I am looking for a whale tail for a 1983 911 sc.
I want the absolute correct one for the year.
Ive seen ducktails on these things too but i dont think that is correct and people talk about tails on the carreras but...

I would like a correct tail with a decklid to switch it out if I wanted-is there a pic of one?
any for sale?
thanks
dm

<img border="0" alt="[burnout]" title="" src="graemlins/burnout.gif" />

 

The tail for the 911SC was different from the "Turbo" tail of the time, and the later "Carrera" tail used from 1984-1989. The "duck tail" was never used on the 911SC, as it was discontinued by 1974 (I think).

There's a picture of an SC with one on this site: <a href="http://www.idee.demon.nl/911sc/911sc.htm" target="_blank">http://www.idee.demon.nl/911sc/911sc.htm</a>

(Look at the picture of the metallic brown Weissach Edition coupe)

Can't say I know of any for sale . . they are hard to find.

-Sean

 

Don't think there was a whale tail offered as an option for '78-'83 SC's. As Sean mentioned the Weissach Special Ed came from the factory with a whale tail. The most common tail seen on SC's are the '84-'89 Carrera tails. To me, it looks the most 'correct'. Especially since the flares on SC are same as Carreras.

Anyway, you may want to check out this thread on Pelican:

<a href="http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=95366" target="_blank">http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=95366</a>

Mike
'86 coupe

 

The tail on the Weissach car (on the web site Sean references) appears to be, like the aftermarket version on my car, an integral part of the decklid (the decklid/tail is probably fiberglass rather than steel?). In contrast, the Carrera tail ('84-'89) bolts on to the standard decklid. The Carrera tail is an easier modification (paint and bolt-on), readily available new/used, with a real or simulated rubber edge, equally functional, but not "correct" for an SC. The "correct" SC tail will probably be hard to find (i.e., expensive) and there is a good chance that the rubber edge will need to be replaced (also expensive). The SC tail is probably available as an aftermarket part (I found a cheap, but not very good, one at a swap meet and spent a lot of time and effort making it look presentable). I agree with your quest for the SC tail rather than the others, but not because it is correct. To my eye, the SC tail looks just right on the narrow body car, the Carrera tail is just okay, and the Turbo tail (with the high lip) looks silly unless you also have the Turbo flares. Personally, I don't like the rubber edge (they tend to look nasty as they age) and prefer the entire tail painted the same color as the rest of the car. I'm not hung up on originality, although I still have my original decklid and, if my car ever has vintage value (hah!) can go back to "as delivered" in about 15 minutes.

The decklid/tail is one aspect of the 911 that makes it easy to personalize your car to your taste but still go back to original with very little trouble. Take a look at Jack Olsen's posts - I think he has at least three different decklids. Look at lots of cars and decide how you want yours to look. If you want concours originality and that's what makes you happy, it's probably out there at a price.

 

A rear spoiler was available for all years on the 911SC's. There were two styles, which changed in September 1981 (MY 1982) to the Carrera version. You can buy a kit from Porsche with the Carrera spoiler and all nuts and bolts needed, it's part number 911.512.909.00. Of course, with the rear spoiler you know you have to have, per Porsche, the front valance extension spoiler when you install the rear spoiler, which is part number 911.503.055.00. I believe the installation hardware is contained in the spoiler kit part number 911.503.995.00 (check with your Porsche source on whether the "kit" is just hardware, or is the spoiler and installation hardware).

You can find the information above in the Porsche "Parts and Technical Reference Catalog for 911's 1974-1989", which sells for $10.

You can also look to buy one used.

 

It may not be year correct, but I much prefer the ducktail on an SC/Carerra body.
<img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/IMG_052721sm.JPG" alt=" - " />

 

Bill:

Interesting. I did not know the '82-'83 SC's had the "Carrera" tail. Well, DM should have a much easier time finding one of those -- and it will be "correct".

-Sean

 

When I bought my 81SC, the tail on it was unlike any I had seen to that point- and I had lookd at a LOT of SC's and early Carreras. At a local PCA meeting I happened to mention to a couple of club members that I was looking to replace it with a Carrera tail, figuring that what was on the car was an aftermarket tail. A very knowledgeable guy in the club commented "I wouldn't be too quick to get rid of it - that's an OEM tail". I went home and checked the window sticker (which I had gotten, along with 18 years of records), and sure enough there it was - "spoilers, front and rear". Unfortunately I don't have a digital camera to take a pic for you, but the tail is just slightly different from the Carrera tail. FWIW, I'll try to describe it, but it won't be easy *G*- while the Carrera tail surface is virtually smooth (excluding the louvered area) from where it attaches to the decklid out to the rubber strip, the SC tail is concave from the edge of the decklid to about halfway out to the edge, and it has what looks like 2 reinforcement braces molded into the tail about 4" from the outside edges (where the rubber begins on the Carrera tail), coming straight back and then tapering into the end of the tail. Man, a picture sure would be a LOT easier! *G* BTW, according to the Red Book, the tea tray (Turbo) was first offered as an SC option in 1982. Knowing what I now have, I make an effort to look for others, and still see very few (I saw a couple at the Hershey Swap Meet last year). And at the risk of a very bad pun, this tail really grew on me....

 

Thanks for all the replies

So let me get this straight
from 78-81 the sc had a special tail that is extremely hard to find and pics are almost non-existent
then... in 82/83 sc models
when asking for a rear spoiler at original purchase-you would get a carrera tail that continued to be used with the 84's and on--what we know as the carrera whale tail(not turbo tail)
do we all agree?

or am i more confused?

BTW-i do think the ducktail looks pretty sweet-nice job

david

 

So, you want pictures, eh? Courtesy of Peter Morgan's "Original Porsche 911" (a recommended book with gobs of details on 911's thru 993's).

First is the pre-82 tail as seen on a 1980 Weissach edition (John, is yours different?):

<img src="http://members.rennlist.com/sansho/SCTail1.jpg" alt=" - " />

Next is an '82-on tail:

<img src="http://members.rennlist.com/sansho/SCTail2.jpg" alt=" - " />

 

My 1981 911SC has the tail in the second picture.

 

I am looking for the pre-82 type, the weissach edition tail. Anybody have one they want to sell? I was hoping to find one at Hershey. What's a resonable price to pay for one of these tails?

 

john d 81SC

are you selling that tail?

 

Bill,

The Weissach tail comes closest to approximating the one I have, especially with the tapering edges towards the outsides of the tail. The 'grill portion' doesn't curve down as dramatically - not as concave- creating the 'trough-like' appearance of the Weissach. Mine is more uniformly gradual leading out to the rear of the tail.

John A - no, I plan to keep it. As I said in my earlier post, it's really 'grown on me' - especially because of its unique appearance.

 

John,

Thanks anyway. You mentioned you saw a few of these at Hershey, what were they going for and what kind of condition were they in? This will be my first time at Hershey, what can expect to see there?