build thread - my version of a mini-duck for longnoses.

[donlan]

I like the idea,but try and keep the angles/position like original.Michael.

[Jerome74911S]

The OP's first post points out that looks are paramount, and that performance comes second for him - and he doesn't like the original version, that's why he's doing this. Therefore, "keeping it like the original [in any way]," seems to be contrary to the entire purpose of this exercise. As for looks, I'm of the school that says it has a more elegant appearance the smaller it gets.

[donlan]

Jerome. Haycait's original statement is my thoughts precisely I was just giving my idea on where and what angle it should be as he asked.Michael.

[charwood77]

very cool
split the difference between D and C.

[speedo]

Do we need to start a collection for fiberglass and resin to get some finality? Just get some "Duck" tape to secure the duck to the lid and go. What's with the "3rd gear" on the side of the right rear quarter panel?

Speedo

[haycait911]

Originally Posted by speedo

Do we need to start a collection for fiberglass and resin to get some finality? Just get some "Duck" tape to secure the duck to the lid and go. What's with the "3rd gear" on the side of the right rear quarter panel?

Speedo

maybe 'duck' tape is how things are done in the hillbilly mountains of Colorado, but here we use 'speed' tape. the sticky alum foil stuff. nuttin' but the best.

the '3rd gear' was to remind me, that when drag racing, the gear sequence is

1 - 2 - 3

NOT

1 - 2 - 1 - BANG BANG BANG

( turn up the volume )


vintage 1967 porsche 911 / 912 drag racing 1/8 mile missed shift 10 - YouTube

[willcall]

Keen to see the end results

[speedo]

Bang-bang. Hey it's only metal. You can rebuild it again. And how...just curiously is the gear pattern painted on the outside of the car going to help the driver (you) on the inside while driving. I know this sounds like a dumb US citizen question. Please keep your reply non political....we're still trying to figure out just exactly is going on down here. Think'in we need some of your RCMP to sort things out for us. And please keep your "polar vortexes" to yourselves.

Speedo

[MotoSook]

Little late to the party but high and tight is the way to go. The angle of it should have a relationship to the other angles when seen from the side. You pointed out the angle of the taillight lense. I think that's probably the most related angle. The little relationships make things like this tickle the subconscious asthetics. Makes some of use stare long enough to figure out why it looks right.

As for aero concerns, anything is better than nothing. The more upright, the more drag. Moving it high and tight to the grill will also make it more effective because as you move it back further the air flow is "less clean". Although separation has occurred well forward of the grill you still want to give the tail more of the "less separated" air.

The ducktail never generated down down force; however, it reduced lift. Lift due to the lower pressure behind the point of separation.

With the reduced size a more upright position likely won't hurt you...so go for the aesthetics.

[haycait911]

yup. it's gotta look good, otherwise this is all a waste of time. which it may be anyway

[MotoSook]

I like the project. It's a good idea to make it "fit" the package you have. If it was mine, I'd flange inside and outside of the duck with mats layed on the deck to get the curvature of the cured mat right. Lay the duck on the mat when laying up the mat, add a layer of mat along the bottom of the duck to hold it to the mate. When it's all cured, cut the area out from under the duct leaving about 2 inches of flange inside. Then add more mat on the inside of the flange to strengthen. Gotta do it on the inside to retain the shap of the flange to mate to the deck. Trim the outside of the deck shaped mate into a 1" flange. You then have 3" along the base of the duck to bond to the steel. More mating surface will prevent separation later. Fill and smooth the area over the 1" flange and you have it.

Or use button head Allen screws along the 1" flange for an industrial or purposeful look without the bonding and filling. Just have to make the flange very "perfect".

Before you bond the duck to the lid, make a mold! I bet there'll be folks who'd want one...me included.

[Bill Douglas]

The more I see ducktails the more I like cars without them.

[JmuRiz]

Cool idea, it will probably look better on a skinny fender longhood with an S-bumper. The stock, full height duck is a bit over-the-top on a stock body car...at least to my eye.

[Ferrino]

Any updates on this project? I'd love to see how you bonded the fiberglass duck to the steel decklid. Is there much surface area between the fiberglass and metal mating parts for the adhesive?

[haycait911]

Originally Posted by Ferrino

Any updates on this project? I'd love to see how you bonded the fiberglass duck to the steel decklid. Is there much surface area between the fiberglass and metal mating parts for the adhesive?

it got kinda stalled. pretty busy at the shop these days. I'll try and move ahead on it in the new year. a few customers have expressed an interest.

[JV911SYDNEY]

D for sure

edit: Just noticed the original post date. Keen to see the results

[Ferrino]

How were you proposing to bond this duck to the steel decklid? Were you going to use something similar to the approach described below, where you add flanges to the duck and use that to build up surface area for bonding?

MotoSook - I understand your general approach to making the flanges - the only part I don't get (as a fiberglass newbie) is how you get the first layer of mat to conform to the shape of the decklid. If you lay the mat on the deck, how do you pull the mat off the deck without it sticking? Do you put some sort of release agent on?

Originally Posted by MotoSook

I like the project. It's a good idea to make it "fit" the package you have. If it was mine, I'd flange inside and outside of the duck with mats layed on the deck to get the curvature of the cured mat right. Lay the duck on the mat when laying up the mat, add a layer of mat along the bottom of the duck to hold it to the mate. When it's all cured, cut the area out from under the duct leaving about 2 inches of flange inside. Then add more mat on the inside of the flange to strengthen. Gotta do it on the inside to retain the shap of the flange to mate to the deck. Trim the outside of the deck shaped mate into a 1" flange. You then have 3" along the base of the duck to bond to the steel. More mating surface will prevent separation later. Fill and smooth the area over the 1" flange and you have it.

Or use button head Allen screws along the 1" flange for an industrial or purposeful look without the bonding and filling. Just have to make the flange very "perfect".

Before you bond the duck to the lid, make a mold! I bet there'll be folks who'd want one...me included.

[haycait911]

Originally Posted by Ferrino

How were you proposing to bond this duck to the steel decklid? Were you going to use something similar to the approach described below, where you add flanges to the duck and use that to build up surface area for bonding?

my plan is to to sand the edge of the fiberglass duck to closely match the decklid. with the angle I'll have a 1/4 to 3/8 inch flange, more than enough, no extra flange needed. then bond to the decklid using 3M 08115 Panel Bond. I've had a lot of experience with adhesives professionally and this stuff works very well.

using fiberglass resin/cloth or body filler to bond the tail to the steel is a much weaker bond.

at some point in the future I'd like to make a mold to produce these. a 3/8 inch flange and a close fit to the decklid would allow attachment with automotive two-sided moulding tape. then no holes or modification of the decklid would be needed and the install/removal wouldn't even harm the paint.

[Ferrino]

Thanks Don! I'm interested because I'm considering doing something similar, but with a fiberglass early turbo tail replica bonded to a steel decklid. Something similar to what was done in this thread.

[Ferrino]