No to the tail
 

My dad is a Porsche dealer and told me only the posers put rear spoilers on a non Turbo or Non Turbo look 911. I don't know about that but I agree no spoiler on a narrow body 911. If your car is nice and not a project car keep it clean. No ducktail unless you are going for a more modified look and no 964 style that adds more things that can go wrong and need to be fixed. Anyway my opinion is I am against the tail I think your car will be a much better looking without it.

I know, but they're really a Porsche "fix" of a real problem. I see the tails as analogous to current day software patches. :)

To tail or not to tail....

There is no question

Tail

In a 911, form follows function. The original shape generates a lot of lift at speed in the rear as well as drag (surprisingly enough). You'll have a lower top speed, higher fuel consumption, and less stability without a tail. This was clear as soon as the factory got data on this with duck tails and whale tails for comparison.

I used to like the "classic" lines myself, but now tail-less looks naked to me because I know it's functionally flawed and imho a bit dangerous.

A whale tail is a little better, but even a duck tail really helps with the above mentioned issues. I don't think the duck tail ruins any lines...

Well, I guess that makes Porsche a poser then because mine came from their factory with one. :)

My 84 targa came with a large Tea Tray tail and a second deck lid with no tail. I've swapped them back and forth. There was a chin spoiler in place as well. In the end I left the tail on for two reasons- 1) above 75-80 mph the car definitely hunkers down and is more stable with the tail [but not sure if chin spoiler with no tail actually destabilizes things] and 2) the tail makes the car even less like anything else out there on the road- just one of those Porsche icons that's hard to leave off.

Gotta have it.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1282980021.jpg

I can't say my Targa sans tail (with or without my top up) is "squirelly" at even 115 mph. No doubt the tail and chin spoiler improves the high speed performance but I think a well sorted car can handle these speeds just fine...... and I gotta say, the engine sounds right in it's element!

"..pretty squirrelly..."

The factory front end alignment is for stearing "responsiveness" (think "track"), makes the car "darty" at freeway speeds. Realignment, outside the factory specs, by a knowledgeable shop corrected that.

Don't know if adding the F/R spoilers beforehand would have helped but certainly might have, more "weight" on the rear.

Before the realignment driving my '78 Targa from Seattle to Portland was just as tiring as flying the Cessna, required CONSTANT attention. It was not like the Lexus afterwards but certainly a more relaxing drive.

My Targa came without front or rear spoiler and I debated a "tail" for a while.

What changed my way of thinking was adding a front spoiler, I had been unimpressed with the cars cross wind performance at freeway speeds for a while.

The front spoiler changed that completely and the car feels stable at any speed (only had it to 135mph though.....).

So I thinks its a matter of asthetics, for me a narrow body equals no spoiler.

Jim Richards FTW.

While aesthetics is a topic in this discussion amongst we owners, I believe that the recognition that there was a problem of the rear end going light at speed, not aesthetics, was the reason why Porsche decided to make air dams and spoilers available.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the early, narrow bodied cars weren't all that fast and it wasn't until later model's higher top speeds that the problem became apparent.

Weren't the first factory tails on the '73 Carrera RS 2.7 for the duck and the '75 Carrera for the tea tray?

You're wrong. The narrow bodied cars are plenty fast. Porsche was concerned with lift and drag early on, and even was wind tunnel testing back in 1968 to try to optimize high speed performance of the 911.

Nice one man.

My opinion - tail ruins the beautiful lines of the car

I stand corrected - and that does seem to confirm my belief that performance, not aesthetics, was the motivating factor, eh?

I posted already on this, but I have another thought: Sorry if this is too obvious. There are two types of owners on this forum. Those for whom performance is paramount, and those for whom aesthetics is the main issue. Clearly there is a lot of overlap and many arguments about what is aesthetic, etc., etc. However, with no hesitation, I place myself in the group for which the aesthetic of the original design concept is more important. Therefore, no spoiler for me. I shouldn't say this - there will be flames perhaps - but what a spoiler does is spoil the looks of the car. Unless you are running it on the track, of course. If it isn't a track car, don't pretend that is is.

Well, this is my '82 SC...w/3.2 Carrera tail & chin spoiler. I love it, my wife says that when I added the spoilers, I ruined the lines of her car.

BEFORE:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1283021086.jpg
AFTER:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1283021151.jpg
KEEPIN' IT REAL W/EMBLEM:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1283021203.jpg

..

Yeah, yeah, yeah. :rolleyes: Whadda you know about porsches?

:D

Well at least you chose the sleek Carrera spoiler and not the earlier one, which looks like a freakin'...tea tray! :)

Incidently, Pete, your great book played a big part in my decision to buy an SC. SmileWavy

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1283022426.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1283023056.jpg

Not all "tail" or tails are for everyone. Here is my car with all three: standard, ducktail and RSR Whales tail.




http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1283032498.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1283032559.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1283032636.jpg

So, with regards to F/R spoilers, just what happens at the track that does not on the road....??