Restoration project!

[JL]

After getting over the trauma of Bagheera ownership(20 years ago) I now feel ready for Matra ownership again. I have recently purchased a 1983 Hudson Green 1.6 Murena with original alloys and owners handbook. The car originated from Switzerland and is in reasonably good condition considering it has been standing for about 8 years, to my amazement I connected a battery, put in some fuel and it started.
I need a new clutch master cylinder as the previous owner started to overhaul it an then lost it! The braking system looks like it will need new pipework and a general overhaul but hopefully nothing too serious. Other known problems - lights will not lift, passenger window not working and a small split in the boot floor where what seems to be an extension of the engine mount joins at the rear - oh yes and the paint laquer is flaking off so a respray will be the order of the day. From my past Bagheera experience I am sure the list will grow but not too long I hope!

One bit of info that someone might know, when I turn on the ignition there is a sound like a buzzer which seems to go when the engine is started but returned when I switched on the heater fan - most strange! Any clues would be most helpful.

Thanks in anticipation.

John

[suffolkpete]

Welcome to a very select group!  I hope you're going to join the Matra Enthusiasts Club.  Your car sounds like a near-runner, are you going to get it back on the road and treat it as a rolling restoration?

[Titus]

Welcome home John,

You may be interested in attending the next Matra Enthusiasts Club UK meeting, Sunday December 7th. , with or without your Murena.

I'll be there with a 1.6 as well as others. You'll find the MEC UK technical experts on hand to willingly answer all your questions.

The meeting is being held at The Grasshopper Inn, Moorhouse, TN16 2EU.
www.grasshopperinn.co.uk

Titus.

[Anders Dinsen]

Hi John, congratulations on your Murena and welcome to the forum. I think you will meet helpful people giving helpful advice - or just a compassionate word to cheer you up, should your project challenge you!

I will also recommend a membership of the MEC UK - even though I'm Danish and lives in Denmark, but the magazine and network offered by it is very good value for the money.

I think we are all looking forward to seeing more photos of your car!

- Anders

[roy4matra]

... One bit of info that someone might know, when I turn on the ignition there is a sound like a buzzer which seems to go when the engine is started but returned when I switched on the heater fan - most strange! Any clues would be most helpful.

Thanks in anticipation.

John

Welcome John to Murena ownership and the forum.  Were you a member of the MEC UK when you had your Bagheera?  I'm sure you will enjoy the Murena once it is running properly, but getting there may take a little while... Ask Titus!  Hope to see you at a meeting sometime (with or without Murena).  I cannot offer a clue to the buzzing other than it might be a relay vibrating as there is insufficient voltage (possibly from a poor connection) to maintain a positive contact, but as it might be a serious electrical problem, it does need investigating properly.  A poor connection will have a high resistance which can cause enough heat to melt wiring...

Roy

[JL]

Thank you everyone for the word of encouragement.
Answers to questions:

Suffolkpete - I have just joined the MEC UK and I am going to work on the car over the winter to get it to MOT standard. I will then take a view on the paintwork. I will upload some pictures shortly and you will see the issues.

Titus - Unfortunately I cannot make the December 7th meet, do you have any meetings planned in the Midlands area?

Anders - I will post some pictures shortly.

Roy - I cannot remember if I was a member of the MEC UK (I am now) when my wife and I owned the the Bagheera althought at the time technical help was the least of my problems. When I stripped the panels off the car, the sills were almost non existent and the remains were full of sand. I can only guess that the car was used frequently on the beach and/or flooded by the sea! The A post areas were like a colander and the rear trailing arms were siezed onto the the torsion bars and as a crowning glory the rear cross tube/vacuum resevoir was also very perforated. Having built from scratch and raced a number of historic racing saloon cars I was well aware of the time and commitment required to repair and restore rusty cars but the Bagheera was a lost cause. It was a shame really because it was an X version with Black bodywork and the most violent Green seats that you could imagine.
I will check out the Murena electrics as this does seem to be the most likely cause of the problem, there are certainly other elecrics issues but I do not think they are particularly serious - I hope that they are not famous last words!

I will let you all know how things progress.

John

[suffolkpete]

It'll be good to get another Murena back on the road.  The next meetings are in Yorkshire at the beginning of February, and Diss, Norfolk at the beginning of April.  The latter is a maintenance meeting so there will be lots of advice available and maybe the opportunity to acquire a few spares.  It would be a good run for your Murena, I did the reverse journey last month to go to the Wobbly Wheel meeting at Gaydon.  Regarding your electrical problems, the first place to start is the fuse board under the bonnet on the left hand side if my own experience is anything to go by.  This is a printed circuit board with four edge connectors - a technology that is not best suited to automotive use.  A good clean up and replacement of any dodgy connectors will work wonders.
Best of luck 

[JL]

Shame I missed the Wobbly Wheel as it is only about 35 mins for me to travel, Diss would be of interest and thanks for PCB info, I will take a look.

John

[JL]

At last I have had a few minutes to look at the Murena. I have given it a powerwash off and the laquer peeled off in very large sheets! (see attached pics). I will have to remove the rest of the laquer and the paint which also has bubbles in it and I would also like to remove the plastic trim which runs from the rear of the car around the front screen and back to the rear so I do not damage it sanding off the paint. I can see that it is glued down the rear pillars but when it goes over the roof and around the window is it set in PU sealer or similar, is it even removable?


John

[Oskar]

hm I think thats the laquer and not the paint thats coming of.  if so no harm.

[JL]

The laquer is cetainly loose but if you look closely you can see the small blisters in the paint below.

John

[Anders Dinsen]

I can see that it is glued down the rear pillars but when it goes over the roof and around the window is it set in PU sealer or similar, is it even removable?

I think you should be able to peel it off. The PU is probably stiff by now, so the rubber should go off without breaking. But these rubber seals have a tendency to shrink over time, so you probably won't be able to refit it afterwards.

Cheers,
Anders