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Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCH996 C4S coupe ducktail project
Leading reported evidence
Install on the �what did you do
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
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0
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0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
Next post will be installed on the �What did you do to your 996 today� thread.
Leading evidence: 'Install on the �what did you do' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Adjust intake openings' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
Used 3mm carbon fiber slats to tie it all back into one piece.
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Suggestion
I�m looking at the Getty ERS Tailbase which replaces the whole deck lid.
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Suggestion · Original poster
Would have liked to have enlarged by bring the front edge of each down by an inch or two, but then there would be a huge ordeal (for my skill set) to re-contour the shapes and I would lose the use of the grilles that came with it.
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Suggestion · Original poster
Would have liked to have enlarged by bring the front edge of each down by an inch or two, but then there would be a huge ordeal (for my skill set) to re-contour the shapes and I would lose the use of the grilles that came with it.
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion · Original poster
Would have liked to have enlarged by bring the front edge of each down by an inch or two, but then there would be a huge ordeal (for my skill set) to re-contour the shapes and I would lose the use of the grilles that came with it.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
43 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
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Generation: 20261026T194705Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
With no good or otherwise affordable options out there for a nice ducktail decklid on the 996.2 C4S coupe, I thought to try that ducktail insert from eBay. I�m going to guess that some of the glowing reviews were compensated. Out of the box it really doesn�t look that bad, but fit and finish were far below my expectations when placed on the decklid. Large weird gaps on each side towards the corners, and if the insert is aligned with the forward edge of the lid then there an uncentered gap on the rear.
Probably should have just returned it and gave up but I really want a ducktail, plus already bought literally everything else required to make the process a direct unbolt and swap then plug and play install without having to sacrifice any parts from the original decklid on the car. Even a new heckbende reflector.
So here�s the plan� split the insert down the center and lower outer edges to widen the ducktail out to the edge of the decklid. Reconstruct the center with fiberglass, and then bolt, bond, and glass everything together into one piece.
All-in, painted and installed, I will still be under $2500. Which I think is decent for a swap only requiring 4 bolts and one electrical plug.
Have you looked into the c4s ducktail offered by 9xxteile? Not sure if they offer international shipping but it may be another option.
https://www.9xxteile.com/en/classic-...upe-acc961015p
Don�t want to mess with importing anything at this point due to the uncertainty with what tariffs might add to the cost. The RPM Technik CSR would have been my first choice, but they don�t ship to the US anymore and it would have been like 50% of what my car is worth at this point if I could.
I ordered a ducktail insert from ebay the vendor was out of Florida . It was drop in perfect I literally had to do nothing . I test fit it then went straight to my painter . Obviously you were not so lucky . And I am sure there are quite a few vendors out there with varying degrees of quality . Good luck on the repair .
That is what I was hoping for when I started this project. Mine came out of California. In the end I will be much happier with the results once it�s finished as a molded in one piece ducktail. Got it rough cut this evening. Its still needs lots of work, but I think y�all can smell what I cooking here� time to pick up some resin and glass!
Very interested to see how this turns out� do you have to do anything with the spoiler hydraulic system? Just disconnect and remove it all?
I have been looking at the Getty Design options
Nothing left to do except get it finished. I got a spare bare decklid, hinges, fan, wiring harness, heckbende, and all the hardware. My original decklid will just come off with 4 nuts and plug, and this will just bolt and plug back up. Only thing being transferred are the lift struts. Should take 15-20 minutes max I think to swap.
Have to get the new wiring harness modified to deal with the spoiler error, but there a thread on it I have saved. I think I might swap the new wiring harness into the original lid because something just feels wrong about cutting up a new $200 harness.
Getting it a little bit closer. Probably still need to taper the front edge down another 1/8� to bring it closer to flush
Looks good� if you remember please post a link to the thread about dealing with the spoiler error.
I�m looking at the Getty ERS Tailbase which replaces the whole deck lid. Supposed to look something like this:
Nice! That reminds me of the old whale tail spoilers for the air cooled 911�s. Had a Turbo tail on a 78 Targa I had imy late 20�s. Even then I wanted a ducktail on that car, but couldn�t really afford one then. You guys with C2 and C4 cars have lots of spoiler options on the market.
I would prefer a whale tail on my �83 SC but it came optioned with the tea tray and I don�t wanna change it. For the 996 that ERS wing looks like a good option. It doesn�t interfere with the Cab top going up and down like some of the others and is just a bit more than a simple duck tail� though I like the look of the duck tail on the 996.
It�s certainly not any prettier after a week, but progressing in the right direction I think. More glass work to do though. Used 3mm carbon fiber slats to tie it all back into one piece. The best thing about fiberglass work is that no matter what, everything is fixable. Hopefully it�s a little less ugly next week. Going to use some dry carbon sheet to make some rain baffles under where the grilles mount, should give a good visual finish.
I thought about adjusting the intake openings. Would have liked to have enlarged by bring the front edge of each down by an inch or two, but then there would be a huge ordeal (for my skill set) to re-contour the shapes and I would lose the use of the grilles that came with it. They are actually OEM Porsche for a 997 front grille.
It�s all bonded together in one piece and approaching something that I wouldn�t be embarrassed to admit I made. So many spots where the ducktail insert wasn�t symmetrical side-to-side to re-profile. The sides of it Im almost there with, but still have to take the top lip taper out of the right side to make more squared off like the left, and do the inlet openings at the center. Maybe I can get it done by Maggie Valley next month, but sculpting and this kind of bodywork has never been easy for me.
See the slope on the top right side
Hex mesh spoiler motor cavity cover
Heat protection for the carbon rain baffles
Nice progress . Have you shared your concerns with the vendor ? What did they say ? I would imagine they have a mold getting tired or they just screwed up . Looking forward to the end result .
Thanks! I didn�t say anything. It�s eBay. I waited a month for it to come and the initial quick 60 second out of the box once-over it looked better than I expected. So I left a positive feedback. Let it sit for a couple weeks because I jumped into a different project by that point. It�s when you really start analyzing it all a bit more methodically because of what I decided to do with it that you see the lack of symmetry in multiple features. I know what most likely happened with it since I work in an unrelated fiberglass industry. Thats how I know that I can get this thing to eventually look presentable. Structurally it�s good to go
Another progress update, yes it�s still ugly. I now remember why I don�t do body work, but it�s been a semi-cathartic endeavor. Have to address the forward body gap issue now, but it will fit. In hindsight, this insert was/is a hot mess that I should have sent back and just found another way.
It will be finished to what I�ll call a 9/10 standard. 9 people will thinks it�s ok/good/cool, and the 10th overly critical person like me will look at and say �give ya points for effort, but it�s a bit off and misses the mark�.
You'll know if you did good once it's painted and under a light - and you can avoid self-criticism by not ever getting into that situation haha. Fingers crossed for you!
Last update before it gets installed. Final wet sand and polish to go hopefully tomorrow or Monday. Should turn out pretty darn decent for an amateur job. The areas where it was cut and rebuilt look great. Some minor surface waves on the spoiler face aren�t near as bad as expected. During fitting I discovered that the forward body gap below the third brake light panel steps down and isn�t a smooth transition. It doesn�t look horrible, but I wasn�t willing to go back to laying body filler and figuring it out how to contour the transition. Someday I�ll come back to it, but I�m ready to move on back to the interior update. Got some houndstooth plaid coming for the door and rear side panels, probably even make some new cushions for the Pole Positions.
Next post will be installed on the �What did you do to your 996 today� thread.
I got most of it cleaned up. Intentionally left some swirl/scratching in it so it would help match the 245K miles worth of patina the rest of the car has.
Thanks! I�m pretty pleased with it. I�ve just got one of those brains that can usually find something that could have been done better.
Those are freakin awesome! I would love one when you get back
I haven�t handed any out yet so now that there are more Entenb�rzel Gang members lately, I�ll start getting them out to you guys. Just thought it was cool and it has a cartoonish look to it.
