Being first is relatively easy ; stick first is n’t . Nobody in ' 60s Detroit knew that better than Pontiac , especially when it came to muscle railcar . After all , Pontiac had created the stock in 1964 with its GTO , which within four short years faced a slew of competitors , all ready to unseat it as king of Muscle Mountain . Pontiac struck back with the fully redesigned 1968 - 1969 Pontiac GTO & Judge .
In many ways , it was the respectable yet . The pillared coupe eubstance style was gone , but convertibles and hardtop coupe come back with sporty , mesomorphic young styling dominate by bulged bodysides , tight - swill hardtop roofline , and a big bumper / grille with freshly hidden headlamps . The olfactory organ was sheathe in body - colored Endura charge card , a textile Pontiac had been playing with since 1964 , able to guard off humbled - fastness impacts without chipped pigment or dented metal . Pontiac attest its value with a goggle box commercial showing white - coated " testers " gleefully hammering a GTO ’s nose to no sick effect .
Enhancing this young appearance was the three - column inch - shorter , 112 - inch wheelbase use to all ' 68 GM intermediate two - doors ( four - doors sweep 116 inches ) . A strong new full - perimeter frame enhanced rigidness and even handling , though it conduce to curb weight some 75 Syrian pound higher than ' 67 . Engines were evolved from the former roll of 400 - cid V-8s . First come in a 350 - bhp stem unit , followed by a 360 - bhp H.O. option . To the latter could be added unexampled Ram Air II induction , basically the previous Ram Air I setup with two functional hood air intakes , as on the ' 64 GTO , instead of one .
afterward that year , a extra tunnel - embrasure engine with revised intake manifold became uncommitted , rated at 366 bhp . Last - and least – was a two - bbl " economy " V-8 , stay from ' 67 , making 265 bhp on regular gas . few than 3,300 of the nearly 88,000 GTOs built for ' 68 were so weaponed . That grand totality was 10 percent better than GTO ’s 1967 volume , and the novel styling was surely a ingredient .
Pontiac created a strong performance vehicle in the 1968 - 1969 Pontiac GTO and Judge . Read more about the car ’s brawny performance feature of speech on the next page .
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Continued
As might be ask , the 1968 - 1969 Pontiac GTO and Judge was still a cutthroat performer : Motor Trend ’s Ram Air II example clock 6.5 seconds 0 - 60 and blasted through the standing quartern - mile in 14.45 seconds at 98.2 mph . But that was little better than what the ' 64 had get by , primarily because the GTO had gained some 500 pounds in the interim . Worse , a MoPar Hemi or 427 Ford Torino could show " The large One " a clean pair of heels , all else being equal – which , admittedly , it rarely was .
Plymouth started a new game in ' 68 , the " budget muscle railway car , " and the astonishingly high sales of its impulsive Road Runner prompted rush replies from competitor for 1969 . Pontiac cash in one’s chips its own way with " The Judge , " a $ 354 option package for that year ’s gently facelifted GTO . The name echoed a bit on the pop " Laugh - In " TV show in which a judicially robed Sammy Davis , Jr. , intone " Here come da evaluator . " It also dovetailed with Pontiac advertizement portraying GTO as the final arbitrator of street public presentation .
Performance The Judge definitely had , as the package include a new 366 - bhp Ram Air III engine . Optional was an every bit new 370 - bhp Ram Air IV , also usable on other GTOs , that used a cold - line box around the carburetors , feed by twin pliant tubes lead from openings in the grille . A late - time of year ( and seldom installed ) Ram Air V option reverted to hood aspiration , but with driver - control flaps . As common , three - speed manual of arms with Hurst T - handle floorshift was standard , but connected to a 3.55:1 axle ; four - speed and Turbo Hydra - Matic were optional , as were 3.90 and 4.33 axle ratios . With just 10.1 lbs / horsepower , The Judge delivered – 0 - 60 in just over six seconds , standing tail - air mile of 14 - 14.5 bit at 98 - 105 + mph .
The outside was just as cop - baiting : psychedelic orange paint , black grille , tri - colour bodyside striping , spoked " Rally " wheels , " flower power " name decal , and a five - foot - broad decklid spoiler on three short struts . As on standard GTOs , options include power pasture brake with front disk , hood - rise tachometer , and comprehensive Rally instrumentality .
Despite its playful persona and higher standard power , The Judge happen few taker . Worse , total GTO sales skidded by over 15,000 for ' 69 . Like every muscle machine , Pontiac ’s was being slapped with taxing insurance premiums , plus more Union safety and emanation rules that threaten to blow out its fire – which they ultimately did . Thus would The Judge depart after 1971 , observe by the basic ' 68 GTO design after ' 72 , and ( belatedly ) the GTO nameplate itself after ' 74 .
Pontiac has yet to revive either Judge or GTO , and we ought to be thankful for that . Great storage should not be thin by sick latterday namesakes .
Go to the next pageboy for 1968 - 1969 Pontiac GTO and Judge engine and product specifications .
1968-1969 Pontiac GTO & Judge Specifications
The 1968 - 1969 Pontiac GTO and Judge were construct for functioning . Check out the car ’s specs below .
Specifications
Engines : ohv V-8 , 400 cid ( 4.12 × 3.75 ) , 265/350/360/366/370 bhp
Transmissions:3/4 - amphetamine manual , 3 - speed Turbo Hydra - Matic
abatement front : upper and downcast A - weapon system , ringlet spring
Suspension rear:4 - link live axle , curl springs
Brakes : front / rear drums ; optional front discs
Wheelbase ( in.):112.0
weight unit ( lbs.):3,505 - 3,590
Top speed ( mph):130 +
0 - 60 miles per hour ( sec):6.2 - 9.0
Production:1968 htp cpe 77,704 ; cvt 9,980 ; 1969 htp cpe 64,851 ; cvt 7,436 ( incl . 6725 “ Judge ” htp cpe and 108 “ Judge ” cvt )
