MatraSport Forum

Hello all, I have some new information now on the Murena 1.6 rear coil springs, so the information has been added to my website FAQ section, specifically on the page about whether to keep the cars original in left hand drive form, or modify them to right hand drive. My personal preference is to keep them original and LHD, as all conversions of these great cars only makes them worse.

The new information has come from Alain Fritz who has provided me with a copy of a Peugeot Service Information update, and I thank him for providing it. As I have never seen any of these Peugeot service information updates, except for the 9 page one about the 'S' model, I wonder just how many were issued that relate to the Murena. Does anyone here know? If anyone does, I would be grateful to know and what topics they covered. Thanks.

Roy

Hello Roy,

you can buy some of them here:

http://www.matra-passion.com/

boutique

Apologies, this is a suspension topic, but the list of service information items was interesting:

Item 56 in the 1981 section interests me. I get a lot of vibration noises from what sounds like the heater box, although mine is a 1983 car. The noises quieten down as the car and heater box warm up, but I would like to eliminate the noises if possible. They seem to come from inside the car, rather than the accessible part under the bonnet, where the heater fan is located. Can rattles be sorted out without removing the dashboard to access the heater box behind it?

Over the past couple of years I've seen quite a few murenas at club meets and it made me wonder something about the rear springs. Because even the ones that have new springs all seem to lean ever so slightly to the left. Is it just my imagination or does it have something to do with the transmission and tank being on the left as well? Or age? Or something else? Or all of the above 😅 I also have the feeling both 2.2 and 1.6 models have this.

Over the past couple of years I've seen quite a few murenas at club meets and it made me wonder something about the rear springs. Because even the ones that have new springs all seem to lean ever so slightly to the left. Is it just my imagination or does it have something to do with the transmission and tank being on the left as well? Or age? Or something else? Or all of the above 😅 I also have the feeling both 2.2 and 1.6 models have this.

Quote. "I get a lot of vibration noises from what sounds like the heater box, although mine is a 1983 car. The noises quieten down as the car and heater box warm up, but I would like to eliminate the noises if possible. They seem to come from inside the car, rather than the accessible part under the bonnet, where the heater fan is located. Can rattles be sorted out without removing the dashboard to access the heater box behind it?"

Appart from noises that sound like fan noises ther is also a modification for the cool system.
The heater water system  make noises while driving.
There is a modification for it placing a small extra  expansion bottle.
If you can't find one that was on sale in the 80s, you can use one from a older Renault 5.

see attachemant

Concerning the hangoverat my 2.2 I found the following thing.
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-OPJ5T61ayVE/T2jKSHjA-kI/AAAAAAAAA-c/RRGWGIUaOK4/s480/veren13%2520%2528Small%2529.jpg)

Control if it is bend.
I did replace it with galvanised.

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-qgeF0oeY3Y0/T2jKR8t1RDI/AAAAAAAAA-g/tckpxT9ToRQ/s480/veren11%2520%2528Small%2529.jpg)

There is also a protociol to adjust the trailerarms fastening it with 2 sacks of patatos in the back standing on the ground with half a tank of fuel. (not scientific but it is described correct in the manual)
If still not correct the chassis is not perfectly in line because of the galvanising proces.
I mounted spax and after that i could adjust it.
Carjoy seems to have a tool to control things.

Pretty sure I would have noticed something like that by now 😂

Spax any good?

At first I mounted Spax on the 2.2.
It made things as height strenght adjustable.

Later I mounted them on the1.6 and also new springs from a 2.2.
At the front I mounted Koni shocks
That was realy progress concerning road handling.
I am very pleased with them.

So Spax combined with rear springs from the 2.2 but fitted to the 1.6? I imagine that makes it quite a bit stiffer. Does that make it feel more responsive in corners?

It fits perfectly fine in combination withthe Spax but I presume it will fit with the oiginal shocks as wel.
It made the car a bit mor harder and stable in fast cornering but its just a bit.
Some people found it still not hard enough and mounted Mercedes springs, but that specific car runs sometimes circuits with a fast Ford engine.
Its just where you have your priorities.
I found it excelent for  daily driving on  the 1.6

Thanks for the feedback. It sounds like something I will consider at some point. You're not in the simcaclub Netherlands right? I don't think I seen your cars at any of the meets at least not the past few years.

I found the Simca club did not do very much for the Matra scene.
In 2007 I desided to go with the Matramania club Belgium where I am still a member.
Its a bit closer to France ;-)
Its a small club but that makes it more social.
The interest for Matra is a bit less the last years.
I still hope to find someone that have a heart for the brand.
I sold my 2.2 to member that give it the TLC.
He has a simple job on it because the car was complete done by me and looks an drive very good.
The day I said goodbey, I still miss it.
(https://www.matramania.be/phpBB3/download/file.php?id=10059)

Two good looking gentlemen there with a beauty!

Ah perhaps times have changed. Lately I frequently see murenas and usually also at least one Rancho at the meetings as well as bagheeras and the occasional 530 but as it's a simca club we don't get the Matra built espaces and the Avantimes unfortunately.
Belgium is a bit far for me. I know there's a Matra sports club in the Netherlands as well but honestly I prefer the variety of vehicles at the simcaclub meetings. Simca built some gorgeous cars as well and things like a Talbot Samba always bring a smile on my face.

Quote:"At first I mounted Spax on the 2.2.
It made things as height strenght adjustable.

Later I mounted them on the1.6 and also new springs from a 2.2.
At the front I mounted Koni shocks
That was realy progress concerning road handling.
I am very pleased with them."

Do you have any information on Spax part numbers for the rear shocks, or other better known makes of car which would use the same ones as a Murena? I think I may try some if they're more cost effective than the original replacements.

I believe Spax rear is 24033 and they're adjustable

Koni is normal I believe and part number 24036

Koni is cheaper as well but please double check as I'm not 100% sure.

Sorry for my late response.
Spax raer =G695
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-OxXLFuYBz-Y/T291XY2fekI/AAAAAAAACvc/uguohHiVRZA/s800/P1020797.JPG)
At the front I experimented with different shocks.
Anything that is mounted at the front of Simca 1100 /Horizon/ Bagheers an d others wil do fine.
I noticed almost no difftences.
Mounted on my 1.6 =Koni made for Simca 1100.
On my ex 2.2 was Monroe for Bagheera.
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Mv_WWAi0X7o/T291WwcnU_I/AAAAAAAACvU/HheOYQIWfcY/s800/P1010081.JPG)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Yk-k-zqqQ30/T291WA_ZcwI/AAAAAAAACvE/IMchCEJqzxU/s800/P1010079.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Iha-0xh4lxk/T291T7e4NcI/AAAAAAAACuo/8VWD7CAck7Y/s800/P1010077.JPG)
I also have a new  pair of Gabriel for Horizon front reserve and I expect the to do the job

When I started this topic, it was to inform others about the different rear coil springs, which was not in the workshop manual but came from an update bulletin, and I did ask how I could get hold of a copy of all those bulletins, as I was interested to see what they covered.

This information was duly given, thanks Alain, and that should have ended this particular posting topic.

However, it has been 'hijacked' and strayed into other areas that should have been in a new topic!


PLEASE, PLEASE, will posters not do this!  It is easy to start a new topic.  The problem with altering a topic is that it gets out of hand and someone reading the latest posting has no idea of the initial topic or reason for it. (I have amended the title to make it clearer)

It has strayed into things like heater box noises, and altering the suspension with different springs, shock absorbers, and ride heights which are entirely different subjects, and altering the suspension is one which I do not agree with.  As I've said before, who are any of us to think we know better than the experts at the factory who designed and developed the car originally?  I myself don't, although I have made one small change to a 55 profile front tyre, after testing extensively, and with improved results have used and recommended them for many years, and there is a good reason and an explanation behind this, as detailed in my Tyres technical article, which can be downloaded from my website; or in an FAQ answer on wheels and tyres.


There are comments here about using the standard front shock absorbers from a Talbot Horizon or other Talbot front engine, front wheel drive car on the Murena.  Yet the Murena has very little weight at the front to need such strong springs or shock absorbers, so they cannot be right.  I have driven a Murena with stiffer front shock absorbers that someone else had fitted, and it was certainly far worse than the original, which is exactly what I expected.  Even a passenger in that car who knew little about this, commented how the car was worse than my own which he had been a passenger in many times and therefore knew how a good Murena should really ride and handle.

Those shock absorbers were simply too stiff for the light front end of a Murena, and over bumps in the road, which we all suffer today with such poor road maintenance, means the tyres lose contact as the front bounces and therefore the grip is also worse whereas the softer front would mean the tyres would stay in contact with the road more.

You only have to consider the old ideas of making a 'sports car suspension' harder than the equivalent saloon car, supposedly to make it handle better.  Colin Chapman soon shot those ideas down with the Lotus Elite 14 and Elan which had softer suspension and out handled any car on the road at the time, and on a twisty road today can still see off most cars, especially when they only need 155 section tyres compared to the huge 225 section or more of many modern cars!


But to get back to my main point, PLEASE stop hijacking a topic and using it for other topics which should be in a new posting.  If what you want to say is not directly relevant to the wording in the original first posting, then start a new topic.

Thank you.

Roy

Sorry that this topic got out of hand.
So my last thing of it defending my statement about the the Simca shocks.
Simon/Carjoy did sell them for Bagheera as wel as the Murena.
I was also sceptical about it for the same reasons as you.
So to proof it I bought a set from Carjoy for around 150 Euro (overpriced but I wanted to know).
The Monroe R3227 arrived and I looked them up in Tecdoc carbible.
They are for Simca 1100.
Carjoy didn't mention this.
In a pic above you see me with weights, clock time to go up and down, to compare them to the originals.
I was suprised that they measured not far of from thee originals.
In fact the originals after 40 years measured harder in my case.

I mounted them on 4 Murena's and we all agreed roadhandling was fine.
Carjoy sold a bunch of them, I never heard anything bad about it.
I am not here to criticise the experts, in fact I learned from your FAQ as wel  and I know you put a lot of effort in it.
I only ventilate my opinion and results of my experimental things with shocks.
This sets for Simca 1100 are still to find for a few euro's from several brands.
Of course the originals can be overhauled but pricewise this is not bad.

The Spax G695 are realy good. You can adjust force ( 28 clicks), and adjust the height.
I still daily drive my 1.6 with the Koni fronts for 1100 and Spax since 2013 and I like the setup.

Herman