Matra M530 racing heritage

[Anders Dinsen]

There has been some discussion about Bagheera racing heritage lately, but I was thinking whether the 530 has a heritage too? Matra, at the time, ran both F1 and sports car prototypes, so they probably didn't consider track racing with the 530, but rallying?

I would personally love to see a Matra do historic racing, and I think the 530 deserves consideration. Engines should be fairly common (especially here in Scandinavia because of the SAAB connection), gearboxes too, and the car is reasonably light. A D'Jet may be an even better race car, but they are rare, and Gordini engines are expensive (but excellent!). Besides, the 530 is a very unique car - one that will draw attention.

But a historic racer must be historic, either an actual original race car, or a replica of one that was homologated for racing. So FIA homologation is essential. Does anyone here know of specifications of an actual Matra M530 race car? I know it raced Rally Monte Carlo in 1969:



That's just a model, though

/Anders

[Marku]

I agree with Anders, that would be a fantastic project for someone.  Love to see some more photos of 530s.
One day, one day!!!
Mark (Kathmandu)

[Lennart Sorth]

I agree with Anders

me too. Also note that Matra's second prototype, the M620 had a lot of design details in common with the M530 ( http://www.matrasport.dk/Cars/Sportsprototypes/M620.html )

Just imagine a BRM 1500 V8 in a M530 ... well it would probably require some serious engineering to squeeze it down there, but what a sound !


/Lennart

[Marku]

One just like the model in Anders' message would suit me just fine!
Actually it reminds me of the LX I used to have many, many years ago.  Incredibly in UK I found 2, well, 1 with a reasonable interior and panels but a rotten chassis, and a second which was really just a good chassis and a few bits.  I am mechanically backward (!) but eventually, with some help, I got the good bits onto the good chassis.  I then sent the panels to a chap that had been recommended to me, and all to come back in the original red (not unlike, in my imagination at the time!) Anders' model.  WHen they were returned to me and I tried to fit them all back to the chassis...wow...disaster, no where near!  The guy thought he had done me a favour by strengthening the rear of each panel, but of course this meant they lost the natural flex.  It was AWFUL.  A good lesson learnt!
Regards from Kathmandu,
Mark
(One day, if I ever get back to western Europe(!), I would LOVE another LX.)

[Spyros]

I agree with Anders

me too. Also note that Matra's second prototype, the M620 had a lot of design details in common with the M530 ( http://www.matrasport.dk/Cars/Sportsprototypes/M620.html )

Just imagine a BRM 1500 V8 in a M530 ... well it would probably require some serious engineering to squeeze it down there, but what a sound !


/Lennart

The 620 body was designed to look like a 530. And apparently several 620 were stolen and never reapeared.
Did I hear wrong about replacing the ford V4 engine by a V6 in some 530 ?

[Matra_Hans]

The Matra M530 V6 prototype.  You got it here picture:
http://www.motorbase.com/profiles/picture/index.ehtml?i=1871761712
and here text in french
http://www.automobile-sportive.com/guide/matra/530.php

Hans