Front lip spoiler

I have a 1984 Targa with a front lip spoiler. I have seen a numer of 1984-88 cars without the spoiler - were there any cars built without it?

Yes many 911 Carrera 3.2s came without the front spoiler. My own 84 Coupe included. I had a spoiler installed when my car was restored lately. I think it looks better with the spoiler. In Germany the front spoiler was an option (as far as I know).

If you run your Targa at speed, the front lip spoiler is mandatory if you also have a tail spoiler. You can run the front lip without the rear spoiler but never the tail without the front lip. Together, they maintain aerodynamic balance at speed, (guessing - speeds in excess of 70 mph. The more knowledgable may wish to chime in here.)
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chuck

Chuck, I'm glad you said the front lip can work without the rear spoiler because I didn't get a rear spoiler when the front spoiler was installed on my 84 Coupe. Do you think the front spoiler is worth anything alone (other than looks)? I drove 100 mph a couple of times after the front spoiler was installed, but I couldn't feel any difference compared to earlier when I didn't have the front spoiler. Maybe it doesn't do anything under 125 mph?

There was a good article in Pano a year or so ago that discussed, and graphed, the aerodynamic effect of spoilers on a 911. I know the article is in the latest edition of PCA's "Up Fixin der Porsche".

Chuck is correct in that you should match a front and rear spoiler to balance the car. The Pano article had graphs that showed a considerable amount of lift (bad!!) generated on the rear of a 911 that had no rear spoiler. The graph was at 100 mph, so it really applies to driving on European highways or at US Driver's Ed/Time Trial events.

I have driven 911's both with and without spoilers, and I feel that a 911 is much more stable at high speeds (especially during hard braking at DE events) when equipped with front and rear spoilers - YMMV.

Regards, Bruce