This is basically to Clark directly,or anyone that knows, but I figure a personal message, is well, too personal.

Is the 1982 911 The first year they offer this type of whale tail? By this kind, i mean the one with the lip all the way around... Here is a prime example.1982 911

On earth, we call them spoilers. And i beleive 1975 or 1978 was the first year.
http://www.idee.demon.nl/turbo/turbo.htm

Lots of people call them spoilers, calling it a whale tail narrows it down to a specific type that is widley recognized... Anyways, I know they had whale tails before '82, what I asked was if 1982 was the first year that the tail had that lip all the way around, and not just a flip up in the back.

I just gotta chime in and say I find that particular '82 whale tale quite attractive and .... holy shit, when did a 911 have rear seats?!

Whale Tails originated on the 1978 3.3 liter Turbo.

it was an evolution of the Teatray spoiler from the '74 Carrera RSR that was also on the original 3.0 liter ('75-'77) Turbos. The whale tail has space for an intercooler mounted on top of the engine that the tea tray didn't have in addition to upright sides.

Clark if its not too much to ask will you post pictures, of "tea trays" and "whale tail"? I would appreciate it.

Then there is the ducktail which I know what it is.

Or maybe just a site that I can read to find out for myself. I am not a very good googler and i have a few books but they're coffee table books, so they're not too detailed about shit i want to know.

Well, there were many many variations of the teatray, and honestly I can't keep track of them all.

These are the two major variations:

The RS/RSR Teatray


The 3.0 Turbo teatray


As you can see, the whale tail had what was basically a horizontally flat grill, while the pre-intercooled turbo tail was basically a standard 911 grill with an appendage for aerodynamics. The RS-RSR was bigger, with its grill mounted differently (above the "original" bodywork, if that makes sense).

perfect sense. now, can you tell me what is the distinction between the teatray and the whale tail? or is it just by model year?

The whale tail has the horizontal flat grill to accomodate the top mounted intercoolers of the '78-'98 turbos....that's definitely the biggest giveaway. The second biggest clue is the upright sides of the whale tail...tea trays don't have the turned-up sides.

THANKS!

the ultimate whale tail

If it was a whale tail.

935... I dont know if that is a "whale tail" sure is huge though.

Porsche 935 " Moby Dick"

Moby Dick = whale

NOT A WHALE TAIL!

The car's name didn't just came from the wing, it came from shovel-nosed front, its upright cabin, and tall spoiler, which resembled one of those cutesie cartoon whales:

I beleive the "Moby Dick" was the works car, there were 13 other 935's that were customer cars, that werent the token "Moby Dick"... i think that yours is a customer car... the works, have a different style tail

i sure hope you got an A+ on that clark! oh you big smart college boy!

I actually sorta made that up, but it makes sense to me

You know you enjoy getting personal with clarkma

the car got its nick from the tail design.

Actually its called that because of the wailing sound the new models made at higher speeds. When the germans produced the cars to the americans a miscommuncation resulted in the americans thinking they ment "whale tail".





i made it up, but it would have been a nice story