We are collecting and tabulating information on the 1969-71 Pontiac Judges.
I would like to tabulate all the info for the Judges, such as how many of a color,
convertibles, Canadian built, etc. along with the general facts in the original
building of the Judge.
If you could provide any PHS's, build sheet copies, or any relevent information, it would be appreciated.
I will soon have a tabulation up and more info when available.
P.S.
If you have a rare GTO, such as the 455 HO, WW5 or RA IV GTO's, etc.
Fill out the form and it will be included.
VIN
Build Date
Engine
Transmission
Exterior Color
Interior Color
PHS copy
Build Sheet copy
Options
Pics of cowl plate
And anything else that might be applicable
UPDATE!
Of the 17 convertible Judges made in 1971, 10 of them have been registered!
Looking for any info on the remaining seven.
Thanks!
The Judge History
It is often considered the first true muscle car. From 1964 until 1973 it was closely related to
the Pontiac Tempest, but for its final year (1974) it was based on the Pontiac Ventura. The GTO was
revived in 2004, based on the Australian Holden Monaro.
The GTO was the brainchild of Pontiac engineer Russell Gee, an engine specialist, and Pontiac chief
engineer John De Lorean. Shane Wiser was the first to think of the idea of the GTO. In early 1963
General Motors management issued an edict banning divisions from involvement in auto racing. At the
time Pontiac's advertising and marketing approach was heavily based on performance, and racing was
an important component of that strategy. Wangers proposed a way to retain the performance image
that the division had cultivated with a new focus on street performance. It involved transforming
the upcoming, redesigned Tempest (which was set to revert to a conventional front-engine, front
transmission, rear-wheel drive configuration) into a "Super Tempest" with the larger 389 in³ (6.5
L) Pontiac V8 engine from the full-sized Pontiac Catalina and Bonneville in place of the standard
326 in³ (5.3 L) Tempest V8. By promoting the big-engine Tempest as a special, high-performance
model, they could appeal to the speed-minded youth market (which had also been recognized by Ford
Motor Company's Lee Iacocca, who was at that time preparing the Ford Mustang).
The name, which was DeLorean's idea, was inspired by the Ferrari 250 GTO, the highly successful
race car. It is an acronym for Gran Turismo Omologato, Italian for homologated for racing in the GT
class. The name was to draw howls of protest from outraged purists, who considered it close to
sacrilege. (American motorists have long joked that the Pontiac GTO initials stand for Gas, Tires
and Oil.)
The GTO was technically a violation of GM policy limiting the A-body intermediate line to a maximum
engine displacement of 330 in³ (5.4 L). Since the GTO was an option package, not standard
equipment, it could be considered to fall into a loophole in the policy. Pontiac General Manager
Elliot (Pete) Estes approved the new model, although sales manager Frank Bridge, who did not
believe it would find a market, insisted on limiting initial production to no more than 5,000 cars.
Had the model been a failure, Estes likely would have been reprimanded. As it turned out, it was a
great success.
1969 was the launch of a new model called 'The Judge'. The Judge name came
from a comedy routine, "Here Comes the Judge", used repeatedly on the enormously popular "Rowan &
Martin's Laugh-In TV" show. Ads used slogans like "All rise for The Judge" and "The Judge can be
bought." As originally conceived, the Judge was to be a low-cost GTO, stripped of some gimmicks to
make it competitive with the Plymouth Road Runner. During its development, however, it was decided
to make it instead the ultimate in street performance and image. The resulting package ended up
being some $337.02 more expensive than a standard GTO, and included the Ram Air III engine, styled
wheels, Hurst shifter (with a unique T-shaped handle), wider tires, various decals, and a rear
spoiler. Pontiac claimed that the latter had some functional effect at higher speeds, producing a
small but measurable down force, but it was of little value at legal speeds except for style. The
Judge was initially offered only in very loud "Carousel Red," but late in the model year a variety
of other colors became available.
The GTO had now been surpassed in sales both by the Chevrolet Chevelle SS396 and the Road Runner,
but 72,287 were sold during the 1969 model year, 6,833 of them The Judge. This is also the year
that the legendary Ram Air V was introduced, it was a special 400 block with newly designed high
compression tunnel port heads, and a special high rise intake manifold. Zero to sixty came in only
5.2 seconds, and the quarter-mile came at 11.5 sec @ 123 mph.
1969 Pontiac Judge Production Figures
1969 Judge
1969 Judge engine production
Code
Part No
Powerplant description
Hardtop
Conv.
WS
9795576
366 hp, 4-bbl, man. trans RA III
4,894
74
WW
9795577
370 hp, 4-bbl. man. trans
RA
IV
239
5
XP
9795575
370 hp, 4-bbl, auto trans RA IV
58
0
YZ
9795571
366 hp. 4-bbl, auto trans RA III
1,534
29
Judge totals:
6,725
108
1969 Judge Production
Body Style
Production
Hardtop Judge
6725
Convertible Judge
108
Total Judge
6833
Exterior Color and Codes
Color
Number Code
Letter Code
Starlight Black
10
A
Expresso Brown
61
B
Cameo White
50
C
Warwick Blue
53
D
Liberty Blue
51
E
Winward Blue
87
F
Antique Gold
65
G
Limelight Green
59
H
Castillian Bronze
89
J
Crystal Turquoise
55
K
Claret Red
86
L
Midnight Green
57
M
Burgundy
67
N
Palladium Silver
69
P
Verdoro Green
73
Q
Matador Red
52
R
Champagne
63
S
Carousel Red
72
T
Nocturne Blue
88
V
Goldenrod Yellow
76
W
Mayfair Maize
40
Y
Convertible Top Colors And Codes
Color
Code
White
1
Black
2
Dark Blue
3
Dark Green
9
Cordova Top Colors and Codes
Color
Code
Black
2
Dark Blue
3
Parchment
5
Dark Fawn
8
Dark Green
9
Interior Colors and Codes
Color
Code
Blue
250
Gold
252
Red
254
Green
256
Parchment
257
Black
258
Parchment
267*
Black
268*
Assembly Plant Codes
Code
Plant
A
Atlanta
B
Baltimore
G
Framingham
P
Pontiac
R
Arlington
Z
Fremont
1970 Pontiac Judge Production Figures
1970 Judge
1970 Judge Production
Body Style
Production
Judge Hardtop
3629
Judge Convertible
168
Total Judge
3797
1970 Judge Production
Code
Powerplant description
Hardtop
Conv.
TOTAL
WS
366 hp. 4-bbl. man. trans RA III
N/A
N/A
N/A
YZ
366 hp. 4-bbl. auto. trans RA III
N/A
N/A
N/A
WW
370 hp. 4-bbl. man. trans
RA
IV
325
12
337
XP
370 hp. 4-bbl. auto. trans RA IV
72
6 *
78
YA/YC
360 hp. 4-bbl. auto. trans 455
14
3
17
Judge totals:
3,629
168
3,797
* Some say it is 7 RA IV automatic convertibles made
Pontiac Judge Registry
