Question on Aesthetics of Carrera Tail

Now there's the turbo whale tail and the carrera tail, the latter of which is smaller(not the duck tail). I can't really find a good pic of one on a carrera WITHOUT the flares. So, question is, does this look lame if you don't have the wide flares?

Have a 89 Targa with a Carrera tail w/o the flares. Looks okay, and I've seen plenty of 74-89s with tails (both Turbo and Carrera) without the flares. Although they look great (maybe 'right' is the word)with the flares, not all of us are lucky enough to drive a Turbo, or a Turbo Look.

Pick up a copy of Excellence or 911 Porsche World (from the UK) and you'll find plenty of pictures.

In the UK, I believe the 84-89s came with an option called the 'Sport', which has the front air dam and the Carrera tail, w/o the flares. The Turbo Look option was called the 'Super Sport'.

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DW

89 Targa

Saw a picture of your car a couple of messages back. Looks like mine without the Targa bar. I put the rear fender stongards on mine as well.

I think a Turbo tail would like great on your car. Something about Cabs and Turbo tails. I plan to swap my Carrera tail for a Turbo tail when I can afford it. Anyone want to trade??

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DW

89 Targa

I'm not sure I follow. I'll just say that the shorter flairs, like on my stock SC, look just fine and natural with tails and goatees.

Turbo flairs and monster tires look better. No fizzy dice.

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'83 SC

I'm not sure about your question. Carrera's with the factory tail came with no flares, although these later model 3.2's flares are more pronounced then earlier models. Here's a pic in case you want to see. Personally, I like the streamline look compared to the wider turbo's but that's my choice. Some people hate the tail. Asking if a car looks better with a tail on this board usually happens once every two months and generates about 40 replies. It's like asking what is the best Porsche color..open to much subjectivity.

[This message has been edited by 89911 (edited 08-16-2000).]

I'd just like to get-a-piece-of-turbo-tail, for my 84 of course. . .;-)

The tail is part of the Porsche mistique. It is good for the tail to be proportional to the body (i.e. flairs), but there are so many types of tail that this is no problem! That is one thing that I really like about these cars - the different body styles and flairs, wings, and spoilers. You can really be an individual with one of these cars.

Some like big tails and some don't.

Hey, it seems to me that perhaps there may be more than three fender shapes. I consider my car to have stock flairs, albeit small ones, since the earlier 911s had flatter sides. Of course, turbo flairs are pretty pronounced.

Perhaps the 3.2 models have bigger flairs than mine. Well, no, I don't think they do. I frankly can hardly tell the 84-89 models from the SCs. The flairs appear the same.

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'83 SC

The flares on the SC and Carreras are the same - the strongest visual cue totell the difference is the front valence, which has the fog lghts inset rather than poking out like the SCs do - the only exterior mod I plan for my '83 is changing the valence.

I thought the flares on these models are Carrera flares, because they were used on the 70s Carrera models, rather than the Turbos - is that incorrect?

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Emanuel Brown
1983 911 SC Targa
http://home.att.net/~epbrown01/91183.jpg

Okay..I just wanted to ensure I don't make my car into some kind of pretender with the tail. That Porsche did, anywhere in the world, ship non-turbo, non-turbo look 911s with the Carrera style tails is enough for me to consider slapping one on my beast. And yes, the tails do make a difference. I can remember this one asian girl I was chatting with online...she said "I know Porsche. It's the one that looks like a turtle." Um.
If they look like turtles with the tails, then those are some odd turtles.

Despite the contrary there is a purpose to the tail and front air dam skirts. This may not come apparent at legal speeds but when I am on the track, speeds consistently are around 120 mph. At those times you want as much downforce as possible so your steering and handling don't get squirrely. That is why they have included a wing on every model since mine. Now I know they have gone overboard with the dinner table size on mine, but its not something for show only. Just make sure you put a front dam on your car also or strange handling characteristics may ensue.

[This message has been edited by 89911 (edited 08-16-2000).]

I to would like to put a tail on my '78SC Targa, thing is I can't find any pics for a Targa with a tail. Did the factory ever put a tail on a targa and if so what kind of tail was it? Will putting a tail on screw up the aerodynamics or have any other negative effects on performance?

Robfix,
Check out my web site . My 74 is a Targa with a tail. It has had upgrades to look like an SC.

Tom Sharpes http://members.rennlist.com/5150targa

robfix,

See this thread http://www.pelicanparts.com/ultimate/Forum3/HTML/001357.html for information on why to use spoilers in pairs and this thread http://www.pelicanparts.com/ultimate/Forum3/HTML/001861.html for three Targas with tails.

Blue

OK,I give ! How do you post the pix of the cars on here ? I know this has been asked a million times, but humor me OK.

Thanks !

Tom

Come on guys! Everyone knows that 'real' Porsches don't have tails? Slice 'em off and put on a proper decklid!

Thought I better put in a word for the oldies. I'll be back here in two months...


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'72 911 TE

I personally think that a 2ft tall F40 wing would look awesome

Seriously though my '76 911 has an 80's Carrera tail on it. Personally I think it looks a bit out of proportion. It was put on the car by the PO but I'm now considering putting on a ducktail. I think that it would look more right than the bigger Carrera tails on the narrow body. Many of my friends can't understand why I'd do that, but hey, its my car.

Does anyone have pictures of the ducktail on a narrow body they can post? Would the ducktail lower wind resistance and noise at all?

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'76 911S

'80 924 M471

I am in the same boat as Gary. Below is a picture of my '75 911S with its (now removed and sold) turbo tail. With the narrow fenders (and chrome) it just plain looks silly (if you ask me). Sorry the picture quality is a bit average.



I wondered about a ducktail on the impact bumper model. It might look right if you were going for the 1974 RS look, but would probably need (RS) flared rear arches anyway.

Cam

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Cameron Baudinet
1975 911S

[This message has been edited by CamB (edited 08-16-2000).]

[This message has been edited by CamB (edited 08-16-2000).]

Wanna see a big wing? This is a stock GT-2 version, the racers replace the horizontal stabilizer with an even BIGGER taller version.

Did any targas come from the factory with ducktails?

I think the answer is no, but I wanted to check.

Does anyone have a picture of an early targa with a ducktail? Mine has an S airdam and I have considered putting the ducktail on to match and make it more stable.