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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 14
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Fiberglass Whale Tail Adjustment
Folks,
Tried searching, but no specific post on this topic, I purchased a 1981 Targa, which I ended up doing all, and just came back from paint and upholstery. I have one of those Whale Tails, it was fitted somewhere in the life of the car. but it does not sit well in the rear, the left side, the strut side, sits way too high. I tried all, the painter tried adjusting, with no luck. Yesterday after installing the Dual Rear Decklid Shock Kit (PEL-910540), the bent became even worse.    
Last edited by samuk; 02-14-2013 at 03:31 AM.. |
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02-14-2013, 03:26 AM
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 14
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Another pic
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02-14-2013, 03:32 AM
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Registered
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 2,587
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Adjusting a lid is a very tedious job. All fiberglass lids have the reputation of fitting poorly, so this will be a little more tedious. Can we get a pic of how it looks from the inside? I'm interested in seeing if it has the factory holes for the rubber, threaded adjusters. They are little rubber cones located on the corners of the lid closest to the rear of the car when the lid is closed.
Firstly, I'd suggest taking the shocks off, see how that lines things up. After that, when I adjusted my fiberglass lid, I removed the rear latch. Then I loosened the 4 mounting nuts slightly. I closed the lid and then shifted it around until the panel gaps on all 4 sides were as close to good as I could get them. Then I fully tightened the 4 nuts. After that, my lid didn't have the threaded rubber height adjusters. So I took some Play-Doh, balled it up and placed it near the location of the rubber cones on stock lids. I then easily closed the lid and pressed it down until the height of the lid was where I wanted it. I then pulled the Play-Doh chunks out, measured their height, cut some rubber height adjusters to that height and epoxied them to the lid. I then readjusted my panel gaps. Then I reattached my latch and adjusted it so that it worked properly. |
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02-14-2013, 03:59 AM
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cycling has-been
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Jersey Shore
Posts: 7,237
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You can adjust the side-to-side gaps by enlarging the lid-pin holes and sliding it to the right or left, then proceed with the rubber snubber adjustment described above, so the pin is not absorbing the entire lid.
The upper (window) edge can be adjusted by varying the spacers between the hinge and the lid - I ended up using two (per stud) of the factory washers on the driver's side and one (per stud) on the passenger side. Looks like your corners should have been radiused and sanded down to clear the fender before you went to paint. Bill K 
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73 911T MFI, 76 912E, 77 Turbo Carrera Last edited by bkreigsr; 02-14-2013 at 04:56 AM.. |
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02-14-2013, 04:52 AM
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 14
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Will, here are hinge pics:
  
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02-16-2013, 01:44 PM
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