Hello and my new Murena restoration...

[TimS]

No that was dead. This is a new Bosch, which I'm keeping topped up on a trickle charger as necessary.

[TimS]

Good day with lots of work done. Removed the carb, ready to deliver it to Roy for refurbishment. Got into the electrics and found a lot of loose and broken connections, which explain some of the problems I'm having. Got under the car and had a good clean and a look at the suspension prior to replacing it.

The carb should be able to be set up for the car. I'll report back when it has been cleaned and jetted.
Had a good look at the dampers - they look like they have been on for a long time. Koni's front and back. I'll have to see what you all suggest to replace them with. Would like to lower the front and rear a little as well but still want good ride for long distance.

Just for fun cleaned up the exhaust system, good before and after photos. Should come up well with some polish!

Finally, does anyone know what the thick red wire is for in the last photo? Part of the wires at the top come out of the blower fan. A group of yellow wire then run behind the washer bottle. I think there should have been a bloc connector there but each wire is connected by bullet connectors and several have come apart. But there is also a thick red cable there which has been extended by two connectors. I don't know what it does.

[Oetker]

I don't see a picture, but a thick red wire unther the waterbottle goes to the relais in the back for the rear window heater.
Normaly there is a connector mounted under the water bottle but because of corrosion most Murena's the connector is replaced by bullet connectors.
The thick wire I still have the bullet but the rest I replaced spades.

[Oetker]

Hmmmm, Koni??  lifetime warranty 
Are they defect?

[TimS]

I've no way of knowing how old the Koni's are. They have a lifetime warranty? They have to be 10-15 years old at least. They are probably good enough for use but if I am going to rebuild the car fully, I want to replace all this old stuff as I don't know how hard the car has been driven in the past.

There is a thick red wire behind the washer bottle as well as a group of yellow. Like yours they have been changed but were all just held together with tape.

[Oetker]

The lifetime warranty is for the original purchaser.

Quote from the q&a from there website.
==============================

Q: What is the KONI warranty? How do I go about
getting replacements?
A: The KONI warranty is a lifetime warranty to the original
purchaser against defects in materials and workmanship
and against wear out for as long as you own that car
registered for street use. The warranty does not cover
damage to the parts caused by misuse, misapplication,
installation, motorsports, etc. If you determine you have a
defective damper you can either contact the company
which you purchased the unit(s) from or contact KONI
North America directly at warranty@koni-na.com or
859-586-4100. To process your warranty, we will require a
copy of the purchase receipt and a vehicle registration.
We will generate a return goods authorization (RGA) and
can replace the dampers in advance at your discretion.
For more specific information about the warranty see
inside back cover

[TimS]

Finally got to do some work on the car today. My work has been very busy, but I am looking at a quiet winter, so lots of time to work on the Murena.

Started taking the wheels off to check the condition of the brakes and dampers. I had a really pleasant surprise, someone has already replaced the old brake hoses with braided ones..

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/99561763/Matra/Front%20LH.jpg

Also the dampers look in good condition. Even though the car was laid up for 10 years, there was still grease on the hub, the wheel came off easily and even copaslip on the lugs...

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/99561763/Matra/Brake%20Disc.jpg

I was planning to take each wheel off and replace whatever was needed but it seems to need less and less. I might put the crossdrilled discs on though with the Greenstuff pads. Only makes sense really.

I took off the lower cover underneath the radiator at the front. Really corroded and not re-useable. But I couldn't find it in Simon's catalog. Does anyone know what it is called in German so I can order a replacement?

Also does anyone have a copy of the Murena technical manual in German or French preferably, in pdf or similar?

[Oetker]

Not bad for the start.

The plate to protect the radiator you can easy make yourself.
I did it from a piece of shingle rooftop but will be possible in Iron to.


The part of the rooftop is enough to do the whole Murena.



Mount  it with kit and rivets.

[TimS]

Been doing quite a bit now. Wheels off and away to be blasted and powder coated.

The brake are coming apart and only need a general clean up, new pads only. Some surface corrosion but mainly oil and dirt to clean off the caliber and pistons.

Stripped down the doors to work on the electric windows and replaced the worn switches. Need to get to the motors though to clean them.

I have two old speakers in the footwell which I want to replace but one is backed in by the drivers foot rest and the other is blocked by the adjustable passenger foot board. Does anyone know how to take the footrests out so I can get to the speakers?

[Oetker]

On both sides behind the carpet is a plate of board where th speakers are mounted on.
You need to pull away the carpet.
Therefore you have to remove the hood-opener (2bolts) and the bolts of the dash-mounting around the same spot.
Then you can remove the carpet .
The board is mounted with 3 clips that can be pulled out.
Be careful because the board may be desintegrated.
Is easy to reproduce.



My speakers where already mounted in the doors, so I closed the gaps.


Greetings Herman

[suffolkpete]

The plate under the radiator is a very common corrosion spot.  If there's enough left, why not take it to your local metal-basher and ask them to make a copy in stainless steel.  I've got a French version of the official manual but it's for the 1.6.  If you have any specific questions about parts that are common to both models, let me know and I can scan individual pages and email them to you.

[TimS]

Thanks. I'm going to make my own plate up, using the old one as a template. It's too rotten to reuse any other way.

I seem to be working on several jobs at once, hopefully they will all come together!

I also guess I'll have to take the carpets out then to get the speakers replaced. Not cutting any more holes so they can stay in the footwell for now.

[TimS]

a few photos of the latest work. Stripped and rebuilt all the brakes with new EBC Greenstuff pads, looking a lot better, although bleeding was a bit tricky. wire brush on an angle grinder soon cleaned up the calipers though.

Fitted new gas struts at last so the glass hatch opens impressively when the lever is pulled.

Stripped and rebuilt one headlamp pod. Both were quite a mess with a lot of corrosion, missing rivets, rotten srews etc. one headlamp was actually held in place by a plastic cable tie! Just about to finish the other. Both will need repainting sometime in the future as they are missing a lot of paint. One headlamp looks quite rusty. I was wondering if it is worth getting them resilvered to get rid of the rust, or to try and get a replacement light?

Good news is that my new tyres arrived and look great on the refurbished wheels. Got to strip the tie rods first to replace the steering gaiter before those can go on though.

Also stripped one window mechanism. Again not very good, loud grinding sound so I think it is rubbing as the glass goes up. The door panels are well past their best so will need some work.

Can anyone help me with a few parts and some advice?

There are 50mm dia tweeters mounted in the door. I don't want to cut another hole so would like to source some plastic surrounds the same size but am struggling to find any. Has anyone come across any?

Also has anyone re glued the fabric trim back onto the door cards And if so what glue have you used? The foam has rotted but I am just trying to glue the fabric in place for now.

Lastly I need a complete air filter system, housing, attachments, the lot. My car had been fitted with a K and N filter, not really the right type for this design of engine. If any one has any air filter components spare and want to sell them, let me know, as it will have to be cheaper than the few hundred Euros it would cost otherwise.

[Oetker]

Nice to see the progress.

You say the the rear window is going fast now, but did you use struts with 210 N lift (original force)
I never saw a fast Murena rear window.
It is slightly critical not to use much more force then 250 N.
To high force can break the glass as we have seen several times..

pic kjell

The mounting of the headlight are very weak.
I changed them to Landrover .





Grinded a ball on hexagon bolts and a saw cut.






This mountings are for sale here.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280831897433?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

Greetings Herman

[suffolkpete]

It's really not worth the effort and expense of trying to get the existing reflectors re-silvered.  I've converted mine to Wipac quartz-halogen units.  There is an article in the July 2009 Club magazine (you can access it via the website) explaining how I did it.  Should you for any reason wish to retain the original pattern of lamp, I have a few spare mountings which were made redundant by the conversion.