1981 Talbot-Matra Murena 2.2

Remarks

The Matra Murena 2.2 is a three seat fibreglass sports car on a fully galvanised chassis, weighing in at just under a ton, it currently puts out over 120 Bhp. Body Rebuild: In 2019 the decision was taken to have the bodywork stripped and rebuilt by TVR fibreglass specialists Surface and Design of Blackpool. They commenced this work in late 2019, finished in early 2020, with a full strip and rebuild costing over £6500. Exterior - The drivers door crack is near the latch, we have been advised that this is simply solved by a small glass-fibre reinforcement underneath the latch, out of sight inside the door. New windscreen fitted 2014.

Remarks

Lefthand drive only, the passenger side features fixed seats with an adjustable foot rest while the centre seat-back can fold down for two. The curving centre dash provides ample storage. With similar dimensions as a Lotus Esprit, Matra managed to fit three in and the mid- engine layout gives a boot large enough to take plenty of cases or a tent. Over 750 Euro of trim parts were sourced from German Matra Specialist, Simon Auto and fitted at this time. Following the rebuild they also supplied a full leather interior for the Murena at a cost of 2000 Euro which nicely set off the white paintwork and completed the renovation. In 2021 to get her back on the road after lockdown, a new heater valve was fitted and rear boot lights protectors were obtained. Additional soundproofing was added to the boot.

Remarks

2016 Speedo cable replaced and dash upgraded with LED bulb in the dash, Cam cover bead blasted and powder coated to finish off the engine bay.

Remarks

Clutch master cylinder removed, stripped and refurbished. Brakes refurbed by Big Red Ltd. Rolling road in 2019, clutch slave cylinder fitted. Now giving 124.5 bhp and 147lb ft at 2999rpm. Rolling road in 2014 gave 120bhp at the flywheel and 139lb ft torque at 3600rpm.

Remarks

Owned by the current owner since 2012 and used regularly across the UK and Europe on Matra Simca events, the car has comfortably transported us across France, Belgium and Holland to events and holidays. I bought the car at the end of 2012 and worked on it over the winter. To get the car back on the road in 2013, the car had a thorough rebuild at home, stripping out lots of wiring and removing any electric issues that had developed, since it had been garaged from 2002 on. As the storage was dry there was no damp or rust that normally affects classic cars. Much of the work over the first few months focussed on cleaning and checking items to see if they could be made serviceable and fixed, before compiling a list of the rubber and perished items to replace. In the first winter we stripped and rebuilt all the brakes, fitting new tyres on refinished wheels. Electrical motors in the doors were serviced and rebuilt. The engine was recommissioned with new plugs, oil, filters, fuel hose, fuel filters and all usual service items. After this, the exhaust manifold was stripped welded and rebuilt. A new distributor and rotor arm were fitted, the Weber carb was stripped, serviced and rebuilt as was the cooling system. The entire front of the car was dismantled with rewiring taking place to ensure excellent grounding and working lights all-round with the vacuum hoses replaced and the unit tested to give reliable lamp lifting. Next year, the front hubs were dismantled with perished rubber fittings replaced with new track rod ends and wheel bearings. The front of the car effectively was fully rebuilt. New radiator stone shield fitted and upgraded wiper arms and blades were fitted to allow regular use. To further provide comfort during use the fan motor was replaced with a new unit and all thermostats, switches and motor controls were replaced with new items. Lastly a new battery provided reliable power to get the Murena back on the road in 2013. Further recommissioning continued in 2014 as the Murena was driven across the UK and to the international Matra event at Beaulieu. A replacement steering wheel was sourced to replace the perished rubber item that had degraded badly over the years but a gear lever could not found at this time. However, the circuit board was replaced with a new upgraded item. The interior was stripped and cleaned and air hoses were tape- sealed to improve air flow into the cabin on long journeys. A new windscreen was fitted, along with rear view mirror to lift the inside and the door seals and carpet was replaced for the first time. After driving across country for a few trips we decided to replace both front wheel bearings, bushes and track rod ends. To ensure the best safety, new seatbelts were measured and fitted. In 2014 it was tuned on a rolling road for the first time and successfully passed the MOT. The rolling road in 2014 gave 120bhp at the flywheel and 139lb ft torque at 3600rpm max. In 2015 the front suspension and tracking was fully aligned. Most importantly the car has been fitted with full stainless steel coolant pipes which run the length of the car underneath to prevent corrosion. The car has been used regularly on club events in the UK and Europe and has never suffered from any issues. Historical Article about the car from the MEC Club Site:-“Purchased by us in October 2012, it was rescued having spent the last 10 years in a shed in Littlehampton. Over the winter essential work has taken place to get the car roadworthy again and through an MOT. Owned back in the late 1980’s by a Member of the Matra Enthusiasts Club, it had various modifications made including the fitting of a higher performance Holbay Tornado Cam and the replacement of the worn-out Solex carburettor with the Weber now fitted. Since then, though, pervious owners had stripped off the original exhaust and air filter system, fitting a twin pip Devil exhaust and K&N air filter. Both of these were stripped off with the K&N filter being scrapped. A complete, original air filter system was found and re-installed. The sub-standard exhaust manifold was rebuilt by Macclesfield firm J.P. Exhausts who made an excellent job of strengthening the top of the manifold. Naturally after 10 years much of the hoses were perished as were the tyres. Winter saw new fuel and air hoses installed, the wheels blasted and repainted and fitted with specially sourced Vredestein tyres. The braking system was completely stripped, overhauled and refitted with new pads and better brake hose. The engine, looking quite sound has simply had a full service so far, although the carburettor has been re-jetted. New plugs, leads, oil, and ignition system have been installed. The coolant system was overhauled and the old thermostat was found to have failed, so a new one was installed and carefully tested to prevent overheating of the light alloy head. Finally a lot of work has been done on the fragile electrics to make the car road-worthy. Ironically one of the downsides of a full galvanised body was a tendency to have poor earths leading to quite a few electrical problems. These have (nearly) been resolved with the lights and heating system having a full overhaul. Both headlamp pods were completely stripped, reinforced and rebuilt. The worn out blower fan was replaced and the thermostatic control switch renewed. With all this work done in the past few months we can now enjoy the car over the summer and trouble shoot other problems as they arise. As few major jobs remain, such as replacing the old steel coolant pipes, which run the length of the car, with new stainless steel.