Steve 96C4S

This is my first posting on this web board, I've been lurking for a few months. Great stuff! I have a Venetian Blue 88 Coupe with Blue leather, and it doesn't have a whale tail on it. I visited a fellow PCA member (when I first bought it 4 years ago) who lives in my area and he has the same car, same color, but he HAS the whale tail. At the time, I preferred the modest, less aggressive look of the plain jane "vanilla" 911 coupe without the tail. Now I'm starting to wonder how cool it would be to go from el plain-jane 911 look to a stand-out-more, "grown-up" boy-racer look.

Any comments from 84-89 Carrera owners - pros and cons? I guess this is an informal poll of sorts. I called the best paint place in my town which specializes in Porsches, and the guy there said he preferred the more "streamlined" look of the non-whale tail car and that the whale tail made the car look "arrogant" in his view.

Hmmmmmm.
Steve RL#020204-3367
88 911 Coupe Venetian Blue,Blue, 68k miles STLABLU
95 BMW 740i
99 Jag XK8 her's <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

Jgordon

If you want a more "grown-up" boy racer look, I'd think about a ducktail. Very classic lines, lots of downforce, I'd say it's a good alternative to the whaletail. Whichever rear-end lift-reducer you choose, don't forget a counterbalancing front spoiler.

Enjoy.

CN

I think the tail looks great on the older Carrera models. I had the tail on my "criteria" when looking for the car. I have seen my 911 beside one without the tail (and front spoiler) and still prefer the tail/spoiler look as it is more "aggressive" looking. I don't believe that, in my case, it provides any noticable improvement in stability but I dig the look. It will definitely attract more attention to the car if that's what you want.

Rick Lee

The first '87 I test drove did not have a whale tail and I really liked it that way. But the next one I went to look at had a tail and I immediately changed my mind. I say go for the whale tail. I do not recall ever seeing a duck tail on a Carrera and don't think it would look good.

t.p.

I would choose the tail/front spoiler combo that was an option on the Carreras - not the turbo tail and front spoiler. They look better on the non-flared cars. W/ regard to the duck-tail, I think it looks better on the '73 and earlier models w/ the older bumpers.

Bryan Moore

I faced the same question on my '80 SC. I've always thought the front of the SC's looks sort of incomplete without having at least the factory chin spoiler - so I installed one. Since I do track days once in a while and my favorite element is fast sweeping turns, some sort of tail is a necessity as well. I considered a ducktail but, as much as I like them on the RS Carreras, I couldn't come to terms with the look when combined with the late model bumpers. I also considered the "Carrera" tail - I prefer the one-piece version rather than the factory rubber-edged one because it looks cleaner and the last thing I want to do is add weight to the rear. While trying to decide, I happened onto a knock-off of the '76 Turbo tail (the original whale tail - similar to but smaller than the IROC version) at a swap meet. There was a car there sporting the same tail and I liked the way it looked - so, after a little more restoration work, it'll be on my car.

For your car, I would go with the Carrera tail. It's "correct" for the car, it's a simple bolt-on installation, and is available for less than $300 (the one-piece version from Performance Products or Rennspeed). That's what I'd be putting on mine if I hadn't happened onto the one I found.

realtime

When I bought my '87 911 Cab it had the whale tail (my 5 y/o son's prerequisite and I like the look too) but there is no front "chin" spoiler. I've read that when you add a w-tail you need to add the front spoiler too for (I'm guessing) stability reasons but I have not experienced anything that I would consider a lack of stability even on DE track events at 120+ MPH. My car is lowered and I have occasionally rubbed the front tow hooks on bad parking lot entry ways, tall speed bumps, etc so I would think that if I were to add the "required" front chin I would tear it off in a few weeks?!?

Can anyone attest to the requirement and / or comment on their experience driving a car that has a tail w/ and w/o the fr spoiler?

IMO a tail definitely attracts attention and is a P-car specific look.

DAM

ked

Steve, It appears to be a completely subjective decision, since you do not describe the type of usage where f/r spoilers are practically essential (lotsa high speed bends on track). Of course you can always "go back to original" if you are careful how you add the spoilers & you set aside the original engine lid.

I prefer the low-key, smooth styling of my '87 Coupe as it came out of the box. Aesthetically, the Targa & Turbo / Wide-body seem (to me) to wear spoilers better than standard Coupes. Enjoy!

84CabDriver

I've thought about adding a tail to my 84 cab, but kind of like the clean lines of the car. It was lowered, so I think a front spoiler wouldn't last very long.

My only real concern would be matching the paint, so it looked good.

Have fun!

gerry100

I't s a matter of taste, personally I prefer the pure lines of a non tail car.

If you need a tail for high speed track work then you also need the front spoiler.

Your post didn't say where you live, but front spoilers don't do well in hilly, bumpy or potholed environments.

JackOlsen

One other idea to consider is the best-of-both worlds approach of the 964. The decklid and spoiler will fit on any pre-993 model.





<a href="http://members.rennlist.com/jackolsen/TailUp-M.jpg" target="_blank">Here it is raised.</a>

It's not for everybody, but (I think) it looks surprisingly good, for a period-incorrect modification. <img src="graemlins/burnout.gif" border="0" alt="[burnout]" />

J-RAD

Personally, I'm always going back and forth on this. Maybe its because they are so beautiful either way. Right now, I tend to like the looks of the "purist" car without the tail. That said, it's all a matter of personal taste and both look great...as a matter of fact mine has f/r spoilers...go figure!
If you do get a rear spoiler, however, do not get a turbo spoiler. Get the Carrera spoiler. It looks better because it's the correct spoiler for the car! Also, as mentioned, if you decide to go with the rear spoiler it's important that you add the front spoiler for stability as well.

James Achard

All, I had a chin spoiler on my car and replaced it with an RSR one. My car is lowered significantly and I never scraped the spoiler itself. It always seemed to hit the tow hooks first. Maybe I was just lucky??!! Anyway, in regard to wing or no wing, completely personal. I like the look of Jack's car alot but for me I needed to loose some weight off my car so I chose a carbon fibre repro Carrera tail. I like the looks of the non- rubber surrounded tail as well as the significant weight loss( Factory tail is quite heavy IMO). If anyone needs a front bumper/ spoiler assembly for there car mine is for sale.

Cheers, James

steve911

I'm decidedly in the 'no-tail' camp. when I was looking for mine last year, wouldn't even consider one with a tail. just preferred the clean lines (still do) without.
to each his own.
JMO
check the links under my name for pix

Steve 96C4S

Thanks for all your advice! I called one place that shall remain nameless but highly recommended by Autothority, and they seemed really clueless as to whether I'd need a separate 3rd light on that stalk or not (obviously not needed by looking at some of your pics), and couldn't give me any real firm price figures on the total makeover. They did say that it was much better to spend the extra money and incur the extra weight to go with the OEM Carrera whale tail, as it's much easier to paint, and takes only about 3-4 hours of shop time vs 7-8 hours of shop time for the aftermarket product. Hmmmm.

The local P-car dealer did call me back and said the OEM Carrera Whale tail alone was around $1150?!? I didn't realize they were so expensive. After figuring the price in for the front spoiler, and the OEM Carrera tail, and the black strips for the "turbo-look" rear body panel, I think I'm going to pass on this current whimsey of mine. I guess I was a bit bored by the looks of my car as of late, but figuring in the labor, paint, & parts to do the front spoiler and rear tail "right", I'm going to put this on hold for a bit.

Jack Olsen's car is still my favorite Porsche out there - thanks for your posting, Jack! I've bookmarked it on my computer, and whenever a friend comes over and is into cars, I take him upstairs and show him Jack's website and tell him if I had realllly deep pockets and unlimited motivation and time, this is what I would buy - my "holy grail of Porsches"! I like the look of the 964 wing on his car, but to me, it looks so non-authentic and incorrect on most other non-964 911's. IMHO it's like putting the 944 cookie cutter wheels on a 911 - just doesn't seem to work.

Thanks for your great thoughts on this "whale of a subject" - it's only on the back-burner, it's not dead yet.
88 911 coupe with no tail for now...