Sunday, August 24, 2014

Automotif XLIX...

Mid/Late-'80s 911 Carrera with the turbo-style tea tray on the back.
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19 comments:

Phssthpok said...

We called 'em "Whale Tails".

5:23 PM, August 24, 2014
Tam said...

That too. :)

5:34 PM, August 24, 2014
Anonymous said...

The "I wanted a 930 turbo but the EPA wouldn't let them sell me one" appearance package. I knew a guy who owned five Turbos in a row. The Turbo was available in Canada so every year he would sell his used 930 to a US buyer and buy a new one with the proceeds. He had a slant nose last time I saw him.

The Brits call it a tea tray, whale tail seems to be the term on this side of the pond.

Al_in_Ottawa

7:43 PM, August 24, 2014
og said...

Lift, and reap the whirlwind. So much fun to thrash around. So expensive to fix.

8:09 PM, August 24, 2014
The Freeholder said...

Now that brings back some lustful memories.

8:13 PM, August 24, 2014
Derrel Carter said...

Just a nice clean high performance car.

8:16 PM, August 24, 2014
Tam said...

Al_in_Ottawa,

"The "I wanted a 930 turbo but the EPA wouldn't let them sell me one" appearance package."

The 911 Turbo was likely quite available when the car in the picture was sold. (The Turbos were only off the market from '81-85, IIRC. One of my favorite R&T articles from when I was a kid was an early Eighties comparison test of recently forbidden fruit: The 911 Turbo vs. a Mercedes 6.9.)

8:21 PM, August 24, 2014
Old NFO said...

A real Turbo was a HANDFUL!!! :-)

8:49 PM, August 24, 2014
Home on the Range said...

Early 80's, a guy who worked in sales for the folks I was flight instructing for, had one of those. He was sort of a jackass. You know, if you leave the window rolled down just a bit by accident and someone has a shop vac you can fill one of those completely full of Styrofoam packing peanuts

8:59 PM, August 24, 2014
Anonymous said...

Og's first sentence says it all. regards, Alemaster

9:12 PM, August 24, 2014
Anonymous said...

I worked with this guy in '85 and then he went to the UAE, so it's quite possible. He would always correct anybody who called it a 911 so naturally we always called it a 911 to tee him off. The rustiest POS cars in the lot were always parked within inches of its shiny flared fenders. He affected people that way.

I don't think the 6.9 was forbidden in the '80s. In '80 the new S-class came out and it never had the thirsty 6.9 V8 from the Grosser of the '60s.
A 6.9 is on my lottery list, I'll park it next to the Pagoda and across from the AstonMartin V8s.

Al_in_Ottawa

9:54 PM, August 24, 2014
Noah said...

Oh, that's a bad, bad case of the wantsies right there.

I happen to hold the same opinion as The Hamster: That's a Porsche. That's THE Porsche. There need be no other.

"I'd like to buy a Porsche."

"Excellent choice, sir. What color?"

12:20 AM, August 25, 2014
Anonymous said...

Bonus points for those who know why the whale tail has a black periphery. Hint: it's not just styling or cosmetic.

1:56 AM, August 25, 2014
kfg said...

I'm holding out for an RSK.

3:57 AM, August 25, 2014
Butch_S. said...

Noah said...
"I happen to hold the same opinion as The Hamster: That's a Porsche. That's THE Porsche. There need be no other."

Sorry, but no.

The Porsche had a 4.9l flat-12, was typically painted pale blue and orange, and would do 240 on the Mulsanne straight.

http://youtu.be/FkP5Svl16Qg

5:59 AM, August 25, 2014
Anonymous said...

911 + H2O = SQUIRREL!

Gerry

9:26 AM, August 25, 2014
Scott J said...

IIRC the naturally aspirated cars were faster without the whale tail

9:41 AM, August 25, 2014
Will said...

Butch:

Late 70's-80's, there was a guy who would drive his (street legal!!!) --Porsche 917-- to the local car show in Palo Alto, CA.

It was a real ex-racecar with the flat 12. In blue, of course :)

I don't recall the exact version of the car, though.

He told me his dream was to do 280 on Hiway 280.

It's amazing what you can find on the street in CA.

2:59 PM, August 25, 2014
Unknown said...

What the h... Do you live in CarTopia? You're making me friken jealous.

4:23 PM, August 25, 2014

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