TALBOT-MATRA MURENA - French Merdemobile for two grand needing new head

[Guest]

This won't be all that cheap, by shite standards [EDIT: Well it might be] , but it is bonkers, rare, bonkers, rare, and bonkers. Also faster than a fast thing, and in pretty good nick, really.

PM me if you fancy dropping a few Gs on bonkersly rare, rare bonkersness.  

 

[EDIT: 2Gs.   Thanks to bonkers driving.  See sad story of rubbishness below. ]

AKA 1983 Talbot-Matra Murena 2.2 S. 142 BHP, or thereabouts, and about 1100 kgs or so.

Almost new Vredestein Hi-Trac 2s all round. MoT and tax until August 2013. Comes with spare rear suspension arm, spare radiator, two Dellorto 40s (presently on 45s), original downdraft carb and original exhaust system. Breathable waterproof cover, pdf handbook (in French).

Bonus Linda Lusardi porn knicker upholstery, as featured in Mayfair, May 1983 (Linda Lusardi not included).

 

 

[EDIT: GO TO PAGE 3* (still no Linda Lusardi) for UPDATE and TOTES AMAZE OFFA]


* that's page 3 as in page 2, but a gag's a gag.

[skattrd]

Much want, good job it's not cheap or my fleet reduction may be taking a turn.

 

1100kgs seems quite heavy for a plastic motah. Renner GTA's with the PRV anchor weigh around that much, and my metal mk2 Scirocco is about 900kg.

[Guest]

Standard 2.2 Murena is 1050 kgs. Mine is in fact 1076 kgs, because it has the big exhaust system, an extra carb, and probably a coat or two of paint.

[Guest]

Also a stiff and strong galvanised chassis and robust rear suspension, so that takes it over the weight of Sciroccos and such. Still jolly fast, and mucho grippy and handly, in wet as well as in dry.

[Guest]

Note correct loading of Murena, as approved by manufacturer in 1983 sales brochure.

 

[Rocket88]

pm sent...........

[Guest]

Merci, Mec. J'ai répondu.

 

BONUS BONUS BONUS BONUS

 

The Murena does not pay the Congestion Charge. Weird, but true.

[ProgRocker]

Murena - perfect car for those 'ménages a trois' !

 

Quite a neat exterior design for 1983.

[Rocket88]

Just in case a miracle happens, and someone decides to buy my Bitter for actual money, a couple of questions. Exactly how many earth pounds do you want for it, and is there any luggage space under the rear hatch [pic if possible?]

[406V6]

Nice car. Does it have that tappety death rattle like virtually every other Talbot of that vintage ?

[Guest]

Not much tappety tap on this one, but the ASBO exhaust drowns out most of the old car noises.

 

I will take a picture of the rear boot on Monday (I am away for the weekend in some other chodular vehicle). The boot is deep and wide, but not very long. You can get two wheely bags in there, or lots of squishy bags.

[Guest]

This is a tricky one to price, because in the UK there are so few of them that there are few market indicators. In France and Germany, they sometimes appear on websites with prices for 2.2s ranging from about 6,000 Euros to about 10,000 Euros.

 

I would say that this car is in good condition overall, and its exceptional rarity and quirkiness should ensure that it appreciates in value, especially if sold back onto the continent. Murenas appear to be semi cultish in Benelux, France, and Germany, where people often fit unfortunate body kits to them.

 

The high mileage of the engine on this one - 133,000 miles - does not appear to be bothering it. The cast iron SOHC engine is not sophisticated, but does appear to be robust. If a new engine were ever to be needed, a correct one might be sourced from a broken down Talbot Tagora, some of which can be found at scrappies, and some people squeeze Alfa V6s in, or fit Peugeot alloy engines from 1980s/90s hot hatches/coupes to replace the original units.

 

As far as I can tell, this car's main defects are that the paintwork is a bit tired, and that it will need new front brake discs soonish. Roy Gillard, Matra guru, knows the car, and reckons it is a pretty good example of the type. The paintwork could be freshened up, keeping it blue, or the car would probably look good if sprayed silver. If I kept the car, I would swap the 45s for the 40s that I bought for it, and would consider putting on a less aggressive twin tail pipe exhaust system, although part of me likes the hooligan element of the noisy four pipe set up that the car has at present. Changing the exhaust would lighten the car a little, and might even slightly improve the power output, as I am not convinced that the present system is the most efficient. The radiator swap, and replacing the rear trailing arm that is only partly worn with the unworn spare one, would be easy jobs.

 

If I advertise this yarmouth on Pistonheads and/or or Carandclassic, I will put it on at about £5,000. If I put it on a French website, I will suggest about 9,000 Euros. To a regular Autoshiter, say £4,500, but I wouldn't want to go much lower than that. I appreciate that this is a chunk more than most Autoshite cars change hands for, but if anyone here wants a look, you are welcome to come and see the car.

 

The car will be in north London for a few more weeks, and will then be moved to Oxfordshire, very close to the M40, unless I put it on a French website, in which case it will stay at a storage depot in London, near St Pancras, for viewing by passing Euro blerques.

 

Vaut le detour?

[RichardMoss]

Want, want, want.

 

Can't, can't, can't

[Guest]

Celui post ci, c'est seulement un petit bump de bumpage. Merci pour votre comprehension.

[Guest]

Celui post ci, c'est seulement un petit bump de bumpage. Merci pour votre comprehension.

[pompei]

Ca va

[pompei]

Ca va

[Guest]

One last chance for one of you to take leave of your senses before I hock this onto some Frenchy website.

 

Actually, this car has been pretty well behaved while I have had it.

[RedSparrow]

I shall let my dad know. He had a Bagheera many years ago which he misses despite it being a right pain in the arse.

[Guest]

The Murena took the good qualities of the Bagheera, made them much, much better, and eliminated almost all of the bad points.

 

The chassis does not rust. Only the rear suspension rusts, and that can be fixed.

 

The car has the speed that the Bagheera lacked, and handling that is up there in Lotus territory. The LHD driving position has its limits, of course, but you get used to it (take a sight down the inside, and then position to overtake, if road conditions permit). The three seats in a row arrangement is great fun.

[purplebargeken]

One of our admin girlies has two of these beasties, one is almost on the road and t'other needs a bit of resto. She's mad on them (obviously).

[Guest]

Autoshite BONUS offerz

 

YELLOW auxiliary lights

 

 

PORNO interior

 

[scooters]

Huge stiffy!

 

huge wantage

 

Glwts

[Guest]

MOAR pervy filth.

 

Actually, same old pervy filth as on page one, but, hey, it's Autoshite. Whaddya want, a showroom with fecken pot plants in it?

 

NB NB NB Bonus shot of my old mum's net curtains.

 

 

[Guest]

Feck. Not even showing you my mum's curtains is getting a buy.

[Rocket88]

How much does she want for the curtains?

[Guest]

Sold for 4500 to a bloke. My mum's curtains have remained unmolested.

[Captain Mainwaring]

These really are a superb looking thing, aren't they? 'Specially from that rear-quarter angle. Why haven't more people thought to put three seats in an arrangement like that? Is it a bit obstructive to driving if there's a passenger in the third seat?

[Guest]

If the middle passenger is a hefty bloke, it's a bit of a squeeze (and mind what you squeeze), but otherwise the seating arrangement presents no problems. The middle seat folds down to become an armrest/console if desired. My eight year old daughter loves to sit in the middle seat and pretend to be driving. The legroom for the passengers is good, and they can adjust the angle of their footrest. The driver's seat adjusts for reach and rake, and there is a small storage space behind it, and also storage space in the doors and underneath the dashboard on the passenger side. The control ergonomics are excellent.

 

The Murena is superbly designed and engineered. If it had been properly developed and marketed, it could have been one of the great cars of the 1980s, and one which we would all now look back on in the way that we do of the Golf, 205 etc. Instead, it is a forgotten rarity.

[Guest Breadvan72]

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

 

TOTES AMAZE OFFA

 

BREADVAN'S KALAMITOUSLY KONKED OUT KARS KLEAR OUT KONTINUES

 

 

The Murena - I agreed a price of £4500 with a bloke.  He went away on hols, to pay and collect afterwards.  I took the car for a drive, and the alternator /water pump belt snapped.  I broke the basic rule of old car driving and tried to get it the few miles home.  I know better, but I still did it.  The car overheated at my driveway, and, with a Murena, you get zero tolerance for overheating  (iron block, alloy head).  Therefore: cracked head.

 

I am trying to obtain a new head for a few hundred quid - there is one in France and one in Blackburn, possibly.  My buyer will then come back to have a look, but at present the deal is off, and I don't blame him for this.

 

BUY NOW FOR TWO BIGGIES.   The engine has been stripped down already by Matra expert Roy Gillard.  You then get the head and do the fix,  if you have DA SKILLZ, with Roy available to do it or as expert adviser -  he knows these cars backwards and charges 30 quid an hour plus travel if he has to get hands on.   If the head needs a skim, Roy can find the best machine shop to do it. 

 

The car has tax and test so could be towed with an insured driver in it.  A tiring tow, using a rope and unservoed brakes all the way, but could be done.  I do not know anyone with a rigid tow bar, but maybe some of you lot do.

 

Roy says that this is basically a pretty good example of the type, and capable of being brought to an high standard with careful work.  When in good nick, it must be worth 4 to 5K in the UK and more overseas.  

 

We have had a look at the cam and the valves etc, and they look pretty decent.   The 40 carbs could go on now to replace the thirsty and pointless 45s and you could sell those on.  The ASBO exhaust is a hoot, but you might prefer a more sensible twin pipe set up.

 

GO ON: - GO MERDEY-MAD.  VIVE LA  FRANCE!!!!