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“The Judge” was a GTO option, starting in 1969. The name was derived from a skit on the Laugh-In TV program (“Here come da judge, here come da judge, order in da courtroom…”). For a measly $332 bucks, you got a wing, special wheels, a stripe and decal package, a Ram Air III 400 engine, a Hurst-controlled three speed manual transmission and a heavy duty suspension. For another 63 clams, you could order a hood-mounted tachometer. Besides that option, other than badge updates, the ‘69 GTO body was the same as on the ‘68. In 1970, the GTO got a major facelift. The quad headlights were moved outside the grill surround, and the entire front end was “frenched-in.” It didn’t go over too well with the buying public, so the front end was redesigned again for 1971. The nose was elongated. They put a crease in the hood, raised it a little to separate it from the fenders, and moved the functional ram-air scoops to the front edge. “The Judge” option was dropped in 1972.
I’m impressed with how quickly GMP adjusted its 1:24 line to meet collectors’ expectations. By the time they came out with the GTO Judge convertible (right after the Buick GN), there was precious little to complain about. Now, with the release of the ’71 coupe, they fixed one more thing. If you read my review on the ’70 convertible, I complained about the front side marker lights being painted on. Not here—they’re separate plastic items. Everywhere else you look, you’ll find the same, spot-on attention to detail. To reiterate, you get visors that pivot, soft plastic seats, separate installable floor mats, removable spare tire, car-style door hinges, and tilting seat backs. The one thing that has me scratching my head though, is the fact that the brochure says the suspensions are operable. When I tested this feature—no give. If the 1:1 car had this tight a suspension, it would have a ride as compliant as a buckboard wagon! I encountered this on the convertible image as well. What gives? (The suspensions sure don’t.) This isn’t a big deal though, since the ride height is spot-on as a result. Painted in gloss black, with a black interior, this GTO Judge Coupe image has all the sinister visual impact of the Buick GN and GNX. Couple that with a set of honeycomb mag wheels and you have one kickin’ image for the display case. It sure would look great next to the GNX! As expected, GMP provides an informative booklet, with facts on the 1:1 GTO series from ’70 to ’72, as well as care and handling instructions. Again, there’s no CoA but is it really necessary? The GMP stamp on the image should be all the authentication you need. So far, GMP has been wowing me with their line of 1:24 images. But, when I look at the quality of their 1:18 line, it comes as no surprise.
“The Judge” came at the twilight of the original muscle car era. It proved to be the last gasp before the ho-hum doldrums of the ‘70s and early ‘80s. It wasn’t until the mid-eighties that the muscle car would begin to make a return. GMP has done a fine job of commemorating one of the icons of the Muscle Age. “Here come da Judge!”
(12/06/2004)
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