1970 Pontiac GTO Commercial
1970 Pontiac GTO Humbler
He pulls into the drive-in restaurant in his new GTO Humbler and slowly cruises the parking lot. He pulls the knob to activate the vacuum operated exhaust releasing the rumble of that big Pontiac V8 Engine. He then leaves the drive-in after failing to find a street racing opponent.
“Pontiac We take Fun of driving serious”
Pontiac Humbler Vacuum Operated Exhaust Nob
A new and short-lived option for 1970 was the vacuum operated exhaust (VOE), which was vacuum actuated via an under-dash lever marked “exhaust”. The VOE was designed to reduce exhaust backpressure and to increase power and performance, but it also substantially increased exhaust noise. The VOE option was offered from November 1969 to January 1970. Pontiac management was ordered to cancel the VOE option by GM’s upper management following a TV commercial for the GTO that aired during Super Bowl IV on CBS January 11, 1970.
In that commercial, entitled the “Humbler”, which was broadcasted only that one time. a young man pulled up in a new GTO to a drive-in restaurant with dramatic music and exhaust noise in the background, pulling the “exhaust” knob to activate the VOE and then left the drive-in after failing to find a street racing opponent. That particular commercial was also cancelled by order of GM management. This GTO in the commercial was “Palladium” silver with a black bucket interior. It was unusual in several respects as it also had the under-dash “Ram Air” knob just to the right of the VOE knob, and it sported “’69 Judge” stripes, as a few very-early ’70 GTOs could be ordered with. It also had a Turbo Hydra-matic transmission, remote mirror, Rally II wheels, A/C, hood tach, and a new-for-1970 Formula steering wheel.
400-4 30,549
400 RA III 4,644
400 RA IV 804
455 HO 4,146
Approximately 233 1970 GTOs were factory built with VOE option including 212 hardtop coupes and 21 convertibles
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Glad I backed up to play video. I've seen commercial a few times, never saw the VOE option details. I thought he had leaned to open Ram Air ductwork, all these years.
Exhaust cut-outs were first thing to add to muscle car back in late 70's, when they were
simply 2nd or 3rd owner used cars. I got mine from J.C. Whitney catalog, and welded them in within a month of buying a hemi car for 3500 cash.
Same for me, I also thought he was opening the Ram Air Scoops at first. The VOE is very rare option on the GTOs.
I saw the commercial that Sunday in 1970 in Augusta Georgia. The next day I saw a car carrier in down town Augusta with a red Pontiac GTO I followed it to Pontiac Master and pulled up be hind the carrier ran into the sales office and yelled out I want that red GTO. The GTO turned out to be one of VOE cars. The word Humbler was never written on the car. This was the best car I ever owned and think about it often had a lot of fun with it.