MatraSport Forum

Hi all
Thought I'd introduce myself and show you all the Murena I have just bought. It's been stored in a garage for the past ten years, so very dirty and in need of some restoration.
Its first 250 miles were on the back of a car transporter yesterday. First job will be to was it down and start drawing a list of parts and work. Think there will be a lot that needs doing, but not much to get it running.

Where do you start on a car that has not run for so long?

I'm going to flush the engine, change the oil, plugs, filters, replace the engine hoses, new ignition, HT leads, distributor...then it might run.

http://db.tt/8PDwDjDf
http://db.tt/A21nhIVn
http://db.tt/ZSO6qtUO

More to come when I can insert them.

Tim

Hi Tim. Congratulations with your Murena. It looks to be in pretty good condition. You should have lots of enjoyment out of it. It will be seriously fun to drive.

Is it a 1.6, 2.2, or 2.2S ?

Regards.
Jon.

Ah, forgot the important stuff. 2.2. Im the 12th owner and it's got 225km on it, none for ten years though.

Congratulation! It looks good.

Enjoy the car before a deep restoration project. When I bought mine I started it immediately but now it seems to be a never ending story... but today the car was transported to the painter so the process is going on.

Hi Tim
Congratulations buying a nice project-car like this.
It can give loads of fun.
Make it a nice car and keep us posted.
Good luck

Well, end of day 1 and I ripped out the 1980's alarm system and got it ready for work. Pics to follow.

Welcome to the the elite gathering of Matra owners.  Are you a member of the Matra Enthusiasts' Club?  You will find a lot of help and advice there. You can download a form fom the website www.matra-club.net

Hi Peter

Thanks for the welcome. I've just sent my membership in and am hoping to come to your October gathering at Sudelely Castle to meet people and hopefully see some Murenas. I need to have a look at ones that run!

Have spent a few days trying to start mine up but it is proving stubborn. So I will just commence with stripping down the obvious stuff and replacing bits that after 10 years, have probably rusted, blocked or just won't work. Filters, plugs, ignition, fuel pump and thermostat all to be looked at and changed. I need to start the engine to check there is not serious damage after ts long storage.

Look forward to seeing you there.

Will you be coming along with your Murena, Pete?

I certainly will, it's a 1.6 though.

No problem with a 1.6' I'll be glad to poke over one that runs and to look at a few things that I think are non standard on my car.

Air filter, exhaust, carburetter and who knows what else are all non original and need changing. First I need tomtry and start the engine. Cleaning the carb first but I also think a new fuel filter will help.

Are they a standard size?

I'm not really an authority on the 2.2, but those all sound like things that have been changed because the originals are hard to obtain.  In your situation, my approach would be to get it running and see how it goes, it may take some time to get the correct parts if you're hell-bent on originality.  The non-starting may just be stale petrol if it hasn't run for ten years.  If your fuel filter is the in-line type, then any generic type will suit, it may have been added as an after-market item anyway.  If Roy Gillard our technical advisor, and who knows more about Murenas than anyone else in the known universe, is at the October meeting then he will be able to advise you.

SUCCESS! Got it running today for the first time in ten years. Found that there was no fuel getting to the carb, as the fuel hoses were so old, all the pump was doing was drawing air in. New hoses and fuel filter on and it started first time. Video to follow.

Sounds a bit rattly. Timing chain perhaps? Or just a loose fastener down the side of the engine maybe. Now I can run it up on ramps and get underneath to check for gasket leaks.

Even got the headlamps working, although there must be a slow leak in the vacuum system, as after half an hour, they will not rise. So will be changing all the vacuum hoses.

Congratulations!  When you get it on the ramps, have a good look at the trailing arms, these are the achilles heel of these cars, being the only part that wasn't galvanised.  On a car that hasn't run for ten years the next thing I'd have a good look at  would be the brakes.  All the seals etc are obtainable but first study the brake booklet from here http://www.matraclub.org.uk/faq3.html#top.  Why was the car taken off the road?

Congratulations! That could be a nice moment! :)

I would be grateful if you wrote your experience about the Weber carb in your car.  ;)

Congratulations.

I would not put all effort in finding the right carb.
Fuel in the near future will be very lean.
That means that more and more ethanol will be mixed in it.
That will kill the engine's of our young-timers.
I am planning to put my Murena's  on auto-gas.
The cars run very good on it, and a classic installation will not be expensive.
My 27 years old Honda is already running on it.
The Murena's will follow.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-GLHidzgwq_g/T2exVOQA_yI/AAAAAAAAAn8/GzgCK6QJg-Y/s800/01Tank.jpg)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7182kVF9wiM/T2exbG-DzJI/AAAAAAAAApE/60Z43NPm3uM/s800/12beugel.jpg)
[/img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ir36Ckh9aRU/T2ex3LjriiI/AAAAAAAAAts/HkNOJ_7XDEE/s800/mventiel.jpg[/img]
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ir36Ckh9aRU/T2ex3LjriiI/AAAAAAAAAts/HkNOJ_7XDEE/s800/mventiel.jpg)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ko_0iyiMdH0/T2ezSiCitpI/AAAAAAAAAxk/1YaSr3Beshk/s800/Bvuller.jpg)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Gy8edn8tmzk/T2ex-_oqe_I/AAAAAAAAAvI/6SJJWvb5HDM/s800/switch.jpg)

Goverment is planning new rules.
Old cars can not longer enter city-centers, because of polution.
When the car is on gas there will be no problems concerning that.

Herman

Every government has different plans. E.g. ours will raise the tax of the LPG next year... In my opinion people should be inspired to use LPG in elder cars but increasing tax is not so inspirational...

Every government has different plans. E.g. ours will raise the tax of the LPG next year... In my opinion people should be inspired to use LPG in elder cars but increasing tax is not so inspirational...


[/quote]

That is the case in the Netherlands.

Fuelprice Euro95  €1.85 a litre.
Fuelprice LPG €0.75

Normaly LPG drivers in the Netherlands have to pay extra Road taxes and LPG is only interesting if you drive more then 15.000 miles /year, however cars older then 25 years are are free of road tax.
So it is interersting to put the cars on LPG  if you make some miles in it or build it in by yourself.
Materials for the Honda were around €350.- and MOT 50 so it was ready for €400.-
The Murena's will be a bit more, but I think no more then 600 Euro.

It is not only because of the price, but it is intended to save the engine in the very near future.
I am not driving the Murena's very much (around 2000 miles a year) so the LPG is not intended to drive cheap.
After 10 years the LPG instalation will need to be partly renewed because of safety rules.

Herman

I've been thinking of LPG for my Golf. If the petrol prices go up more I may have to.

Now I can start the engine I decided to try and back it out of my garage but the clutch will not engage. If I press the clutch pedal in, nothing happens. So I cannot put the car in gear. I think the clutch cable may need adjustment. If not then a new clutch.

Does anyone have a pic of the clutch cable routing and where I can adjust it? A diagram or photo would be great. ( I really must buy a technical manual, even if it is all in French!)

If I can try and engage the clutch then I can use reverse. If not I'll fit a new clutch, but then at the same time i would probably rebuild the gearbox too.

Murena has a hydraulic clutch operation. The master cylinder is beside the brake master cylinder and the clutch system use the brake fluid reservoir.
If you follow the plastic tube from the clutch master you will find the routing to the clutch slave cylinder under the car. Unfortunately I do not have any figures of it.

It is not difficult to find new clutch set for Murena 2.2, I also bought one. I also had to buy repair kits for the cylinders whiches contained new seals.

Yes, hydraulics and you can't adjust anything.
Best is to replace rubber in the front and rear cylinders, because if one leaks the the rubber in both will be at the end of life.
Repair sets are available at Simon.

Front.
(http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/6863/p1020884medium.jpg)
(http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg337/scaled.php?server=337&filename=p1020877medium.jpg&res=landing)
(http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg574/scaled.php?server=574&filename=p1020880medium.jpg&res=landing)


No pics of the back because i replaced the cylinder completely.

Given the length of time that the car has stood, the clutch plate may have rusted to the flywheel.  There are various brute force methods that can be used to free it.  The gearboxes on these cars are normally quite robust and I wouldn't pull it to bits unless you know it's faulty.

I'm surprised that more is not seized on this car after ten years but it was surprisingly dry. There is a lot of 'feel' to the clutch pedal but obviously nothing happening to the clutch. Better to strip down or replace the cylinders first or attack the clutch plate?

I think it is not needed to buy new cyliders. They are very expensive. Better to buy repair kits and overhaul them.

Have you checked the brake calipers? They are also prone to get stuck. After reviving they look like these so it is not worth buying new ones.

The brake proportional valve  is also prone to rust. You can find it at the right rear wheel, under the car. Mine was very rusty outside, but it works perfectly, we tested it on a bench. A new paint and it looks like a new.

You can download a parts catalog from Simon's website, it was very useful for me just to see the structure of different systems.

http://www.simon-auto.de/matra/englisch/kat_mur.htm

It can't do any harm to overhaul the hydraulics after all this time, although the fact that you can feel resistance at the pedal points to s stuck driven plate.

Thanks. The brakes do seem to work although they will need an overhaul. How do you suggest I unstick the clutch pate?

How easy is it to overhaul the clutch and brake master cylinders? Is it fairly easy and do Simon do a kit for both?

I also like the fact that some of you have painted the bellows and master cylinder. It looks a lot cleaner. What paint did you use?

The methods I've heard, with the disclaimer that I've not actually tried any of them, are:
1. Get the engine up to its normal operating temperature, wedge the clutch pedal hard down and leave overnight
2. If you have a suitable stretch of private road, warm the engine up, start it in gear and alternately accelerate and decelerate with the pedal held down
3. As above but with the car jacked up and the rear wheels off the ground

First look if the hydraulics work ;)
Let someone look if the rear cylinder comes out when you step down the pedal.

Herman

Thanks is it easy to see the rear slave cylinder?

I do think the brake fluid will have degraded but the brakes still work.

It is below the gearbox a bit.

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QllEHcaw7eA/UGqFsfRvSYI/AAAAAAAABpM/OqZeJ6aX39g/s800/muraank%2520017%2520%2528Custom%2529.jpg)

Pay also attention to small oil leaks at th nuts where the plasic tube goes in.
There are small rubbers inside that tends to leak a little.
It brings air in the system.
Best is ofcourse to overhaul the compleet system after 30 years.

unstuck the clutch today ;D

Pete, your trick worked well. Warmed the engine up a bit then turned it off, put it in reverse (as its in the garage), bit of handbrake to control, and cranked it. 3 goes of this and a slight "thump", the clutch comes free. All gears good and very smooth.

Also bled the coolant system and did Roys trick of keeping the heater on max warm whilst doing all this. Engine sounds surprisingly smooth and it may be that the carb is also OK.

Naturally a lot of black soot and carbon dropping out of the exhausts, which I will have to work out how to clean.

Only one problem, I found these under the car after I had driven it in and out of the garage a few times. I have no idea what they are. Does anyone and is it serious?

Here it is running, sorry for the wobbly video...

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/99561763/Matra/Running.mp4

Sounds good even though there is no air filter on, it still has the old plugs, leads, distributor and rotor arm - all to be changed now i know there is nothing seriously wrong with the engine. I wasn't going to service it if it needed the engine stripping down but I don't think there is anything seriously wrong with it and I can work on getting it through the MOT test.

Then it is road legal and I can drive it to specialists for work!

Making good progress!  Those plug and socket things don't look at all familiar to me, but since they weren't connected they can't have been important, I assume most of the electrics work.  The odd electrical gremlin is par for the course with these cars, but they are nearly all down to the fuse panel on the left hand front inner wing.  Once that has been cleaned up and any dodgy connectors replaced, they are usually ok if you use the car regularly.  It's probably worth getting an MoT and driving it round for a bit so that you can assess what needs to be done.

Just what I want to do Pete.

All the electrics work, although the heater fan squeals which makes me think bearing. All lights and wipers are good for an MOT test. I will need 4 new tyres, maybe some brake pipes. As for the suspension and shock absorbers, I think I might just put it in for the test and see what they think. Doesn't feel bad to me. Wheel bearings and brakes ok, but new brake fluid would be wise.

Because it only ran for about 1500 miles after a service, before being parked up, there's no reason why, other than ageing rubber pipes, it shouldn't be sound.

Very pleased that I can now get it out of the garage - will make the work much easier as you can see, I have a little slope on my drive. Please note, not all Matra Murena's come with Man Utd-supporting 6 year old helpers!!

Only one problem, I found these under the car after I had driven it in and out of the garage a few times. I have no idea what they are. Does anyone and is it serious?
Hi Tim. Congratulations with your Murena. It looks very good  :)

You do not have to worry about what you found on the floor, it is sockets for radio tubes, so it does not belong to Murena ;D

Finn

Thanks Finn.

No idea how they got in the car!!

Indeed, very old (fifties and perhaps early sixties) sockets for battery radio tubes. Strange.

The last owner, who had it stored for ten years, kept a lot of junk in the garage with it. How they got into the exhausts or the engine bay is anyone guess though ;)

kids and cats. ;)

Just ran the engine up. Noticed the was no charge indication on the ammeter. Should its how a charge at idle speeds?

It's a voltmeter, not an ammeter.  It should show some charge at idle speed and be close to the centre position at running speeds with no accessories in use and a battery in good condition.  If you have a multimeter, connect it across the battery terminals, you should see about 13.5 - 14 volts at 2000 rpm.  Does the ignition warning light come on when you switch on the ignition and go out when the engine starts?  Check all the connections to the alternator.  If the light doesn't work and you can see 12 volts between the large alternator terminal and earth, then there is probably a poor connection in the warning light circuit.  This has to function for the alternator to work.  Likely culprits are the multiway plug behind the dash or the plug in the front compartment near to the fusebox, this carries all the connections from the front to the engine compartment and the connection ends up at the larger of the two spade connectors on the back of the alternator.  You should be able to see 12 volts there when the ignition is on.  If you haven't got a multimeter, now is the time to get one, you're bound to need it  :)

Thanks Pete.
I think a lot of the little problems are down to the sheer level of dirt on everything that has accumulated after ten years which I have to scrape off every component. The photos don't really show how bad some bits are. The warning light does come on with the ignition and goes out with the engine starting which is something. The needle moves a little when the engine is run up but remains in the negative side.

I am still cleaning wiring in the front of the car and have no doubt the connections at the back are just as bad. I will be getting the car up on ramps and spending a day under it cleaning as much as possible.

The fuel gauge also comes and goes, probably the same problem. All are a little slow.

Right now it's trying to get the jobs in the righ order and not get sidetracked...I do have all winter!

Sounds as if it's basically working.  The voltmeter does tend to read a bit low due to poor connections and wiring resistance, so you need to go through all the connections, but if you're getting a sensible voltage at the battery terminals, I wouldn't worry too much.  The battery may also be in a low state of charge, it's surely not the one that came with the car after a ten-year lay-up?

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

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.

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.
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-TCdoW5sc9zk/T29jGCV-KcI/AAAAAAAACtY/mBaLN7faoZs/s800/SANY0098.JPG)

Hmmmm, Koni??  lifetime warranty  ;D
Are they defect?

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.

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

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?

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.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-pYYiT8nAscM/UJQPcp6ZeOI/AAAAAAAACLY/jkzX5fBsmx4/s800/P1050614%2520%2528Custom%2529.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-4T_8H_5-a6k/UJQPayK8i4I/AAAAAAAACLQ/uWO4L5lhnX4/s800/P1050615%2520%2528Custom%2529.JPG)
The part of the rooftop is enough to do the whole Murena.
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-AUwaMjUCv2I/UJQPYt3qGMI/AAAAAAAACLI/wIvHgqsMRFk/s800/P1050616%2520%2528Custom%2529.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ZbvMNMmu3iU/UJQUPzme63I/AAAAAAAACLo/2U8pFN1scRg/s800/P1050617%2520%2528Custom%2529.JPG)

Mount  it with kit and rivets.

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?

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.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-2izOhoSdaqQ/UIv5K6dtAdI/AAAAAAAACH8/QRoUOmm-ys8/s800/P1050583%2520%2528Custom%2529.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Vy_nsWTUUSI/UIv5OOYorrI/AAAAAAAACIM/HoS6IFXJfSI/s800/P1050585%2520%2528Custom%2529.JPG)

My speakers where already mounted in the doors, so I closed the gaps.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-KchhKwNgFpc/UIv5WX5TEDI/AAAAAAAACIo/kZjLKHcmT7Q/s800/P1050591%2520%2528Custom%2529.JPG)

Greetings Herman

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.

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.

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.

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..
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-lDwRte2jq6I/UMz9aCPXnqI/AAAAAAAACT0/eGJW9kzlhj8/s800/MurRaam.jpg)
pic kjell

The mounting of the headlight are very weak.
I changed them to Landrover .
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-dVG4cudn6Q0/UHh5EcYYW4I/AAAAAAAACC8/pZHi9qwXTxk/s800/P1050528%2520%2528Custom%2529.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-K_qxcV4WW8U/UHwfFV-MiRI/AAAAAAAACBU/3nH6QpSQduY/s800/P1050558%2520%2528Custom%2529.JPG)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_3NedFpFnQg/UHweWrSiJoI/AAAAAAAAB_g/Iqlm1DgSW_U/s800/P1050479%2520%2528Custom%2529.JPG)


Grinded a ball on hexagon bolts and a saw cut.
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-juDzejy9At8/UHwe-DMcCUI/AAAAAAAACA8/jtl42mZv3Zk/s800/P1050555%2520%2528Custom%2529.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VAtnlEsDspA/UHweyUcx53I/AAAAAAAACAk/88YNW9UxCMA/s800/P1050551%2520%2528Custom%2529.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-U-YemrUr7mM/UHwfKqfL1GI/AAAAAAAACBk/IL2pgg9LUhA/s800/P1050560%2520%2528Custom%2529.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-z2vp_r7XsDc/UHxiTLDRnKI/AAAAAAAACDg/ls4iHzWxn5I/s800/P1050562%2520%2528Custom%2529.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-nFinNYrtjyU/UIBRFNbBVsI/AAAAAAAACDw/lJS6WEEKu9M/s640/SA000151.JPG)

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

Greetings Herman

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.

Thanks Pete, I'll see how long they last after the rebuild. If I'm not happy I might go this way.

I do have another problem though. Before I refit the headlamp pods to the car, I need to fit the two bracing pieces each side that fit in the headlamp recess and are fixed to the front bumper, front wing and wheel arch liner.

Mine are missing on one side and rotten on the other. But the new ones seem quite a tight fit and are pushing the wheel arch liner into the wheel arch.

Any thoughts?

I'm having trouble visualising the parts you're referring to.  If they're re-manufactured parts, then the quality and fit of such things often leaves a bit to be desired and they may have to be "fettled" a bit to make them fit

https://www.dropbox.com/s/cklb529sy43k9gy/Mounting%20brackets.jpg

This might help. The rusty horizontal and vertical braces bolted to the wing. Oddly though the bolt that goes through the lower front wing isn't attached to anything.

I revived my original headlights and spotlights. I do not know how long they will last, but they look quite good with the new silvered layer.

I will have a similar modification at the mounting point of the headlights as Oetker has. Currently not installed, that is why I have not posted it yet. Mine is from a PolskiFiat 126p. The plastic bracket is very cheap, costs € 0,1. :)

Wow, looks good.
You are a perfectionist ;)
The bolt is also 126P ? and M5 or M6 ?

Greetings

The 126p bolt is M6 and quite long, about 5-6cm, so cannot be used.

I bought some stainless M5 bolts with normal hex head, and one of my friends converted the hex heads to spherical.

Yes, I follow you now.  I think you just have to do whatever is necessary to make it fit, either by re-shaping it or drilling a new mounting hole somewhere.  With cars like the Matra that are largely hand-built, the factory did tend to make it up as they went along so you can't always be sure that replacement parts will fit.

 ;D Spent most of the day refitting the headlamp pods. Before I took them apart, which I had to do because one of the lifters broke and the fixing were rotten, they sat nice and flat when closed.

Now though I cannot get one of them to close fully. I've had to get a new connector for the lifting mechanism from Simon, this is metal and I wonder if it is a bit too long. I still have the original plastic one on the other side. If they had not sat flat before I took them apart, I might have thought the connecting bar was twisted or one of the arms bent. But now I am stuck as to why it will not go all the way down :-[

I've tried disconnecting the vacuum system to see if residual pressure was stopping it closing but both lamps should still be aligned I think.

Also I have been changing some bulbs in the dash and seem to have lost power to the heater controls , fan, lighter and intermittently, the clock. Do these share a connection somewhere or could I have loosened an earth when unscrewing the fascia?

The arm does not bend easy.
The connector rod is for adjusting, so I presume you need to adjust to get them both in line again..
It is a very straight forward job.

Look if the hings where the rod turns in not have broken bolts.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9aYqpdYPiSk/UNKD8_QaEzI/AAAAAAAACUI/tmvVqGXs0rE/s800/P1030427.JPG)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-VAtuMNz4JD4/UNKECGHaOBI/AAAAAAAACUQ/LCYo9ISjQvo/s800/P1030430.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-guKbk2Xbs4I/UG9QqHaIfWI/AAAAAAAABs0/mAqXMDDjlVw/s640/051012_1255%257E01.jpg)
Also you can use universal ball-joints in there wich are a lot stronger then the originals..

It's really a matter trial and error.  As you say, both headlamps have to be aligned.  You should adjust both sides so that they are both fully down when the vacuum servo is fully retracted.  As far as your electrical gremlins are concerned, I can't see any common cause, the lighter and clock are fed from a permanently live fused supply, the heater lights from the sidelamp circuit and the fan from the ignition fused supply.  The clock is actually fed from the back of the lighter.  I had a lot of trouble with the wire being too short and disconnecting the clock when the ashtray was pulled out.  The heater lights can be temperamental, they are fed by two brass strips which can easily be displaced, disconnecting the bulbs (which are 24 volt!).  As for the rest, it's just a matter of systematic fault tracing.  With any Murena, the biggest source of electrical problems is the fuse box in the left front wing.  Take it out, clean and re-tension all the fuse holders, clean the edge connectors and replace any that are damaged, they are still obtainable, see Roy's FAQs.  By doing this you will eliminate a lot of future problems.  If you use the car regularly they are reliable enough, the passage of current stops oxide forming.

What puzzles me is that I have both the ball Nd socket joints screwed down as short as possible, which is how they were before.

Looking at the original broken bit, it seems as if someone had cut it even shorter.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vhsh4d15ffy1s43/2012-12-20%2014.48.16.jpg

The lower of the two may be stopping  the other from going all the way down.  Try raising it a tad and if that doesn't work, is there any scope for adjustment at the servo?

Well, whilst under the car properly to adjust the handbrake I spotted this! Looks like a previous owner didn't want to pay for new parts. That'll be another order in to Simon. :(

Did play with the wiring and get the clock working again. Pete, as you said, there is a circuit made with the two live connections into the back of the lighter, which even thought u/s itself, still worked as a circuit and the clock works.

Got all the lighting back, so all I have to do is find out what has stopped the heater controls. Probably dirty connections.
Gave up after 3 hours of trying to fix the headlamps. Need to leave them and have a good think about it. Despite having the shortest ball and socket joint on the the one that won't lower all the way, it still sits up an inch!

Hmmm... don't like the look of those pipes much either.  I think the heater controls will be obvious once you've taken the fascia off.  Did you do as I suggested and lengthen the push rod on the light that does go all the way down?  It may be that that's stopping the other one from going down.

I'll have another go at the weekend.
 The
Ives don't look great but to be honest I've not been under the car much yet. Is it worth replacing them as well as the brackets?

It's worth replacing the pipes with stainless steel if you can afford it.  I've replaced the straight bits with stainless steel tube from Metals4U, but my fabrication skills are not up to making the curved sections at the front, so it's joined with a short piece of straight rubber hose.

You don't want to wait to replace those pipes. Read my post on the problems and see the shiny solution.  ;D

http://www.matrasport.dk/forum/index.php/topic,1643.0.html (http://www.matrasport.dk/forum/index.php/topic,1643.0.html)

Thanks for the link Jon, a good how-to.

My pipes do look pretty rusty. At the moment they need to wait a month or two. I need to get the car through the MOT test first. Then it is mobile and I can get it to places for other work to be done.

I'm about to drain and refill the cooling system and will be checking all the rubber hoses first. After that, if there are any problems, I'll get under the car.

I can see me needing to strip the front of the car anyway. I think the front cross bar that the front bumper hangs off is slightly bent at each end.  When I tried to fit the bracers that bolt to the inner wings and bumper in the headlamp pods, they were too long and there is evidence of some distortion.

So I would like to take off the front bumpers and front wings to straighten it all out. At the same time I'd take out the fibreglass basket as I'd like to paint it and probably do the two wheel arch linings as well. When those are all out, I'd like to clean up all the suspension, without dismantling all of it, so that's an outside job with the angle grinder and wire brushes. At that time I can remove and replace all the pipes, then refit the whole front end......I reckon that's maybe a months work at least and I need good weather for a few days to work outside.....but would be worth it to have the front end rebuilt nicely, clean and freshly painted. Really I think I need to wait about six months to do this, but it would be a shame to have the car off the road so long in the good weather so I may try to do it in March or April.

Of course, That all depends on not having any problems with the engine, that hasn't run properly for ten years.

Have a laugh at this...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9bhjjx96yvwtlv2/First%20run.mp4

Filming was by my six year old, hence the wobbly camera and the rattling noise turned out just to be debris in the exhaust pipes! Since then Roy has serviced the carb and I have fitted most of a new ignition system, plugs, leads, filter, distributor etc. I'll connect it up when I've drained and refilled the coolant and hopefully everything should run ok. Fingers crossed. ;)

Taken a chance and drained the cooling system to check and clean all the hoses. Found the gasket under the thermostat cover was only part there. Does anyone know what this is made of, is it just gasket paper, can I cut my own?

Also does the thermostat need taking apart or cleaning at all?

Thanks and happy Christmas!

Lets take a look at the parts manual.

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-S7x32FCNaBQ/UNkuFctH7oI/AAAAAAAACWc/qarQOBwE6s0/s640/thermost.jpg)
Seal and thermostat have Peugeot numbers.
Seal Peugeot number 1337.47 used on a wide range of cars.
Maybe still to find at the Peugeot dealer or Simon.

Thermostat 1337.53
The thermostat I would replace now it is apart, hence, it is 30 years old.
Important part and not expensive.
 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PEUGEOT-505-82-88-2-2-THERMOSTAT-OE-QUALITY-/300438509130

Greetings Herman

You can also find aftermarket products:

Seal: Facet FT7.9607 (~€2) ; Quinton Hazell QTG546 (~€1) , these are not veryfied by me, but must be ok, I am quite sure in it.

Thermostat: Quinton Hazell QTH135K (88C) ; QTH165K (81C) , 'K' at the and of the part number means complete with seal. You can order only a thermostat without 'K'.


I use QTH165 because of the climate. Not tested on road use but in the summer it worked perfectly on hot days during 'static' tests.

Thanks. Ordered new thermostat and seal. For that price I may as well change them.

Stripped the tie rods off and changed the steering rack gaiters. One less job now. Finally rebuilt the engine Nd carb, started it up and it still runs.  :D always surprised that it does after so much dismantling. Headlamps,now lie flat with the vacuum holding them down.

Managed to get all the dash electrics and fan working again too.

Still don't get any charge indication on the voltmeter on the dashboard so will need to try and fix that before I can think about the MOT. Also found that if I turn on the headlamps and fog lights, after. Few minutes a relay trips out and they fail! Seems to reset itself after a few minutes but very odd. As if something is overloading.

Any suggestions as to the best way of checking that and the alternator?

If the engine is running, measure the tension at the battery.
It needs to be around 13.8-14.4 volt  at around 1500-2000 RPM.
Then dynamo is working.

Found the source of most of the electrical problems - bodged wiring under the fuse board.

Even showing a charge on the voltmeter now. Lets hope this is the end of it.

Can anyone confirm the Wattage of the bulbs for the illumination of the heater controls?

My notes say that these are 3 24v 0.72W 508T bulbs. It seems a very strange wattage.

Also on the back of the heater control know are 5 connectors. However mine only has 4 wires connected. Should all 5 have a wire?

Some bulbs are 24 volt.
You can find that in the documentation.

Heater switch has 4 wires.
1x + connection, and 3 speeds go to the coils of the heater fan.
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-fb_sSfF8BOI/UN8vxHOOXzI/AAAAAAAACYo/0EmhEZbDgf8/s800/P1030851%2520%2528Custom%2529.JPG)
Look for overheating there.
The switch is a fire starter if bearings on the heater-fan are warn out.

I see you have a nice fuse panel with modern fuses.

Greetings Herman

Hello Tim.

You should check out this post I made regarding the blower switch. http://www.matrasport.dk/forum/index.php/topic,1992.0.html (http://www.matrasport.dk/forum/index.php/topic,1992.0.html)

I intend to replace mine with a potentiometer controlling an electronic power regulator. It was cheap online. Will look for source and post.

Your notes are correct, the bulbs are 24volt 508T.  There are 4 wires to the fan control, some wiring diagrams are incorrect (I think the grey one in the wiring diagram shouldn't be there).  If you need a replacement switch, Car Builder Solutions (CBSonline) sell an exact replacement.

Thanks. I have now rebuilt all the lights and they seem to be working. :)

However, the oil pressure light (next to the park brake light) flashes constantly with ignition on. Can someone tell me how this is meant to work?

Thanks.

There is a sensor on the oil-sump that tells a module under the dash if there enough oil.
If not the lamp flashes.
This is unreliable and most of the times the sensor is defect.
Very difficult to find this sensor, and if you can find it will cost you.
I removed it in both  cars.

Thanks, I'll take it out when I clean up the engine bay.

In the meantime, I stripped out the blower fan to clean it. I've put a new switch on the dashboard so want to do this at the same time.
Can anyone tell me how to take the motor out of the vanes without breaking it? And which bits to grease up to get rid of the bearing squeaking?

If you want to remove the rotor from the shaft, I found the best method in the forum.

Hold the rotor between your knees, facing the motor downward, and punch the shaft with a mandrel or something like that. Be careful not to drop the motor on the floor when it is released. I did it like this and I think you will not break the plastic wheel.

I can not tell you how to lubricate the bearings in the original motor, because my motor was in bad shape (cracked housing, worn bearings) so I discarded it and borrowed a new one from a Suzuki Swift. Before installing the new motor I disassembled it and put some grease at the bearings.

I am not a big fan for greasing squeaking bearings .
It is a temporary fix.
Better is to look for a japan motor in there.
They run forever and give better ventilation.

Regards Herman

Thanks. I'll see what condition the motor is in. I don't have time to look for another one right now, I just need this to keep working of a while.

I just want to try to clean it up.

I actually think I have one of these, as I bought some spares off Ebay cheaply, just in case!

Is this the switch?

No that is the oil pressure switch and mounted higher.
In fact it is hanging in the oil of the sump and is about 10 cm long.

It looks a bit like this.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PEUGEOT-106-GTI-CITROEN-SAXO-VTS-VTR-GENUINE-OIL-SUMP-LEVEL-SENSOR-PROBE-/221165270060?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item337e7a342c

Wheels back on and had the car running again today ;)
It sounds a bit like a tractor though...
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4p46q7rxzs8x7to/2013-01-17%2016.33.31.mp4

Noticed this when I was having a look underneath, should there be a bracket here to hold the gear linkage?
https://www.dropbox.com/s/3zq109xu4itgxs8/2013-01-17%2016.08.29.jpg

At least the headlamps work now!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mkq5e622kc3f5ka/2013-01-17%2016.25.24.jpg

quote
-------
Noticed this when I was having a look underneath, should there be a bracket here to hold the gear linkage?
============================================================================

It is something from outer space I think.
Original  there is no linkage mount and there should not be there.
It hangs free at that spot, however some people made modifications to make the shifting shorter.

http://www.matrasport.dk/forum/index.php/topic,118.0.html


Regards Herman

Edit,
On second toughts,
Could this be part of the tank protection on import cars from Germany ?

I doubt it. Mine is from germany and have not seen anything like it on mine.(although it could have been removed sometime earlier)

I have no idea what it is for either. But the gear change thread was a good read. Mine is worn and probably Ishould start by changing the ball joints and washer.

Changing the ball joints is certainly a good idea.  You should also examine the  ball and socket at the base of the gear lever.  Pull the lever upwards to see if there is any play.  If there is, you can tighten it by taking it apart and filing down the faces of the two halves of the socket.

I have this question in my thread. Anders told me the answer what was veryfied by Roy:

"Anders is correct.  That undertray is extra protection for the fuel tank, required under TUV regs."

Sometimes you can find one on German E-bay. I think it is not worth the money so I will not buy. Maybe in the future I will make one on my way...

There is good 'spring' resistance if I push the lever right, but nothing at all to the left so it flops around between neutral and 1st and 2nd. Where do I take it apart to replace the 'top hat'?

The top hat fits in the joint between the gear lever and the long rod that runs from front to rear.  You can access it from under the car by pulling off the rubber boot.

TimS wrote:
Noticed this when I was having a look underneath, should there be a bracket here to hold the gear linkage?
https://www.dropbox.com/s/3zq109xu4itgxs8/2013-01-17%2016.08.29.jpg

I have just been lying on my back under my Murena. The bracket on Tim's photo is the middle fixture for the fiberglass air guidance plate leading air up into the engine bay (by some called tank protection, however the tank already have a metal plate to protect its underside).

regards Hans

Thanks Hans. Is this an air scoop or the engine cover on The TUV approved cars?

Does anyone have a picture of what should go here?

No pic because it is not to find on my car, but a drawing of the manual.
Still not clear to me ???
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-rQdfyDuG0BM/UPnMeK3UJFI/AAAAAAAACeo/yRC0RXYcgn4/s800/plate.jpg)

Take a look here:
http://www.matrasport.dk/forum/index.php/topic,943.0.html

Regards Finn

Thanks FOB. It does look like it is the bracket to hold this under tray in place.

I'm about to take the car for its first MOT in over 10 years next week, all being well. So I am just finishing off a few items to help it through.

One of the last jobs is fitting an original air filter system and working out how much of the wiring and hoses in my engine bay have been modified or changed to accomodate the current non-standard K&N pancake filter, which is pretty useless to me.

I've started refitting the main bracket to attach the filter and case but can anyone tell me where the choke cable is meant to attach? I marked it in the first photo. Does it fasten to the top of the metal hosing for the electronic socket?

Also I have a loose grey cable which was taped up and seems to have bee connected somewhere, sometime, coming down from this socket. Was it ever attached to anything?

Next the top air hose, that sits on the carb has two small pins on the base. Do they connect with the rubber cables to the lower air hose in some way? Where does the other one connect?

I know I am missing the very bottom hose of this assembly, but think I can make one for now with the siler, corrugated tube stuff until I can order one. But should anything go on the other intake of the lower air hose?

Thanks!

I am still trying to figure out the mess that is the breather hoses on my car so it may be trial and error.

Good luck, Tim.  Looking forward to seeing your car at a Club meeting soon.

Well it passed the MOT so I'm road legal now!

It was good to have a good look under the car to see just how good the chassis is after 30 years. All the brakes are good, which is good news after we overhauled them all. The rear brake pressure reducer looks a bit the worse for wear though and could do with cleaning or replacing. As i need to replace some bleed nipples in the future this might all get done at once. Still some tweaks to be made here and there with the headlamps needing adjustment as well.

The coolant pipes running the length of the car certainly need doing soon, which will be a good time to renew some of the rubber on the vacuum system too as there must be a leak somewhere. 5 minutes after switching off the ignition, theres nothing left to raise the headlamps, although it works well with the engine running.

Quite a bit of old oil on the engine showing that in the past it has had probably had a cam cover leak at least. I'll need to scrub all this off and monitor it to see if any more comes out.

The exhaust emissions were a bit odd. The car has the twin exhaust, 4 down pipe system welded on by a previous owner. Almost running rich on one side and lean on the other, which is strange as its only a single carburettor. Suggested I have a look at the manifold first. There's going to be some tuning needed on the engine but it pulls strongly and seems very quick. Up to 70mph today and felt like it had a lot more.

The coolant went down quite a bit on the first run and the temperature barely moves past 50 when running on the road, but soon gets up to 90 at idle indoors. Enough to keep me busy now.

But at least I can get it on the road for test runs and club meets.

Congratulation!

Just in time for the summer.
Congratulations.
Now the car will show all his problems when you start driving it.
It will keep you busy for some time, but he, it's a nice hobby.

Good luck and lot's of fun driving 8)

Congratulations.  Just in time to start enjoying the car if this winter ever ends.  Sounds as if you need a new thermostat.  For your headlamp problem, I would look at the electrovalve as well.  Remember that the lamps are powered down as well as up so you can lose vacuum in the down position.    Strip the valve down and check it, but don't lubricate it, just a dusting of talcum powder is all that's required.

Thanks, I'm going to get going on the snagging list this weekend.

Can anyone suggest replacements for these wheel arch trim pieces.

All the ones are missing from my car both front and rear. I have made temporary ones for the front wheel arches by cutting up rubber car mats and rivetting them in place. The rear pieces though seem thick and probably expensive.

In the rear wheel arches there is a gap both front and back. Are these parts still obtainable or do i need to make something here too?

I managed to get a piece of plastic plate what could be formed by heat gun. We cut new covers and used new door seals at the sides.
Oetker mentioned plastic roof panels, if I remember well.

So the pieces are supposed to be fixed internally and loose against the body panels?

I just used thin 0.7mm galvanised sheet cut to shape and reused the rubber edge trims.

Regards
John

Ok, that should work. Riveted in place on one side then.

That's fine, I also gave mine a spray coat of underbody schutz/waxoyl for extra protection.

Regards
John

Yes waterresistant and heatproof.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv9GcrffeHI&feature=youtu.be

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-pYYiT8nAscM/UJQPcp6ZeOI/AAAAAAAACLY/jkzX5fBsmx4/s800/P1050614%2520%2528Custom%2529.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ZbvMNMmu3iU/UJQUPzme63I/AAAAAAAACLo/2U8pFN1scRg/s800/P1050617%2520%2528Custom%2529.JPG)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-SOYbE5jKO8U/UK0inpHt0iI/AAAAAAAACSs/xNz6pFtdV-k/s800/P1050681%2520%2528Custom%2529.JPG)
After several months still OK

Herman

That looks a very neat solution. Thanks.

Now got the car running well. New thermostat fitted with the air filter back in means it runs and idle's well.  Having found my manifold has, in the past been badly repaired, I have the car booked in to be welded and repaired.

So I have some time to do some smaller jobs.

I need to look at new seatbelts as mine are quite worn. Has anyone found any modern replacements?

Also I need to replace my rusty windscreen wipers. Are there any from other cars that will fit?

Yep. Ford Ka 1 perfect fit.
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1cyzzl27cPQ/T2uYow6PsdI/AAAAAAAAB7I/f4l45rTULW4/s800/P1000618.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5dELV07ghFI/T2uUyxuYy7I/AAAAAAAAB1o/rWP9OlqRDG4/s800/P1000609.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r-k8VbGZDIs/T2uUymPVVoI/AAAAAAAAB1s/aj-HtRgLQm0/s800/P1000608.JPG)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-U5JSBTq5Yco/T2uWa7eO1lI/AAAAAAAAB5Q/TduBW0tlgxI/s640/p1000679medium.jpg)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-0jyE3x9JeZ8/T2uWVF8YBxI/AAAAAAAAB38/9lU07IVakUQ/s800/SANY0023.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yC0sQDsztJ8/T2uWWYa-4TI/AAAAAAAAB4I/a95sI8l2y_s/s800/SANY0025.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Js8YbQ6KglI/T2uWY36rpoI/AAAAAAAAB4k/-12OUX-iopY/s800/SANY0028.JPG)

The old safety belts are real bad on most Murena's.
They snap off with minor force after 30 years of use.
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-uAdXoBpW42o/USU6ExZEYKI/AAAAAAAACiM/R24iog5fae8/s800/P1050824%2520%2528Custom%2529.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yJSrSR0AKQA/USU6HZd4CGI/AAAAAAAACiU/cC4CT_ztHUE/s800/P1050825%2520%2528Custom%2529.JPG)

I still use the belts, but at a scrapyard found some locks wit soft parts that fitted.
Can't remember what car but try some and you will find.
Very nice, the steel cable no longer stick in my *ss when driving.

Regards Herman

Thanks Herman, the wipers look good.

I need to change both the belts and the anchors I think as they are all worn too much. I need to look at the mounting points as I have a set of VW ones I'd like to try and use.

You may find that you can't obtain the left-hand drive Ka wiper arms easily in the UK.  Citroen BX arms will fit, they are straight like the originals.

I have to admit I hadn't even realised that Pete! Thanks. Of course, the wiper base is probably angled for left or right hand drive. Can't find any BX arms yet though. However I've now found a few more bits to fix.

I've long thought that the front of my car must have had some light impact at some point as so little seemed to line up. Now that I have dropped the bumper off I see why! Originally all the bracing struts in the headlamp wells were missing, as were the two cross braces inside the front wheel arches.

The front wing had started catching on the drivers door and showed evidence of old damage. When I took off the bumper there was a lot of cracked panels and missing braces. Some self-tapping screws had been put in the the light housing and side of the bumper to screw it together as these braces were missing.

When I started to fit the braces, it was obvius that the front bumper support had been bent at both sides. I dont have time to start repairing the fibreglass immediately, I am concentrating on trying to align the panels and braces better. But it looks like later this year I will have to learn how to patch some of these panels!

From the photos the damage to the fiberglass does not look too bad. The parts do not look like they are mis-aligned to one another, so it should be possible to clean it, sand it with a rough grain, apply epoxy and glass matting and more epoxy, on the inside. If the cracks are visible from the outside, apply some plastic padding with glass fiber fill and sand it smooth. When painting, apply a high quality epoxy primer that guarantees water tightness. Otherwise the paint might bubble up from moisture in the fiberglass.
I have fixed my bumper a couple of times that way and plan to mould the top and front to align with the body, so no rubber mouldings are necessary. I have seen others do that and like the look.
The bend frame is a more serious matter. I don't know if anyone has the frame measurements, or know where the alignment points are.  :(
Good luck with it. ;D

I have now realised how badly the front bumper was attached now that I have spent the day rebuilding the front.

I've put all the bracing pieces back on both sides, renewed all the bolts and straightened it all as much as possible.

It was so bent that it took me an hour to get the bumper off. Now it slots on and off in minutes. The front end panels are now fully attached and it feels 100% stiffer and stronger.