1969 Pontiac GTO Judge - Jurisprudence

Putting the power to the ground is a custom set of Rally II wheels, 16x8 inches in the front and 17x10.5 inches in the rear. They feature 4.5 inches of backspacing in the front, 6 inches in the rear, and mount P225/50ZR-16 and P255/50ZR-17s Bridgestone tires. As one would expect with the polished nature of this Goat, rubber doesn't rub the sheetmetal anywhere.

Obviously, horsepower is a big part of the equation, and Steve's Judge delivers big time. Since the original Ram Air III was long gone and a passenger-car 400 was under the hood, he felt free to build a traditional Pontiac that would live up to the Pro-Touring image without worrying about matching numbers. The engine was built by Gary Duckworth Racing Engines, and it's impressive to say the least. Based on an original Indian Adventures IA block. the engine sports a bore of 4.181 and a stroke of 4.25 inches, displacing 467 ci. Custom Ross 10.5:1-compression forged pistons are pinned to Eagle 6.800-inch forged steel rods outfitted with ARP 2000 bolts. They swing on an Eagle crank, which is held in place with splayed four-bolt main caps.

A set of Butler/Edelbrock wide-port cylinder heads were bolted on the block, and their 2.11/1.77-inch valves are operated by a custom Comp Cams mechanical roller with 315/316 degrees of advertised duration and 0.544/0.555 lift. It is ground on 110-degree centerlines. The rockers are the T&D shaft units required with the wide-port conversion. Induction chores are aptly handled by an Edelbrock Performer RPM intake and an 850 Holley, while the charge is lit by way of an MSD billet distributor with a bronze gear, an MSD 6AL and Blaster 2 coil, Pertronix wires, and Autolite plugs.

The spent gases are routed through a set of Indian Adventures headers with 1.875-inch primaries, 3-inch collectors, and a full 3-inch exhaust system featuring Flowmaster mufflers and a Dr. Gas crossover pipe. For style and durability, the entire system is ceramic coated.

The result is an engine that is virtually bulletproof and puts out a very respectable 500 hp at 5,400 rpm at the crank and 560 lb-ft of torque at 4,100. It idles smooth and plays hard without being a temperamental beast.

Rather than go with the traditional Muncie M-21 or Turbo 400, Steve opted for a Tremec TKO five-speed with a Centerforce Dual-Friction clutch with hydraulic linkage, a Hayes billet flywheel, and a Hurst shifter. Power is transferred through a custom Williams aluminum driveshaft on its way to a Moser 12-bolt rearend with 3.73 gears, limited-slip, 31-spline axles, and a C-clip eliminator kit.

The stealthy upgrading extends to the interior as well. In addition to the Parchment ACC replacement-interior kit, which restored the cabin's original luster, the gauge cluster was updated with rescreened white-gauge faces using the original font and layout. This unique modification was performed by Palo Alto Speedometer in, you guessed it, Palo Alto, California.

Similarly, another California firm, Modern Fidelity, upgraded the original AM/FM radio to current standards. It provides a thumping 100 watts to each of its four channels. Dynamat Xtreme sound-deadening material was added to the floor. One area completely upgraded to modern standards is the SFI-approved competition seatbelts. In addition to the obvious safety benefits, they add a modern touch to the vintage interior.

The idea of retaining the original appearance of the Judge was perhaps more strictly adhered to on the exterior than in other areas of the buildup. Even here though, modern technology was used to create the original look. Rather than get into a battle with OSHA or the EPA with a lacquer paint job, Steve had Roger Ferris of Showcar Specialists in St. Louis lay on a perfectly executed Carousel Red basecoat/clearcoat finish using the Spies Hecker paint system. The reproduction decals came from YearOne and round out the visual package.

As it stands, Roger was an instrumental part of the buildup program, having a major hand in all aspects, from the chassis work, to the interior, the engine build, as well as the paint. Steve says the project wouldn't have happened without Roger's invaluable input.

Steve Brazile's idea of combining vintage looks and modern performance strikes the perfect balance between today's aftermarket technology and original appearance. At a glance, the Judge appears stock. Even in a line of other Judges at a show, only the larger Rally II wheels would give it away, and it is a very subtle deviation. Best of all, nothing has been done to the Judge that couldn't be returned to stock. No blind dates with the cutting torch were made here.

For Steve Brazile, the payoff is truly the best of both worlds: a great-performing machine that pays tribute to the men who brought it to market with a splash of his own vision of what a 21st-century Judge should be. He can drive it without fear of trouble down the road, and if the resto bug ever bites him, he can return it to factory stock without any hassles.

In this case, Thomas Wolfe was wrong. You can go home again