Original steel-framed RS ducktail details ?

[andyjboy]

There have been threads in the past showing specific details of original alloy-framed RS ducktails but my query concerns the steel-framed version, about which I have some questions:

What does the underside of an original steel-framed RS ducktail look like ?

Was the Factory ducktail that was used on the '74-'76 2.7 Euro Carrera the same as that fitted to the later '73 RS Carreras ?

As was the case for the alloy-framed ducktails, is/are there any details which would differentiate an original steel-framed Factory ducktail from an 'aftermarket' version as produced by (Gary Kempton) "Made by Hand", etc ?

Anyone with an original steel-framed RS ducktail please can you post some pictures of the underside ?

[fryardds]

Andy,

My understanding is that the steel frame RS ducktail is different from the later Carrera ducktail. The most obvious thing I have seen is the license plate lights are not present on the '74 Carrera tail. I would also expect those ducktails to be missing the two sets of screw holes for the rubber tie downs that would have been used on the LW RS ducktails.

Another way to authenticate the original '73 ducktails is the presence of a small, flat, rectangular piece of metal welded to the frame behind those screw holes to provide more metal to reinforce the screws used for the rubber tie downs. I have an extra steel frame RS ducktail so I will post photos when I get home this evening.

Eade H. could confirm some this by inspecting the ducktail on his '74 Carrera (I really like that car )

[andyjboy]

Thanks Brian - I had forgotten about the licence plate lights difference for the '74-'76 Euro Carreras but the rectangular 'depressions' were still there in the sheet metal so it wouldn't be too difficult for someone to cut these out & mount the earlier style lamps.

[Chuck Miller]

Andy,

Are you worried about differentiating between a 'real' duck tail and one that has been fabed from a glass tail part (from a real one or from a repop) bonded to a stock metal frame?
(which GT Racing used to do… and, a real P.I.T.A)

Plus all the hints that have already been discussed…

Another is… If you look closely at the under side of the frame of any stock deck lid you'll notice little spot weld depressions about every 3/4" all around the perimeter of the frame where it attaches to the deck lid skin.

A 'real' duck tail frame was never spot welded to a deck lid skin…it never got that far on the production line … the frame went directly to have the tail bonded on... therefore there is no hint of spot weld depressions at all.

Hope this helps,

[john rice]

Andy!
Are you perhaps wondering about the construction and specs on your ducktail?

If so, you outta ask the guy who made it! IF it is still present, you can easily tell as I put high tech-high temp aluminumized insulation on the underside of the lid. 2 reasons. 1/It keeps it from baking and preserves the shape. 2/this particular lid was made up out of frustration with the replicas. At the time I was restoring the car three were absolutely NO original ducktails on the market and the best one I could find was not a great fit. I finally had the bodyman cut the ducktail portion out of the replica I had and bond and rivet it to the steel rear lid I was also restoring. I wanted to insure that the seam where they joined never cracked. At the time it resulted in the best fitting RS ducktail I had seen.

Now that I have written all this, I hope we are talking about the same lid. :=>

Regards,

JohnR

PS- I would love to hear about how the car is working out for you. If you care to comment direct at jrice930@aol.com

[Ernie W]

Photo details of the steel frame duck tail, drain hole, and two small holes for the rubber hold down bracket. On either side of the bracket holes are spot welds for the small backing plate used to double the thinkness of the frame. The bracket holes were filled with resin. This steel frame duck tail is from a 1974 Carrera USA. It also has the license plate light holes in it, but both were blocked off by a small black sheet metal plate, which used the same sheet metal screws as the license plate lights.

[Chuck Miller]

The same deal as Ernie's...

[Rennman]

The 74 ducktails did have the licence plate cut outs. They were blocked off with small plates held in by phillip head screws. The main difference between the 73 and 74 tails is the shape of the corners of the grill opening. Another big difference is the shape of the metal frame where the latch attaches to which is unique to an original tail. I had made side by side comparisons between my original 74 and the 73 RSs.Hope this helps.

Best,

Don

[Chuck Miller]

The lip you see around the frame is smooth and has no depressions from spot welds....

[fryardds]

Ernie and Don,

Thanks for sharing the info on the '74 Carrera ducktail. I didn't know those parts shared the same features as the RS ducktail.

Here is a blurry photo of the metal reinforcement on an AL ducktail.



Here is the same piece on my steel RS ducktail.