Hello Henk,

No, the ignition doesn't need to be changed, it is fine just as it was originally.  You don't even need to adjust the timing.

I have run a Murena 2.2 for many years and many thousands of kilometres with a standard Solex 34 CICF carb. a standard camshaft reprofiled by Holbay to their 58C profile, commonly named the Tornado cam, a four-into-one gas flowed exhaust manifold and stainless steel silencer with one tail pipe on the left like the original. It has the original Bosch distributor, standard electronic specification 12v coil, standard amplifier, and standard 10 degree BTDC static timing, using NGK BP6ES plugs and it runs fine. It also has a lightened flywheel. It produces around 140 genuine bhp. The Murena 2.2S was rated at 100 kW on the Certificat de Conformité and that, when it is correctly converted to bhp, is only 134 bhp. The claims of 142 bhp are erroneous as the incorrect conversion factor was used in all the Matra advertising. This has all been detailed on my website for years.

I have owned a genuine 'Prep 142' and driven a genuine 'S' and I know mine is slightly quicker as well as being better on fuel economy since the 34 CICF down-draught carb. is more economical than two twin side-draught carbs. in normal fast driving, and I get between 10 litres per 100km (worst) and 7.1 litres per 100km (best) (that is between 28 mpg and 40 mpg!) and I mostly drive fast but I do have the high 5th gear fitted which I pioneered! I would normally easily achieve 8 litres per 100km or say 34-35 mpg on a run. Even before I fitted the high 5th gear I would easily get 8.7 litres per 100km (33 mpg).

Roy

Hello,

I'm Henk Scholte from the Netherlands. I am restoring my Matra Murena 2.2 from 1983 which is almost done. I had a donor car so lots of extra parts and therefore a spare engine.
This one will be repaired. The camshaft looks quite good, and I want it machined to the Holbay specs. I allready found a machine shop for this. As I understand the Holbay will work fine with the standard Solex carb.

What i'm unsure about is the ignition. Will this have to be changed also, or is adjusting the timing enough?

Thanks.

Henk

Ah then I guess I seen another one on marktplaats

Whilst the cooling system will run with only a 0.5 bar pressure cap, the correct one is a 0.8 bar pressure cap as stated in the official Matra workshop manual.  A reduced pressure will mean the boiling point of the fluid is reduced so the coolant will start to boil earlier which is important on this mid-engine configuration.  Even the front mounted 1.6 and 2.2 engines in the Alpine/Solara/Tagora had a 0.6 bar pressure cap.  With the radiator a long distance from the engine and the engine being more enclosed than a normal front engined car, it will probably reach boiling point too early and any bubbling in the engine can cause damage similar to cavitation, or local hot spots where the coolant is no longer against the metal for direct temperature transfer, because there is steam there.  I recommend sticking to the correct rating.

Roy

Bit late reply.
Confirmed fitting the 1.6 and for 6 years on the cr now.
The cap is 0.5 bar so i used the original and that fit fine.

It is the black one is after a restauration 1n 2012 and still for sale.
Itis till now my daily driver.
It is in need of of a fresh paintjob and some ods and ends but can drive every destination.
Lost of workplace and garage makes it dificult for me to do bigger jobs.


The resto about the car.
https://www.matramania.be/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2610

Last job a few months back left window rgulator rplaced to modern one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDCaBLr8ay0

Thank you, Frederik and Roy for your wonderful greetings. Also, from me, greetings to everyone. When I got my Murena in 2006, it was quite an adventure, I openend. I didn't know what to expect, but i knew what I hoped for, and I got it.

I like to have multiple projects at hand. The complexity of them interacting in ways I can't imagine is fascinating. I still keep so many. A persons wealth is not measured in money but in the number of problems looking for solutions. I've worked the past year on reducing the number, and succeeded, but I still have a few, nothing serious though.

2025, the plan is to get started with the body panels. To others, who have done it already, working on the glass fibre panels is simple. To me, it'll become a new adventure. There's something I'm looking forward to learn there!

First, however, I have a few jobs to do, and of course I have a plan, or at least a list:

• The underbody under the cockpit needs to be cleaned and zinc treated like the rest of the chassis.
• The drivers seat still need reassembly
• A few of the lights in the cockpit need reassembly
• I have a new brake fluid container from Simon that I will install, and brakes must then be bled
• The left hand diff seal started leaking a lot, so it needs to be replaced.

There's probably a few more items on the list which I've fogotten now.

This is really a short list, which is good, but I feel I'm getting more and more limited by the smallness of my garage. The reason I've not yet worked on the middle part of the chassis is actually because of that: Working there is awkward and I can't lift the car to a decent height. The Murena is no different than any other car here, but my garage is. Also, I'm suffering a bit from neck and shoulder problems, probably due to some arthritis in the neck, and lying on my back cleaning the chassis will not be good for me. I'm undecided about what to do, but for now, I don't worry since it's winter and too cold anyway.

Moving to a new, bigger garage is therefore under consideration, but that's a project in itself, and one that I am reluctant to focus too much on, as that will distract me from the actual work.

I also want to wish everyone here on the forum a great 2025.

Best,
Anders

I believe this is one of the things that makes the Murena such a brilliant mid-engined sports coupé. We have a car that looks gorgeous, is well proportioned, with an almost ideal balance of space allocation between passenger space, mechanical space and luggage space, as well as the balance of power to weight ratio (ideal 40/60% front to rear), good aerodynamics, and yet still has the accessibility to the power train that almost every other mid-engined car cannot match.

Imagine trying to work on almost any other mid-engined exotic car, and the care you would need to take, not to mark or damage the paint or bodywork, whilst getting at the engine.  With the Murena you only need to empty the boot, drop the luggage cover down against the rear engine compartment bulkhead, and climb into the boot.  Put a protective cover over the carpet surface on the engine and luggage surround, and you have access to almost everything you need to be able to get at.

The Bagheera was similar but didn't have a large enough access 'hole' or removable cover, especially the Series 1, which was even smaller.

I have worked on many cars over my professional working lifetime, on all types, front engine, rear engine, and mid-engine, and in my opinion, the Murena is more ideal than even some of the front and rear engined cars, but without doubt is the best of the mid-engined cars.  Try getting access to the engine on a Porsche Boxster!  I've never worked on a 914 so maybe that could be reasonable?  Does anyone know?

In fact in many of those other mid-engined cars, you need to remove the power unit just to do what I would term as routine maintenance!  With the Murena you can do all the routine stuff, of which there isn't much anyway, pretty easily.  The only item needing you to get underneath is to change the oil filter, and remove and refit the sump plug, or occasionally the fan belt.  And if you fitted a remote oil filter, even that could be simpler.  However, over the years since I bought my Murena 2.2 new back in 1983, I know I made the best choice and it has become my 'supercar' because it looks fantastic, goes well (with a few enhancements such as uprated engine and high 5th gear) handles brilliantly, and is easy to maintain.  And I might add none of the complex electronics or multitude of sensors of a modern car that when failed can strand it miles from anywhere!


Any way, I wish you all a Happy New Year for 2025 and many trouble free miles in your Murena, wherever you are.

Roy

Hi Anders

A late happy Christmas and a early happy new year! 

Have you made plans for your Murena in the new year?

Best regards Frederik

Oh that sounds like a good idea! Sorry to hear you're stopping the hobby cars. I see one wrapped 1.6 for sale currently. Is that yours?