[pontiac_banshee]

Last seen or heard of going from Minneapolis to somewhere in WI.

It was not stock: It was Carosel Red with white interior and had the following items:

1970 Judge Stripes
1971 Mirrors
Could of had aftermarket Fiberglass hood with 427 Corvette Scoop
12 bolt with ladder bars
Gas tank had rear sump welded to it
Rear window louvers (custom made)
455 HO from 71 Trans Am
Hooker Headers with Moroso Vac kit
Ladder bars
4 Point roll cage
Tach drive distributor with tach mounted to dash near vents
70 Front Spoiler
Cragar S/S
Not sure what it had for intake or carb as I sold it with tunnel ram and dual hollys



Sold in 82 or so to young guy in Minneapolis area and last heard it was sold to guy in WI.

I came close to surgery many a time from kicking myself for selling it. Would like to know if it is alive and well out there.

[GTO JOHN]

I may have the hood and air cleaners off the tunnel ram. I'll ask the guy who sold me these parts where he got them.

[pontiac_banshee]

WOW THAT IS SO COOL. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT IS THE HOOD!


FYI - That hood is very rare. 1 of 2 made by AA Fiberglass. Bought it late 70's from someone who (cant remember) was a big time Pontiac guy. If I remember the story it was made for Pontiac (not sure at what level). The hood used to be closed (see pic) and I had it cut open and then modified for the tunnel. THe pictures are from the late 70's.

The guys that bought my car forgot to put the hood clips on and it took a ride. Is there damage to the hinge area or ??????

As far as the tunnel ram the story was the guy that bought it brought it to a shop for a tune up and the shop told him the intake and carbs were the problem and traded him straight up for a cast iron intake and quadrajet. Just what I was told by old owner a long time ago. I got a call and he was mad about the tunnel ram.

[pontiac_banshee]

Man I cant tell you how cool it is to see that picture. You always wonder what happened to your old loved toys. Early 80's I had a hard time selling this car for what I wanted as there was no market. The guy that bought it was not that old and he gave me gold chains as a down payment until I brought the car down to him in the twin cities. He was italian and I went down with an power steering setup for it (installed it there) and got paid bought was also treated to one of the best meals I have ever had. With more food than I had ever seen.

I was in contact with the owner and his brother later and about 2 to 3 years after I sold it there was an issue with the engine (a piece of loose metal or so I was told) and the guy that bought it was very mad that something happened to it. This was after the intake swap so I have no idea what might have been the problem.

The car made it onto the "readers" page of Pontiac Magazine and two weeks after I sold it I got a letter from them with instructions as they wanted to do a feature article on it.

It was the same time that Car Craft was doing their "Crusin USA" where they traveled all over the county freature cars. At that time I was the President and founder of Twin Ports Street Machines and were were assocaited with Minnesota Street Machines. Car Craft was going to do a night shoot in Duluth MN with one car from Superior WI, one from Minnesota and one from Canada (there was some members of Minn Street Machine from Thunder Bay. The Car Craft crew picked a really great spot by a historic lift bridge in Duluth MN for the shoot. They started by taking Poloroid shots of all three cars and a short time later the head photographer came over to me and took me aside. Seems that while taking the temp shots he noticed the stripping (70 Judge stripes) were refelective and he couldnt use my car in the shoot. I was devestated and to make maters even worse I got a letter from Car Craft a month after I sold the car with a list of things to do (using slides to take pictures) to get them pictures of the car for a feature in Car Craft. Man that was a rough part of my life

THANKS PYI for having the forum where I can get a bit of the past shown to me.


P.S. For anyone that wonders "Sunarise" is a song from Alice Cooper from the 70's

[muscle_collector]

at first look, the stripes didnt do much for me, but after looking at it more and more, i really like the 70 stripes better than the 69's. that set up is so period cool it kills me. i think i would enjoy a car like that better than a bone stock restored original.

[muscle_collector]

pontiac banshee, you need to start a thread on this car in the judge section and post the pics.

[pontiac_banshee]

You know I got a ribbing from Jim Wagners when I had him sign my large poster size picture of this. He called it "sort of" Judge.

Back then there was no one given you crap because you were building something that wasnt "pontiacly Correct"

It was all about what you wanted and I did just that. I am building my 68 Firebird exactly like I built this one.

Roll bar is going in it this week along with a CE rear shock mount for a set of coil overload shocks. I have never wanted it too look like anyone elses car.

Anything I could find that I liked that was not standard I did.

You dont think I will get allot of guys ticked about a "sort of" Judge in he section?

[muscle_collector]

first, who gives a crap if jim doesnt like it. there is alot of stuff about him that i would imagine alot of people dont like either.

as for the car, anyone who was at least a teenager back then will appreciate your taste. we used to go to car craft street machine nats every year back then and that car would have fit right in with probably the majority of them there. those were great times.

[pontiac_banshee]

Just received an email with some interesting information about the hood on my old Judge. Playing Shelock Holmes paid off. I got this back from an associate of Jim Wangers:

This is from Jim Wangers…

...this was an aftermarket presentation made to Pontiac in 1968. Because it was a Corvette styled scoop combined with a LeMans hood it was rejected. It also seriously compromised the air flow since that already was a "dead" area of the hood.


Looks like it was a part of the GTO history that didnt make it in the light. Love to know what happened to the 2nd hood?????? I also wish I knew who I purchased it from. Still looking!!

Going to post pics and information in the Judge sections soon.

THanks for all that responded.

[goatman65]

Originally Posted by muscle_collector

first, who gives a crap if jim doesnt like it. there is alot of stuff about him that i would imagine alot of people dont like either.

as for the car, anyone who was at least a teenager back then will appreciate your taste. we used to go to car craft street machine nats every year back then and that car would have fit right in with probably the majority of them there. those were great times.

I'd rather have it than that 'new' ghetto cruiser Judge that has Jim's name on it.

[pontiac_banshee]

The company that made the (Wangers) car went belly up, they were from Green Bay WI. The car was at the Pierce Park car show in Appleton WI a few rows back and not at all in the limelight.

Still no luck on my car and what happened to it. Hope it was wrecked. The hood is the only part I have found. I would thing the tunnel ram would have made it into the future.

PS it has a custom made read gas tank sump on it. Looks like the summit racing one but made back in the 70's

[pontiac_banshee]

All I found so far was the hood on this car. Must be in Central MN or Central WI. Any help would be appreciated

[GTO JOHN]

You don't know the car VIN do you? A title search may turn up something...

The guy I got the hood from still has not talked to the guy he got it from. So no news about the fate of the car yet. Evidently the car was up near Detroit Lakes, MN in the early '90s.

[Ron Landis]

if this story is in fact true, looks to be the one Chuck got with his Ray Faro RA IV/V Judge which is a GM program car with radio and sound deadener delete. Car had this same hood and a chrome bumper. Chime in, Chuck! Car went through Leader Automotive...which involved George DeLorean. Might be interesting. Ron

[pontiac_banshee]

If that car had the same type hood it must have been the second one. I got mine late 1970 and it was not painted it was brand new gel coat. The story about the hood came directly from Jim Wagners camp so I am sure it is true.

Back then there was nothing to "Hot Rodding" your cars and taking them away from original. There was know internet just flyers and magazines. If I remember right I found the seller of this hood in a small flyer but not even sure of what the name was.

I have pics of the hood before the "cutting" for the tunnel ram. Like I said before I could see that allot of money (back then) was put into these and they were higher quality than corvette parts.

I am going to try to find out if these were going to be part of the original judge package or what their intentions were back then. I would think Pontiac was the ones who were reaching out.
THis was part of my history so I am very intersted in finding out.

[pontiac_banshee]

I have contacted Jim Wangers representative to see if he can clarify why this hood (or hoods) were in existence. If it was presented to Pontiac in 1968 was it at Pontiac's request? Was it being looked at for the Judge in 69 or 70. GTO John could have a very important piece of Pontiac history! Actually he does but as Paul Harvey once said "thats the rest of the story" and I hope I can find out what that story is.

[68lemansman]

I love stories like this. It would be so awsome if this car actually shows up and is still a running car. Hope you guys get in contact with the guy who originally had the hood must know where the car is or have an idea. Keep us posted !!!!!!!!!!! and good luck!

[pontiac_banshee]

The problem is that the Hood and the tunnel ram where two things that set it apart and they are both gone off the car. I am still looking for a VIN but no luck. There are 4 things that would have been custom on the car and I have attached pictures of 1 &2 below.

1) There was a mechanical tach that came up through the speaker area and the mount was handmade and custom.
2.) The gas tank had a custom sump and filter was right beside it. This is not a sheet metal sump as the metal was much thicker than that. Again custom build.
3.) It had a 4 point roll bar in the car. It was a bolt in and what brings us to number 4
4.) The rear bottom seat had been modified to accept the rear tubes of the roll bar. The seat was cut and an upholster made the holes.

[pontiac_banshee]

I guess #5 was there and I didnt think about it. The louvers in the rear windows were also hand made custom unit.
So these things all would have set it apart from other GTO's and hopefully someone has seen it. It was RUST FREE so I hope someone took good care of it. Wisconsin and Minnesota arent know for keeping cars rust free.

One last thing is that it had twin trunk mounted batterries in it. THe other thing was a washer pump that had hoses running to each tire wheelwell. Made doing what is in picture 3 so easy!!!! Turn on the water hit the linelock and go. Used to do this at street corners and freaked people out.

Remeber this was the late 70's

[cuz68]

I hope you find it, How much money did you let it go for? And why sale it? If you dont mind me asking. I DO hope that you can get it back, Good luck.