1970 GTO & 1970 GTO Judge
For the 1970 model year the GTO took on a whole new look. Styling changes included a total Endura nosepiece with split oval grilles and dual headlamp housings (this new design eliminated the optional hide-away headlamps), creased body sides, a different rear-bumper and taillamps, and exhaust pipes that exited through a valance panel under the rear bumper. The hood-mounted tachometer and the Rally II wheels remained as available options.
The base engine for the 1970 GTO was a four-barrel carbureted 400 rated at 350 hp. Other available engines were the 400 cubic inch Ram Air III and 400 cubic inch Ram Air IV. The Ram Air III was rated at 366 hp and the Ram Air IV was rated at 370 hp. With GM finally lifting the 400 cubic inch corporate engine limit for the intermediate-size cars, new to the 1970 GTO option list was a 455 cubic inch engine rated at 360 hp.
The Judge option was once again available with functional Ram Air hoodscoops, a rear-deck spoiler, stripes, and “The Judge” decals.
The standard engine for The Judge was the 400 cubic inch Ram Air III while the 400 cubic inch Ram Air IV engine was an option. The functional hoodscoops were labeled with “Ram Air” decals for the Ram Air III cars and “Ram Air IV” decals for the Ram Air IV cars. Late in the model year, the 455 was made available in the Judge.
1970 GTO Production Numbers:
32,737 Hardtops
3,629 Convertibles
3,615 Judge Hardtops
168 Judge Convertibles
Total Production: 40,149
1970 GTO Hardtop
1970 GTO Convertible
1970 GTO Judge Hardtop
1970 GTO Judge Convertible (Photo courtesy cars-on-line.com)
Hi….I’m the new owner of a 1970 GTO Convertible that I bought in Atlanta and shipped to British Columbia. Wow what a car!! I love it.
Is there information somewhere so that I can find out how many of these convertibles came from the factory with a hood tach?
Thanks,
Tom
I see a subtitle under the “GTO” on the fender of the Red 1970 convertible. What does it say? What are the spec’s on that car?
The subtitle under the “GTO” on the fender of the red 1970 convertible is “455 CID”. This car is one of only 158 1970 Convertible GTOs with the 455 engine and 4-speed transmission combination.
I have a 70 convertible with 455ho and 4-speed im starting to restore.
Very cool!
We’re there any 1970 gto’s ordered in orbit orange, not including Judge’s
It’s our understanding that Orbit Orange was a Judge only color in 1970. According to ultimategto.com, our understanding is correct (http://ultimategto.com/cgi-bin/statsexplorer.cgi?year=1970&f1=style+popgto+clrpaint+dtmatrix+vinmatrix+dataplate+price)
https://www.hemmings.com/blog/article/1970-pontiac-gto-judge-2/
“According to Jim Mattison of PHS Automotive Services Inc. (www.phs-online.com), Orbit Orange could also be special ordered on non-Judge GTOs.”
I have two 70 judges to restore, one tripple black, the other red, was a police car, both are basket cases, Black one numbers maching, red one missing transmisson, block, wan info on how many tripple black one with 4 speed and ac??
Hi Tom, thanks for visiting our website! You have a great and very specific question that we don’t have an immediate answer to. Our recommendations are to contact Pontiac Historic Services (http://www.phs-online.com/) and/or browse the http://www.gtoheaven.com/gtostats/gtostats.html website.
How many 1970 Judges were made with a 455 engine, convertible, air, and every other option available? I have heard only 3 were made. Is that true?
Thanks
I’m afraid we don’t have the answer to your question. You would most likely need to contact Pontiac Historic Services (http://www.phs-online.com/) to get that kind of detailed breakdown.
17 1970 Judges were built with the 455, 14 hardtops and 3 convertibles. All 17 were automatics.
See http://www.judgeregistry.com for more info on Judge production numbers.
I would like to know how many 1970 gto with 455ho ram air /cooler air induction were made. Thanks
According to http://www.drivinithome.com/gto-production-numbers/ and https://www.gtoheaven.com/gtostats/70gto.html, there were a total of 4,446 1970 GTOs built with the 455 engine. According to posts in https://www.gtoforum.com/threads/1970-gto-455-ram-air.122490/, there wasn’t an official Ram Air (or cooler air induction as you’ve called it) 455 in 1970, but the Ram Air hood scoops on a 455 was an extra-cost option. We haven’t found any production numbers for 1970 455 GTOs optioned with the Ram Air hood scoops, so we recommend checking with Pontiac Historic Services (http://www.phs-online.com/) to see if they have records of that number.
How many 1970 gto 455 ho hard tops came out of the factory with a hood mounted tach.
Hi Randy, thanks for visiting our website! I’m afraid we don’t have the answer to your question. You would most likely need to contact Pontiac Historic Services (http://www.phs-online.com/) to get that kind of detailed breakdown.
Just wondering how many granada gold 70s were built and maybe I could have the first one build date the 4th week in september 1970
Hi Tom, thanks for visiting our website! I apologize for the very late response, but I just now saw your comment again while reviewing and responding to another comment that came in yesterday. According to a forum I just glanced at (http://www.forums.maxperformanceinc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=546577) there were 4,664 Granada Gold 1970 GTOs built. I don’t know the source of the forum poster’s 1970 GTO color production numbers, so I don’t know whether or not this is accurate. If your car was built in the 4th week of September 1969, then you may have one of the first 1970 GTOs built with that color, but if it was built the 4th week of September 1970 (as you said in your comment), it would be one of the last ones.
Hey Tom
I have a orginal Granada Gold 70 GTO Convertible, with factory air, automatic that was production #62. Built 4th week of July,69.
PHS documented. So I have you beat by 2 months. Lol
Car is now polar white. I didnt change the paint, the 2nd owner did.
Code on tue rear bumper confirms build date also. Last 5 digits on Vin# is the sequential build number. Mine is 00062. I know of 2 other Granada Gold cars, one built before mine and one right after. Both Judges
Hope this helps
Rich
Sorry Tom I misread your post.as Dan stated, if yours was built in Sept 70, then yes, you probably have one of the last ones. Double check the date. Because usually they started the new model years production in July of previous year. Now the GM strike in 1970 may had something to do with your “late” 1970 production date of your 1970 car.
How many convertables were built in 1970…that had all the options for a 1970 JUDGE.. but were ONLY BADGED AS A GTO..
Hi Terry, thanks for visiting our website! I’m afraid we don’t have an immediate answer to your question. You would most likely need to contact Pontiac Historic Services (http://www.phs-online.com/) to get that kind of detailed breakdown.
Curious how many have seen a 1970 GTO with an electric rear window defrost
My late father ordered a new 1970 GTO in 1970. I believe it was a Ram Air IV, but he bought new car every couple of years to make into a race car and I was nine years old at the time. He paid the deposit, but later was told that whatever engine it was he ordered was no longer available. He worked at the Pontiac dealer as a mechanic and some time had gone by before he was told the engine option he ordered was no longer available. Well he,the dealer and somebody at Pontiac discussed it and Pontiac agreed to assemble a 1970 GTO with that discontinued engine for him. Do you know production dates for 1970 GTO engines? Was one engine option discontinued before the end of the model year? I belive the Ram Air IV was still available in the Firebird, but his GTO might have been the last one assembled with the discontinued engine option.
Hi Keith, thanks for visiting our website! The story you’ve shared is interesting and I’d like to know more about it myself. Unfortunately, I do not know the actual production dates for the 1970 GTO engines and I am not aware of any of the engine options being discontinued before the end of the model year. I’ve done some searching myself, but I haven’t turned up anything different or anymore details than what I’ve already shared in our post here. The only engine option change occurring during the course of the model year that I’m aware of is that the 455 became an option for the Judge model late in the model year. You may want to try reaching out to Pontiac Historic Services (http://www.phs-online.com/) since they may have records of the car your dad ordered/owned.
Was curious if anywhere on the PHS documents would say what color of decals were on my 1970 Cardinal Red convertible. White top, black interior.
Hi Jeff, thanks for visiting our website! We’re not sure whether or not the Pontiac Historic Services documents specify the decal colors (that would be a question for them), but one of our members responded to your comment with the following:
“Two different sources I found show code 75/R – Cardinal Red would get – Yellow/Red/Black.
http://ultimategto.com/cgi-bin/statsexplorer.cgi?year=1970&f1=clrjudge
This may not apply to a special ordered car, however.
The original build sheet may tell you for sure if you have it.”
I had a 70 convertible red on red white top 4 speed Hurst posie traction no power brake or power steering a true muscle car
Nice!!!
My 1970 GTO has a documented Ram Air 3. On the invoice it has everything a Judge comes with, but no Judge package on the invoice?
Did people order the car with Ram Air and declined the Judge decal.
Hi Wally, thanks for visiting our website! I don’t have an answer to your question, but I do recommend that you contact Pontiac Historic Services with the VIN and they may be able to answer your question. http://www.phs-online.com/