1983 Talbot-Matra Murena 2.2 S

1983 Talbot-Matra Murena 2.2 S

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Discussion

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Thursday 22nd November 2012
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Yes, probably. There's a sort of pale bronze colour called platine, but not a darker brown, as far as I know.

LongQ

13,864 posts

232 months

Thursday 22nd November 2012
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Breadvan72 said:
Yes, probably. There's a sort of pale bronze colour called platine, but not a darker brown, as far as I know.
This one was very much a dark brown so far as I could tell. May not be original of course.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Thursday 22nd November 2012
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Brown wasn't one of the original colours, according to the French reference book on the Murena, and Roy Gillard. Not an obvious choice for a respray, but, hey.

Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 7th February 17:30

LongQ

13,864 posts

232 months

Thursday 22nd November 2012
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Breadvan72 said:
Brown wasn't one of the original colours, according to the French reference book on the Murena and Roy Gillard. Not an obvious choice for a respray, but, hey.

No, indeed. Tricky to tell from memory but I thought it looked more like a deep chocolate Roverish sort of colour than anything Talbot/PSA did at the time. Tricky light though - never good for assessing browns.

There was certainly obvious evidence of paintwork having been done in at least a couple of places but I suspect a total respray. I have no idea about the original colour. I may poke around a bit if I see it again.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Saturday 1st December 2012
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The Murena is living outdoors at present. It is starting up OK, with full choke, on cold mornings, but water is getting in, I think around the windscreen, which is a pain. Tonight, when it is frosty even in inner London, it is getting its cover put on.

LongQ

13,864 posts

232 months

Sunday 2nd December 2012
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LongQ said:
Breadvan72 said:
Brown wasn't one of the original colours, according to the French reference book on the Murena and Roy Gillard. Not an obvious choice for a respray, but, hey.

No, indeed. Tricky to tell from memory but I thought it looked more like a deep chocolate Roverish sort of colour than anything Talbot/PSA did at the time. Tricky light though - never good for assessing browns.

There was certainly obvious evidence of paintwork having been done in at least a couple of places but I suspect a total respray. I have no idea about the original colour. I may poke around a bit if I see it again.
I saw this one again last week. Looks like it may originally have been red. Or at least it looks like it might have been red before it became brown.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Sunday 2nd December 2012
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Red was popular, and mine shows signs of having been red before, but also possibly silver, before being painted in what appears to be a BMW shade of blue.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Thursday 7th February 2013
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Mad French motor updates:-

(1) Water is getting in somewhere around the windscreen. It is collecting in the oddments tray under the dashboard on the passenger side. If I corner the car correctly, I can soak my beloved spouse's ankles.

(2) This car has got me into trouble! I have just been NIPed for 37 in a 30, zooming up the hill on Camden Road, on the three lane bit, and, through pure doofusness on my part, forgetting about the camera which I know is there and pass regularly. Hey ho, serves me right. Fair cop, Society not to blame. I am normally pretty good about speed limits in town, but allowed French automotive craziness to get the better of me. This one makes up for all the times that I have got away with egregious acts of (extra-urban) hoonage, so, fair enough.

Amateurish

7,697 posts

221 months

Thursday 7th February 2013
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Breadvan72 said:
(2) This car has got me into trouble! I have just been NIPed for 37 in a 30, zooming up the hill on Camden Road, on the three lane bit, and, through pure doofusness on my part, forgetting about the camera which I know is there and pass regularly. Hey ho, serves me right. Fair cop, Society not to blame. I am normally pretty good about speed limits in town, but allowed French automotive craziness to get the better of me. This one makes up for all the times that I have got away with egregious acts of (extra-urban) hoonage, so, fair enough.
Admit it, you're taking the rap for your mistress who was driving at the time (while your wife was in the third seat, obviously)

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Thursday 7th February 2013
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That's it, Chris Huhne's big mistake was not having a Murena!


PS: surely you would get the wife to drive, so that you and the Mistress could, er, navigate.

HereBeMonsters

14,180 posts

181 months

Thursday 7th February 2013
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Love it. First dibs if you sell pls. I have a thing for old French oddities.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Thursday 7th February 2013
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I'll let you know if I plan to sell.

Here's the 1983 Sales Brochure again (already seen a couple of pages ago, but worth a repeat). This Parisian dude is going away for the weekend, with wife and lover. Presumably, the one with the staples in is the lover, in classic 80s top shelf stylee.

Or, perhaps the two girls are away for the weekend, and he's just the driver.






Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 7th February 18:08

Dr Mike Oxgreen

4,101 posts

164 months

Friday 8th February 2013
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The complex socio-sexual politics of three-abreast seating would be too much for me.

As the brochure illustrates, a man and two women looks fine: it's either a very lucky guy, or two girls heading away for a weekend of girly action and he's just the driver. But two men and a woman would look too much like a pair of footballers going to a spit-roast. Three men sitting in a row would look faintly tragic, but three women is fine: they're clearly off for an even hotter weekend of girly girliness.

It's even more complicated when there are only two. Two blokes are fine: they occupy the furthestmost separated seats in much the same way that we all know which urinals to choose. And two women are clearly on their way for a girly weekend and will be meeting their third girlfriend when they get there. But what do a man and a woman do? Do they have to choose their seats on the basis of what stage their relationship has reached? Is it okay for a male driver to ask his female companion to sit in the far seat for the benefit of lateral weight distribution?

On a completely separate subject, how do you say "Murena" in such a way that it doesn't sound too much like "Marina"?

HereBeMonsters

14,180 posts

181 months

Friday 8th February 2013
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Dr Mike Oxgreen said:
Is it okay for a male driver to ask his female companion to sit in the far seat for the benefit of lateral weight distribution?
This is the essence of PH.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Friday 8th February 2013
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As is the whole of Dr Mike's thoughtful and thought provoking post, albeit indicative of a borderline sad and voyeuristic obsession with Sapphic pleasurings.

I cannot solve the conundra raised, but can tell you that Roy the Matra man say Myoorrayna, I say Muhrayna, and frankly no one has a clue. Ask a French expert on Moray Eels.

vrooom

3,763 posts

266 months

Friday 8th February 2013
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I really like this kind of car. I loved the seats and interior. not boring black seats etc...

LongQ

13,864 posts

232 months

Friday 8th February 2013
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HereBeMonsters said:
Love it. First dibs if you sell pls. I have a thing for old French oddities.
Brigitte Bardot?

brinkie

5 posts

137 months

Monday 11th March 2013
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Breadvan72 said:
The Murena is living outdoors at present. It is starting up OK, with full choke, on cold mornings, but water is getting in, I think around the windscreen, which is a pain. Tonight, when it is frosty even in inner London, it is getting its cover put on.
Did you manage to sort out the water leakage problem around the windscreen? It is a common problem with the Murena, the kit around the windscreen is crumbling away, allowing water to get in. Some 10 years ago I had a new windscreen fitted and new rubbers around the doors, so there's no leaking there anymore.
I should get a cover for the Murena. It literally collects dust and dirt in the underground parking. But at least it's dry and not freezing there. Cheers!

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Tuesday 12th March 2013
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A bodge fix seems to be working for the time being. The car is still running well in general, and I continue to be impressed by its safe and confidence inspiring handling even on wet roads. In this respect, it beats any other mid engined car that I have tried, except a Porsche Boxster, but that cheats a bit by being heavier.


Is your Murena behaving itself?

Whitean3

2,182 posts

197 months

Tuesday 12th March 2013
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Dr Mike Oxgreen said:
The complex socio-sexual politics of three-abreast seating would be too much for me.

Two men and a woman would look too much like a pair of footballers going to a spit-roast.
Utterly off-topic, but that made me laugh out loud. Thanks for cheering me up!