The classic muscle car restomod has a lot going for it including the Carousel Red paint job and inspiration from the iconic 70s machine.
In the world of muscle cars, there are some limited-edition models which carry a certain cachet over-and-above that of their slightly-less prestigious siblings, such as the Pontiac GTO Judge.
Yes, there are rarer cars like the Superbird which got built in 1920 units – but the GTO Judge would culminate in around 11,000 examples; and only a tenth of all the Pontiac GTOs from 1969 became Judges.
The Judge wasn’t a NASCAR hero like the Superbird, though now it exists as a rare, valuable icon and perhaps today’s crossover-dominated world could benefit from a little of its panache and attitude.
Luckily, HotCars digital artist Rostislav Prokop brings us a shiny new restomod concept to show the kind of direction a modern reinterpretation might swing if the Judge came back for 2023.
UPDATED FEBRUARY 2023: Let’s revisit the modern 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge which caused a storm when it first got published, which isn’t surprising. Pure performance machine like from the golden era of muscle cars are as much in vogue as ever and with EVs becoming the norm we want to save and enjoy greats like the Judge, which are appreciating in value. We check out its current values on the used market and ask what a modern equivalent to the Judge might be in 2023.
The 2023 Pontiac GTO Judge Restomod Puts Attitude Back Into Modern Muscle CarsModern 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge restomod render side profile, red
When the classic Pontiac GTO Judge muscle car returns, it will be a different world to the one it left behind following 1971, only three years after the special trim got introduced in 1969.
The Judge, a TV reference in name, was a special stripped-out trim that came with the tricolor graphics, trunk spoiler and wider, ringless wheels, including the famous Carousel Red paint that was initially standard until other colors came. Although the Judge was essentially a cheap, stripped out version of the standard GTO, it ended up costing more in a strange twist.
This 1969 GTO Judge had a maximum power output of 370 hp in the case of the Ram Air IV V8, engine sizes ranged from 6.6-liters to 7.5-liters.
In these exclusive car renders for HotCars, we can see that the iconic red paint makes a return, among other key Pontiac GTO Judge features.
Creating A Custom Pontiac GTO Judge To Take On Today’s Muscle CarsModern 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge restomod render rear 3/4, red
From the front the lights and grille get heavily inspired by the original classic car from 1969, with the black recessed headlamp sections on each side, while the silhouette is also very similar especially at the sloping rear pillar to the trunk.
The ’69 GTO render’s trunk proportions look longer however there are more features to remind us of this special car including the hood scoops, ‘The Judge’ decals and the spoiler up back.
Twin exhaust exits and those aforementioned-hood scoops confirm that it is a returning combustion engine too which seems fitting.
With Dodge’s Charger Daytona SRT Banshee lurking around the corner, General Motors could do a lot worse than bring us a new high-end muscle car to take over from the Camaro.
How Much Is The 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge In 2023?Orange 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge on the roadVia: Mecum
Alternatives to the GTO Judge include cars like the Plymouth Road Runner from which it got inspired, or the Dodge Super Bee which was all but identical to the Road Runner with some relatively minor changes.
Although it started out as a stripped-out, affordable performance machine and style statement, the Judge wasn’t cheaper than the standard GTO when it went on sale.
Nowadays, it isn’t cheap either.
According to Hagerty, the average value of a ‘good’ ’69 GTO Judge is $76,000, or $53,000 for a ‘fair’ example.
Classic.com suggests an average value of $101,000 based on auction results for 74 cars over 5 years. Compare that to around $80,000 for a ’69 Dodge Super Bee and $66,000 for a ’69 Plymouth Road Runner and the Judge looks like a good investment if you have one in the garage.
As for a modern equivalent, you could do worse than a Chevrolet Camaro LT1; from just $37,000 the car undercuts the 2023 Camaro ‘1SS’ model but still comes with the 455 hp / 455 lb-ft 6.2-liter V8, offering a relatively-cheap way into new V8 sports car ownership. It doesn’t come with the fancy decals or Carousel Red paint though, which is partly what made the Judge the enduring legend it is today.
