My Tail is falling off!!! HELP! PLEASE

[mossy97]

This may sound stupid but i have a 79 911 SC with a tail and it is seperating towards the front passenger side edge of the spoiler where it meets the hood...the only thing I could see that holds it on was black "gorilla snot" silicone caulk???

Any words of advise???

THanks

Alex

[MBAtarga]

I think to give good advice, we're going to need a pic. What you might think is silicone caulk could be the black rubber gasket that should be there! Why do you think the tail is loose?

[mossy97]

Hyy, Thanks for the quick reply, to answer your question, what I think is the gasker is definately someones bad attempt at rigging this tail on althought it really does not look bad.

The tail has seperated from the hood at the upper corner by the rear window. You can see it when the engine cover is shut, it seperates and when you open it the stress is relieved and it comes back together... I was thinking of using some of the "3-M" stuff and clamping it for a few days or just taking it to a local professional......

I will add a picture tomorrow mid day....

Thanks again!!
Alex

[Kurt B]

that's just the seal. That's not what's holding on the tail. The tail is bolted on there. If you pop the engine lid and look underneath, you'll see the the nuts and bolts that secure the tail. Tighten those up and your taill will be fine. If you lift the decklid and push the tail to it moves back and forth in its looseness, I'm sure the loose nuts will be immediately recognizable!


Probably need an 10mm socket that's all.

[mossy97]

hey Kurt...Thanks but thats the crazy thing, I checked & re-checked those bolts....All the way around!!! I took down the A/C condenser and looked right up into the corner where I expected to see a loose bolt...I saw nothing x-cept the seperating gunk/gasket....

Ill post a bunch of pictures tomorrow...I have my digicam at work.

Thanks again let me know what y-all think tomorrow night..

ALex

[mossy97]

Here are some photos of my tail...You suggestions/guidance is welcome..

Thanks in advance
Alex

[pbs911]

What the $@#*!

That is definately NOT the seal.

It looks like the tail was glued on. You need to take it completely off and attach via bolts through the engine hood. Don't even mess with attempting to glue it on.

Of course, I guess if you attend alot of NASCAR races you could use duct tape.

[mossy97]

Paul, thanks for the news even tho it was what I expected...Bad news...I knew thos pictures would help you all...

So listen, I am all for pulling the tail off and reinstalling it correctly..That is what owning the car is all about...However, I see the bolts that secure the rear of the wing but I lowered the condenser from the engine cover and did not see any sign of any fasteners, bolts, etc. holding the "Front" of the tail on....What's the deal?? Any Idea??

Do I re-glue the whole thing back on? Folks have mentioned a gasket??

I am capable of taking anything apart I just need some guidance..

thanks again!! See my profile for a decent photo pf the wwhole car...Strange color huh?

Alex

[R22tech]

Dude.........I'm sorry but IMROFL! How long has that thing been on there like that? I can't believe it has stayed on. Remove it, refinish the decklid, buy a gasket and the correct fasteners, repaint both(I'm sure they don't match) and re-install. Give that 911 back its' dignity! I really don't mean to be so harsh, but I'd rather see a primered decklid with no tail then a makeshift job like that on a 911.

[pbs911]

The gasket is PP number C-512-215-00, about $25.

My SC was actually the same color from the factory. I kinda like it. The interior was the same color. That said, mines black on black now.
Here is a pic of the seal:

[SK]

I would need to agree with... take it off, get the right parts, re paint, and install correctly. I did this last winter. It is very easy and straight forward. The picture looks like it is going to be a mess removingthe old glue/calk. I would try a heat gun first to see if you can remove the glue/calk w/o damaging the paint on the lid. By the looks of things, you will prob nee to paint the tail.

[SK]

sorry for the double post, but the pics just drew me in for a second look. It appears that the tail is broken and the PO tried to cover it up w/ calk!!?

[Kurt B]

there's something funky going on there, but I'm not sure what.

I do not believe it is the tail coming unglued. No glue is strong enough for that weight. The bolts may have come out or something on that side, but it's not glued.

I do however notice how the shift in the weight of the tail as it has come off has damaged your decklid, bending it, or maybe doing some damage to the hinges. It should be even with the fram as my picture shows. There are spacers that go between the lid and the hinges so you can level it and get it right. I am using washers. They may or may not be the same on each side--mine are not, but this ensure when you close the lid
1) it doesn't rub the part just above it as it closes
2) the gap is the same on all sides.

Here's whats you ought to do though. It is much easier and less risky to remove the entire decklid anyway. If you look at the pick the space betwen the decklid and the quarter panel is higher than it should be. The decklid should be right even with the panel and make a continuous line.

[mossy97]

You guys are GREAT!!! My Head is spinning!! I can't believe I can get all this guidance over the web in moments from all different angles!! You all want to come over and play "cars" for a month or 2???My Wife won't mind...yeah right...

Ok, I have the washer/spacer thing going on and have yet to get it perfect...take one washer out throw another in, makes me nutz...Any thoughts?

the wing thing is even more bothersome....I just finished a huge engine upgrade (my wallet is still bleeding) and am enjoying that but it's the little problems I am tackling now that are making me CRAZY!!

I cen see right thru that seperation as shown in my photos and see no signs of fastening hardware??

Are there supposed to be bolst holding down the front of the wing??

Help me please!

Thanks again
Alex

[pbs911]

Its been a while since I took the Carrera tail off mine, but as SK poointed out, it looks like the tail is broken where the front of the tail meets the deck lid. Also, as Kurt pointed out, there has to be a bolt ofr two on there b/c that chaulk would never hold that tail, especially with the air flow.

Best thing to do is take it off and see what you've got.

[mossy97]

I am going to take your guidance and remove the tail...I am going to order the gasket and see where i stand after that....I just hate not being able to drive the car for too long....

this may take a while.....Ill keep you posted as I dive into this...

How do I remove that gorilla snot without killing the paint???

[MBAtarga]

Wow! Looks like you've got a mess. It doesn't look like the tail is "mounted" as high on the deck lid as it should be. Not quite sure why this was done unless they didn't understand how it should be mounted and wanted to cover up the bottom 2 holes left from the 911 SC Badge. If they didn't know the gasket was to be used, they used the next best thing to duct tape - silicon caulk!

The tail top portion has no mounting bolts itself. The sides and bottom lip of the tail do have about 10 holes - which is where the bolts go - with the gasket of course.

[Jim T]

Coming on the Fox network,

"When Roofing Contractors Attack."

[mossy97]

I am glad everyone is gettin a laugh....So what holds the "front" of the tail on?? the pressure from the side and rear bolts??

I plan on pulling it off myself, peeling off all the caulk and starting over...This should be fun...

[carnut169]

Hyy, Thanks for the quick reply, to answer your question, what I think is the gasker is definately someones bad attempt at rigging this tail on althought it really does not look bad.

Umm, define "look bad". I am not even sure that it a factory wing! You have got to get rid of that. I will 2nd (or 3rd) R22's suggestion- do it right!