I am a Matraholic

[filip]

  Hello Everybody!

  My name if Filip, I'm 26 and I'm a Matraholic.
  I've been reading this great forum for many hours and as I already recognise the most active users I would feel uncomfortable without saying hi!
 I have so many questions about Matra, Murena, history, relations to PSA (as I' PSA-fan). I think I'll start with the most important one- where to get Matrahol from!!!?  
Seriously, Murena is the one that I like the most. I find prices very acceptable but as I want Murena as my 3rd car I can't afford it now. Am I right claiming that 2500Euro is the minimum to have a drivable car? Probably it's even too less. That is why I ask if it's possible to buy much cheaper Murena if I don't mind engine rebuilt, respray, gearbox repair?

Greatings from Poland
Filip Gęca

[suffolkpete]

You are suffering from the disease for which there is no cure    If you want a fix of Matrahol, I suggest you join a club.  Looking at the latest issue of the Matra Enthusiasts' Club UK I can see four Murenas and two Bagheeras for sale.  Or try ebay, which is how I found mine.  You may have to look abroad, there are usually a few for sale in France.  Happy hunting.

[JL]

Hi Filip

Go for the engine or gearbox rebuild option unless you have loads of time, stripping the old paint off a car to cure paint problems before a respray takes ages and a great amount of patience but needs to be done properly or you are wasting your time.

Pete is correct, there is no cure for the problem!

Redards
John

[filip]

I admit I don't know much about paint work, especially on a car like Matra. That good that you mentioned it John. Is it more difficult than with regular cars?  But, anyway I could always let proffesionals do it.
Engine and gearbox are where I could save as I have friend who is great mechanic. What is more, I can't imagine using a car with unmodified engine or gearbox  . There is also a matter of Mi16 engine and weber dcoe's waiting for some project in my garage. 

suffolkpete , do you mean this club: http://www.matra-club.org.uk    ?
I need to be a member to see those cars for sale, right?

[JV]

I admit I don't know much about paint work, especially on a car like Matra. That good that you mentioned it John. Is it more difficult than with regular cars?  But, anyway I could always let professionals do it.

Yes, you can. However, this is rather expensive.

[JL]

The problem with GRP cars is that they tend to suffer from Osmosis after a while and that is why the only way to give yourself the best chance to rectify the paintwork is to strip the car back to the gel coat layer, you could employ professionals to do this but it took me in excess of 100 hours to get my shell ready for paint (it did have 4 layers of paint and 4 layers of laquer to get through!) and at shop rates that would have cost a fortune.

Good Luck

John

[suffolkpete]

suffolkpete , do you mean this club: http://www.matra-club.org.uk    ?
I need to be a member to see those cars for sale, right?

Yes, this is is the main English -speaking club for Matra owners.  the cars are advertised in the magazine, which is published every two months.  There may be other clubs nearer to you if you speak other languages.  In general, with rare cars, not only Matras, they change hands through club channels rather than be advertised generally.