The GTO was the brainchild of Pontiac engineer Russell Gee, an engine specialist; Bill Collins, a chassis engineer; and Pontiac chief engineer John DeLorean. 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. With GM's ban on factory-sponsored racing, Pontiac's young, visionary management turned its attention to emphasizing street performance.The most significant event of 1969 for the GTO was the launch of a new model called "The Judge". The Judge name came from a comedy routine, "Here Come de Judge", used repeatedly on the Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In TV show. The Judge routine, made popular by legendary showman Sammy Davis, Jr., was borrowed from the act of long-time burlesque entertainer Dewey "Pigmeat" Markham. Advertisements 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. The package was $332 more expensive than a standard GTO, and included the Ram Air III engine, Rally II wheels without trim rings, Hurst shifter (with a unique T-shaped handle), wider tires, various decals, and a rear spoiler. Pontiac claimed that the spoiler had some functional effect at higher speeds, producing a small but measurable downforce, but it was of little value at legal speeds except for style. The Judge was initially offered only in "Carousel Red", but midway into the model year a variety of other colors became available.MotoeXotica is pleased to present the beautiful 1968 Pontiac GTO Judge Clone you see pictured. This particular car is a recent recipient of a complete body off restoration, complete with new paint and interior, a fresh, rebuilt engine and many new components. Needless to say, this Goat deserved its recent 1st Place trophy at a car show! The PHS documentation shows this car to be a real GTO, just not a real "Judge."Finished in brilliant two-stage orange paint, this GTO has been professionally repainted to the highest quality and looks damn near perfect. The body is solid and straight as an arrow. The body lines are accentuated with a set of black vinyl stripe decals down each side and they look excellent. There are also "The Judge" black vinyl decals in the appropriate place on each front fender. In typical Judge fashion, the car is equipped with the classically aggressive looking Ram Air hood and rear spoiler, both of which look great. Even the underside of the car has been tended to - the undercarriage is completely refinished as well and is as beautiful as undercarriages get! As mentioned before, this is a body off restoration ... and we're hard pressed to find flaws! This is truly an incredible Judge clone! Inside, you will find that interior has also been completely replaced and is still in new condition. The front bucket seats & backseats are wrapped in black vinyl and are in excellent, new shape! There are no signs of wear or imperfections to be found. The new black carpet, black vinyl door panels and headliner are also in beautiful condition with no notable imperfections to be found. The dashboard is in excellent condition and houses original style gauges and an AM radio. The tachometer is hood mounted. Under the hood, you will find a rebuilt 400 cubic inch, high output engine with an Edelbrock Intake. Attached to the engine is a 400 Turbo automatic transmission, shifted through a His/Hers Hurst Shifter on the floor. The car has also had new rubber seals, fuel lines, brakes, wheel cylinders and lines installed during the restoration. It comes equipped with power steering and power drum brakes. The AC has also been rebuilt. The car sits up on a set of 15" 5 spoke Pontiac wheels with PMD center caps, wrapped in 225/60R15 BF Goodrich Radial TAs in the front and 245/60R15 BF Goodrich Radial TAs in the rear. This 1968 GTO Judge Clone is truly a spectacular car and is ready to go anywhere your heart desires! The full restoration has made this car into what it is today and this GTO would make an excellent addition to any car collection. The VIN is 242378P318049 and the mileage currently shows 82,019. It is being sold on a clean & clear Illinois title. GET OUT AND DRIVE!!!