Up front, a new Endura bumper design was incorporated,
loosely resembling the nose of the ’69 Firebird. It was more rounded though,
and lacked the chrome insert. The headlamps were now outside the confines of
the grille, eliminating the hideaway option, which looked great, but had its
problems with long-term functionality. The turn signals used for ’69 were
retained, though the cornering lamps were changed to a design similar to the
optional cornering lamps used the year before.
This ’70 Judge
print ad showed that even when pushed by upper management to refrain from
overly aggressive images, Pontiac still found a way to show its swagger. The ad
came off as a little on the arrogant side, but in this context, it really
worked. This was a car Pontiac was proud of and the company wanted everyone to
know it
The front fenders and rear quarters were redesigned and
featured eyebrow contours, a feature that was seen earlier on the ’69 Firebird.
The eyebrows ran horizontally the entire length of the front fenders and into
the door skins. They then picked up again at the leading edge of the rear
quarter and ran all the way to the rear bumper. The rear-bumper and tail lamp
design wrapped around into the rear quarter panel and eliminated the need for
rear-quarter marker lamps.
New for ’70, a
dual-pedestal rear spoiler design was a vast improvement in operation, as the
’69 Judge spoilers actually caused lift, which was the exact opposite of their
intended function. The new design was standard on Judges and optional on other
GTOs.
The ’70 GTO’s freshened look was very successful. It gave
the muscle car a more squared-off and aggressive appearance, and today it is
regarded by many enthusiasts as one of the cleanest and most attractive designs
in all of muscle-car history.
Inside, the GTO was treated to its third instrument-cluster
update in three years, with a new 140-mph speedometer and a new wood applique.
A new padded Formula steering wheel joined the lineup and revised door panel
and sear upholstery were used. The basic interior dimensions and functionality
remained from the ’68 (Gen II) redesign.
Mechanical Changes
The majority of the ’70 GTO engine lineup was retained from
the previous year, including the base 350hp 400/four-barrel, 366hp 400 Ram Air
III, and top dog, 370hp Ram Air IV. The low compression 400/two-barrel was
dropped from the lineup.
On the plus side, a new 455ci version of the Pontiac V-8
became available. It was a bored and stroked version of the large-journal 428,
with a 4.15-inch bore and a 4.21-inch stroke. Though it was called the 455
H.O., it was essentially the same engine that was offered in the full-size
models that year and was not a true high performance engine, though it was
available with Ram Air. It would prove to be the only year the 455 was
available as a high-compression engine.
The ’70 GTO could
be had with ’69 Judge stripes, even if the car was not ordered as a Judge. The
option was called the Code-422 Accent Stripe.
The new 455 produced a respectable 360 hp at 4,600 rpm and a
whopping 500 ft-lb of torque at 3,100. This made for a great street engine,
especially with the rising curb weights, numerically lower final-drive ratios,
and luxury options, such as air conditioning. To help counter the added torque,
GTOs ordered with the 455 received the stronger GM 12-bolt rear end. Had
Pontiac built a 455 with a Ram Air IV top end and camshaft, it would have been
one of the muscle car era’s all-time greats, but the climate did not allow for
the business case to be made (warranty fears). Ironically Chevrolet released
their powerhouse LS-5 and LS-6 Chevelles that same model year.
