Tired of the duck?

[H-viken]

For some time now a lot of people have backdated their cars and added ducktails. This, like many before it, is a fad that comes and goes. Don't get me wrong, I really like the ducktail, but at some point some will get bored and find something "new".

And that is my question; what do you think it will be? Which model/tail will be emulated next?

The IROC tail?

Will we see new combos of new and old?

Or will the trend move back towards originality? On my current car I'm hoping to keep the stock look by "hiding" the trick parts (for ex making it lightweight, without it looking lightweight).

[DanielDudley]

I have a targa without a tail, and a Carrera with a tail. If you drive fast enough, IMO a tail is a very desirable feature, and not a fad.

I like the magazine Excellence. They do nice features on cars of interest, cars that many would like to own or drive. I think they tend to follow trends. The nice thing about a Duck, a Whale or even a plain lid is that they look nice on your wall, and they will always have value.

In America, I have been watching the fashion trends in clothing, and I am noticing as time goes on, every kind of style may be seen at once. Everything is in fashion. I think the current fashion in 911s is to build the kind of car you would like to drive, own or show. Some do this and retain the original bits. Others build cars that would be hard to return to stock.

There is even a trend towards ratty unrestored cars, and I don't mean rat rods.

I like your approach of making a sleeper, and not following any trends. I really don't care how they look if they don't go well. But if you need a tail, a Duck is not a bad way to go.

[VFR750]

What next? It's a great question.

My Theory: You like what you like when you were 15-20. It makes a deep impression when everything was new to you. When you can afford it, later in life, you go back to what really turned you on. For me, it was my neighbor's 1979 911SC. I now have a 82 SC.

Look to the opinions of 30 year olds today, that might be the key to 10 years from now.

The next generation was exposed to some pretty crazy cars. DP935 conversion being one of the extremes. I doubt that will happen, so the flip side is to go original, as the real value of the cars climb due to their age.

I think we will have a very odd situation here. The Porsche 911 is the only car, except maybe the Beetle, that was essentially unchanged for 20+ years (69-89 in particular) Throw in excellent rust prevention, fanatical maintenance, and you have the singular situation that a extremely large number of car are still running, and being modified for track use. There is no precident.

How fast will the value of a older 911 rise? Will a rush to convert back to original flood the market with too many originals to support a big price rise? I guess we could look to the Ford Mustang, where original is very desireable right now. Maybe that is the trend.

I have kept all of my old parts, including my CIS, with spares. The only thing I can't undo is the hole for the front sway bar. But even that is correctable. Maybe in 10 years, it will start to morph back to original. That would make it 40 years old!

[Por_sha911]

I think that the number one reason to own a Porsche is to enjoy it the way you want it. I am a good example of what VFR750 was saying: when I discovered Porsche in 1988 I fell in love with the car and said "someday...". Fourteen years later when I could afford one, I went back to the kind that I first discovered: Carrera G50's. Unless you are owning one for investment purposes (which is not wise 95% of the time), get what you want, do what you want, enjoy it. Remember that he who dies with the most toys still dies. But I digress.
Having said all that, look at history. The older a car gets, the more people desire factory originality. In the last 6 years I have watched at the local car cruise-in of 5-800 cars. Super hi-performance mods, wild customs, and rat rods come and go. Fads if you will. In the meantime, a car that is all factory original (even restored) always gets attention because people want to see what it was really like back in the day. I see the same thing happening with 356's.
What's the next fad? Don't know. What I do know is that there will always be a place for clean original cars. Am I shaded by my preferences? Probably. But hey, remember where I started. Go find what you love and enjoy it. Don't worry about what everybody else thinks.

[azasadny]

If I could find a good deal on a ducktail, I'd buy one. The biggest problem I have is that my car is painted candy apple red metallic by the PO and I can't match it, so the tail would never match the car. Otherwise, I'd love to put a ducktail on my car!

[grudk]

The new trend seems to be 911r/911st and variants... no tail. But there is support for just about any trend you choose, so it's not like tails are going away.

Love the candy apple red on that targa, BTW. It just 'works' -- esp with the chromed targa bar, wheels and brightwork

[Winter]

I guess I'm a victim of that fad:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/564953-duckd.html

Man, that targa is something else, what a great looking car!

Gives me motivation as I bring the '75 back to life.

[azasadny]

Thanks guys! The PO painted it that color and it isn't a good paint job at all, I've done my best with it, but it's a "summer driver", so I don't want a concours car! I would really like to put a tail on it and put chrome trim rings around the headlights and get rid of the sugar scoops. Maybe my next winter project...

I really like the ducktail, especially on a Targa!

[dshepp806]

Never liked the ducks.....just me.

Doyle

[rs6er]

I have owned my '81 since new. I ordered it with the front lip but no rear spoiler because that was the look I preferred. When I drive it really fast, I can feel the need for rear downforce. If I ever decide to fix the imbalance, I will go with a duck because I find that the most attractive solution. Other than that, there is nothing sexier than the ass end of a rear spoiler-free 911 coupe.

[DanielDudley]

Originally Posted by azasadny

Otherwise, I'd love to put a ducktail on my car!

Art, your car is darned near perfect !

[80-911SC]

how bout this one ...... 80 SC w/ 964 kit and a Duck

[Matt Smith]

Nice Targa- but the guy sitting behind in the blue shirt seems to be enjoying it a little too much

[magnuskgc]

Originally Posted by azasadny

If I could find a good deal on a ducktail, I'd buy one. The biggest problem I have is that my car is painted candy apple red metallic by the PO and I can't match it, so the tail would never match the car. Otherwise, I'd love to put a ducktail on my car!

Have you ever thought about putting a flat black stripe down the hood and then putting the duck tail on painted flat black? may look nice.

[David S. Wallens]

Originally Posted by rs6er

I have owned my '81 since new. I ordered it with the front lip but no rear spoiler because that was the look I preferred. When I drive it really fast, I can feel the need for rear downforce. If I ever decide to fix the imbalance, I will go with a duck because I find that the most attractive solution. Other than that, there is nothing sexier than the ass end of a rear spoiler-free 911 coupe.

I agree, they look really nice without a rear spoiler. My car had a Turbo tail when I bought it, and the car felt so planted on the highway. I didn't care for the looks of the Turbo tail, though, so I figured that the ducktail was a good compromise. If anything, the car now looks like a '74 Carrera--kinda, I guess.

[stormmaster]

I like my duck......I liked it when it was a fad to be skinny



And I like it now that it is a fad to be fat.....

[Augustus]

Originally Posted by azasadny

If I could find a good deal on a ducktail, I'd buy one. The biggest problem I have is that my car is painted candy apple red metallic by the PO and I can't match it, so the tail would never match the car. Otherwise, I'd love to put a ducktail on my car!

Beautiful color!

[efhughes3]

I think the duck is somewhat timeless. Same as the overall shape of a 911. As mentioned above, a tail of some sort is fully functional. I'm staying put:

[agrimmitt]

For me the Ducktail is the standard/vision of what an early car should look like. And yes many have copied or just installed them as part of a fad. Over the years I have had owned everything Porsche has made w/o water. From real to clone, but the late 60's and early 70's was when Porsche showed the world how to go racing. I own three types of decklids: Ducktail, IROC RSR tail, and a stock decklid. If you remember or were around in the day, you will understand it's no fad. It is just part of owning and styling it to your personal look!
art

[Reaper930]

The next big thing is going to be the 934, its the ultimate 2.8 RSR replacement for the next wave of projects - then for the big pockets the 935 reps.

We're about to hit the era of turbo love