price, it packed plenty of value. For starters, the
standard Judge engine was Pontiac's 400 cubic-inch Ram Air III high-performance engine with 366 factory-rated
horsepower. Dual functional hood scoops fed fresh, cool air into the deep-breathing RA II engine, with the air
intakes opened and closed as necessary with a push-pull cable actuated by a button marked "Ram Air" underneath the
dash panel. A 60-inch wide wing graced the rear deck and the GTO's innovative body-color, flexible Endura front
bumper surrounded a sinister blacked-out twin-element grille with optional retractable headlight covers. The
outrageous Carousel Red finish was topped by flashy body side graphic accent stripes and accented by a set of
silver-painted Rally II wheels devoid of bright trim rings surrounded by fiberglass-belted tires. Higher-rate
springs and recalibrated shocks brought handling and road holding up to the same standards as the engine's
performance, which propelled the car to easy 14-second quarter-mile times in bone-stock form. Only 6,725 Judge
hardtops and 108 convertibles were built for 1969 and their reputation has remained intact -- and impressive --
ever since. The survival rate of these road rockets has been quite small; however, the outstanding performance and
massive charisma of The Judge -- not to forget the visual impact of its flashy graphics -- have made it a longtime
favorite of performance-car fanatics. This 1969 GTO Judge is even more desirable as one of, if not the, first
examples of the GTO Judge Convertible produced. According to a copy of the original dealer invoice provided by
Pontiac Historical Services, which is included with the sale of this vehicle, this GTO Judge was shipped on March
25, 1969, and invoiced on March 31, 1969, to Queen City Pontiac in Plainfield, New Jersey. In addition to the Judge
package, the car was built to run, having been equipped new with only the M40 high-performance Turbo-Hydramatic 400
automatic transmission, power steering, and a pushbutton radio. As equipped, the car carried a suggested retail
price of $4,188.72. The current owner acquired The Judge from the prior owner of 30 years and then commissioned its
total restoration by Acceleration Restoration, which was recently completed in 2014. Power is provided by a
correct, date-coded "YZ" engine block and the transmission and rear end are understood to be original to the car.
Exceptional detailing defines this stunning restoration, from the sleek "coke bottle" bodylines to the eye-popping
Carousel Red paint finish, black interior, and impeccably finished and detailed Ram Air III engine and surrounding
engine bay. Historically significant as the launch of an icon, exceedingly rare with limited test miles on a recent
impressive restoration, usher this Judge into the select chambers of muscle car royalty.
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