The nameplate that kickstarted the muscle car segment, the Pontiac GTO, is the kind of classic you'd expect to see in museums and car shows. Unfortunately, as of 2024, many of these "Goats" are still rotting away in junkyards and barns. This 1969 example is one of the unlucky ones.
Documented by barn find enthusiast Ryan Brutt, this late-1960s GTO is spending its retirement in a junkyard hidden away somewhere in Michigan. It was retired from public roads decades ago, and the current owner reportedly saved it from the crusher. But as cool as that sounds, the GTO wasn't brought back to life. It simply changed junkyards, and it's now sitting atop another 1969 GTO.
To say that the coupe is in rough condition is an understatement. This "Goat" had its nose smashed before it was parked, and it has since amassed a collection of rust holes. It's also missing quite a few bits and pieces, including the drivetrain. And that's a shame because this Poncho is not your run-of-the-mill GTO.
As you might have already guessed from the decal traces on the sides, this GTO was born as a Judge model. Introduced for the 1969 model year, the Judge was developed as a low-cost GTO in response to the highly popular Plymouth Road Runner. The latter slotted under the GTX as the brand's most affordable muscle car.
The name was sourced from a comedy routine, and Pontiac advertised the car with slogans like "All rise for the Judge" and "The Judge can be bought." The Judge arrived in showrooms with a unique stripe package, but it did not pose a threat to the Road Runner.
While the Mopar went viral and moved more than 80,000 units in 1969, the Judge did not even hit the 10K-unit mark. Of the 72,287 GTOs delivered that year, only 6,833 rolled off the assembly line with the Judge package. Sales dropped to 3,959 units in 1970 and just 374 examples in 1971, the Judge's final year on the market.
All told this GTO is a relatively rare Pontiac, but it may be too far gone to be worth saving. Sure, restoring it as a labor of love would make sense, but not if you want to get your money back by selling it afterward. The same goes for the non-Judge example sitting under the Carousel Red coupe.
The GTOs share the junkyard with tens of classics in similar conditions. While some of these rigs aren't exactly noteworthy, the yard is also home to a 1965 Odsmobile 442 and a pair of first-generation Chevrolet Camaros. If you're a fan of late-1970s Pontiac Trans Ams, you'll also spot a few of them. Sadly, it appears that none of these vehicles will get a second chance at life anytime soon.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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