School me on aftermarket ducktails pls.

[911 Rod]

I'm looking at an aftermarket ducktail and I'm concerned on the fit. The gaps on the bumper end and sides are okay, but they are tight and not flush. It is consistent so I guess I could just mount it and live with it.
The edge at the window sits about 1/2" high in the center and is bottoming out at the corners. (gap under the middle)
The grill is about 1/2" too big (top to bottom) for the hole.

Is this just normal growing pains for putting on a ducktail?

My body shop guys says he can fix it, but it will take a lot of cutting, adding glass etc.

Your thoughts fellow birds?

Thanks
Rod

[charwood77]

any idea who made it? mine has a smaller engine grill opening, i had to add a lot of washers at the hinges to raise the corners up to bring it more flush with body.

[911 Rod]

Unknown manufacturer. Problem is it sits too high.

[911 Rod]

And the opening is too small for the grill.

[911 Rod]

[75 911s]

I'd opt for a different tail. Looks like a cheap poor quality pop.

[Craigeo]

Originally Posted by 911 Rod

I'm looking at an aftermarket ducktail and I'm concerned on the fit. The gaps on the bumper end and sides are okay, but they are tight and not flush. It is consistent so I guess I could just mount it and live with it.
The edge at the window sits about 1/2" high in the center and is bottoming out at the corners. (gap under the middle)
The grill is about 1/2" too big (top to bottom) for the hole.

Is this just normal growing pains for putting on a ducktail?

My body shop guys says he can fix it, but it will take a lot of cutting, adding glass etc.

Your thoughts fellow birds?

Thanks
Rod

I got mine from www.Rennspd.Com and it fit perfect.

[Christien]

I got mine from MA Shaw and it was almost 100% perfect right out of the box. Close enough that it wasn't worth spending money to correct it. The gaps could be slightly tighter - maybe 1-2mm per side.

[tirwin]

Mine is from MA Shaw also. My paint/body guy -- John Holt -- worked with Shaw. John had an old plain decklid and he mated the top portion of the Shaw fiberglass lid to the bottom steel frame of the original decklid. John did a little work on it to improve the fitment but not much.

I've had several compliments on it since I got it last year. I like it because it has more rigidity than just fiberglass.

[Bill Verburg]

On my '72 I tried 4 different aftermarket 'Ducks' none fit as well as I would have liked.

I think that one built on an oe steel or al.deck would be the way to go, these weren't generally available back in those days, but it seems to me that I have seen such, though I'm not really in the market.

[911 Rod]

I understand using the metal lids but it takes away from the weight savings.
Sadly, I know I need to return this ducktail.
It's a shame because I became fond of it as soon as I put in on.

[tirwin]

I have my original flat decklid hanging on the wall. I just picked it up for comparison and it is so much heavier than the ducktail. Yes, using the steel frame is still heavier than all fiberglass but not by much.

[gliding_serpent]

Rod, you know how my getty tail went. Not perfect out of the box, but quite good by some people's standards. None are perfect i think, some are better thsn others, and i think a big factor is owner expectations and standards.

The top of mine sat proud like yours did under the rear window... Not so arched or lifted however. But mine had meat to shave off underneath and it worked out great. And i am super anal. Yours looks very thin and highly arched. You would be having someone re-glass that entire top to make it work.

Nothing is more expensive than cheap fiberglass. Return it, get getty or ma shaw (basically same company).

[carwash]

Years ago, a man told me an amazingly true expression...

The cheapest man spends the most money.

I have found, through my own awful trial and error, that this is so true. I used to always search for the best deal, the cheapest part, the discounted buy, the buddy deal, the friend of a friend price, etc...

What then happens if I have to spend money to fix that part, or make it fit, or repair it, or need another part that wasn't included with it that I thought was, or I break the part trying to make it work, and then have to buy another one, or god forbid, buy the more expensive and proper part that I should have in the first place.

I'm not saying you're a cheap ass. I don't know what you paid for this part, but I hope it wasn't a ton, and I hope you can return it. Sometimes you get what you pay for, and I found this to be totally true when it comes to aftermarket Porsche parts.

This being said, I am waiting for my Ducktail to arrive from GT-Racing any day now. I will update here with the fit and finish of it. Good luck!