With most rare or unusual cars like ours, neither the brake weight chart nor the ministry computer (at least in the U.K. but probably Europe too) has a record of the cars kerb weight, which is required for the calculation of the braking performance. A car must equal or exceed 50% on the foot brake and either 25% or 16% on the hand brake. The latter is allowed if the foot brake system had dual circuit braking. So for example, if the car weighs 1000 kg then the foot brake must equal or better 500 kg braking force and 250 or 160 kg respectively on the hand brake. However, since the kerb weights are unknown to the ministry, they stipulate that the brake test must be carried out by using a 'g' meter in the car, and any tester should know this. The same applies to cars with permanent four wheel drive since these cannot be tested on a single axle brake roller tester. Any tester who does not carry out the test this way is doing the test incorrectly, and you can challenge any result.
This is a common problem with poorly maintained or overhauled rear calipers, and happens to many little used cars. The subject however is too complex for an answer here. You can download my brake booklet here, for a complete guide to the braking system and how to overhaul them properly. (includes part numbers) N.B: Some spares also available through Renault as they use a similar caliper.
This is a common problem and is usually due to the rear caliper self-adjusting mechanism not being allowed to work. This is also covered in my brake booklet but it is because the levers are not fully returning after use. If either caliper hand brake will not apply at all, it is most likely because the wedge has been knocked out. It should still be held in the grease inside the boot, but you will need to strip the caliper to refit it. This requires a special tool, so if you cannot, or do not wish to attempt the work, please email me about doing it for you.
If you have a RHD Bagheera however, the problem initially will probably be due to the poor design of the conversion. This is not covered in my brake booklet. If you have one of these cars and need to know more, you can read about it in the club magazine. Or if you want me to do the corrective work, please contact me to arrange it.
You could use the following numbers for cross-reference if you cannot obtain any particular brands. Beware FDB106 and FDB114 are almost identical, but the 106's are 14 mm thick whilst 114's are 12 mm thick. Althought they are often listed incorrectly, the FDB106 or equivalent are too thick for the Espace Quadra rear.
Djet:
- Front: EBC DP150 (same as Renault R16 front '65-'67)
- Rear: EBC DP118 (same as Renault R10 rear '62-'75)
M530: - Front: EBC DP112 (Ferodo FDB21 or Mintex 1009 - same as Fiat 850 '68-'73)
- Rear: EBC DP130 (Ferodo FDB22 or Mintex 1008 - same as Autobianchi A111 '69-'73)
Bagheera (and Rancho front): - Front: EBC DP2104 (Ferodo FDB2 or Mintex MDB1002) Girling calipers.
- Rear: EBC DP2189 (Ferodo FDB106 or Mintex MDB1065) Bendix calipers.
Murena: - Front: EBC DP2317 (Ferodo FDB 235(A) or Mintex MDB1112) Bendix calipers.
- Rear: EBC DP2189 (Ferodo FDB 106(A) or Mintex MDB1065) Bendix as Bagheera.
Correct new Murena brake discs are 11mm thick. If you have a scored disc, the repair thickness is 10mm and the minimum thickness is 9mm. Anything else is incorrect. You have to remove the hubs front or rear to replace any disc as they are mounted to the rear of the hubs!
Espace 1: ('84 - '91)
- Front: EBC DP2426 (Ferodo FDB 845) Pads for Lucas Girling calipers.
- Front: EBC DP2545 (Ferodo FDB 393) Only when Bendix calipers fitted.
- Rear: EBC DP2231 (Ferodo FDB 114) Pads like this for Quadra only.
Espace 2: ('91 - '96) - Front: EBC DP2949 (Pads like this)
- Rear: EBC DP2231 (Pads like this) or
- Rear: EBC DP2885 (Pads like this)
For Bagheera, Murena and Espace rear calipers: If you are not familiar with modern braking systems and particularly the rear calipers combined with handbrakes, you may be unaware that you cannot simply push the pistons back in, when you want to fit new pads. These pistons have to be screwed back in, because of the internal mechanism for self adjustment. The technique requires initially pushing hard whilst rotating the piston clockwise, and once the piston has started screwing back down the thread, maintain light pressure to screw fully in. The slot across the piston face is for the tool to rotate it, and when the piston is fully in, this slot must be horizontal with the small groove above the slot. This position is to allow any air in the fluid to be bled out, when bleeding the brakes.
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The May 1977 Chrysler UK brochure and card shows four exterior colours for the Bagheera S. They were Terre de Feu (rose metallic) and Orange Vulcain (non-metallic) with brown/white check seating and trim plus Blanc Neve (non-metallic white) with green/white trim and Gris Electric (grey metallic) with blue/white interior. Blanc Neve is Nitrolac 3321, Orange Vulcain is Nitrolac 3362, Terre de Feu is Verilac 8360 and Gris Electric is Verilac 8361. Cars were offered at £5370.30 incl. taxes for a standard LHD car. Dealer supplied Hodec RHD conversions were £624 extra.
Other Matra Bagheera colours from 1974 to 1980 are known if you need them, contact me for details. A special edition Courrèges model was possibly the first mono-colour car being finished all over in a satin white including exterior mirrors, wipers, wheels etc. The 'leather look' interior was actually stitched vinyl.
They were produced in 5 colours originally with brown interiors: a check pattern cloth seating in 1.6 models, and a plain colour buttoned style velour material in 2.2 models. The letter codes are Talbot paint codes.
They were: Platine (gold) (FV), Corail (rose) (NW in a Talbot chart I have, but WW in a Talbot UK listing!), Vert Hudson (dark green) (JV) and Bordeaux (red) (possibly RW) metallic colours plus Blanc Neve (white) (WY) with brown/white check (1.6) or brown/honey velour (2.2) interiors. For 1982 models the Bordeaux colour was dropped and they added Rouge Mephisto (red) (PSX) non-metallic and Titane (silver) (PKY) metallic with grey/white check or black/grey velour trim, which was also now the interior colour for the white cars. Later still they dropped the Platine and Corail colours, and added the non-metallic Jaune Mimosa (yellow) (PCX), plus two metallics: Cannelle (bronze) (PVV) and Bleu Colombia. The blue is a puzzle since the name Colombia is only listed in the UK Talbot codes of that period with the letters PNW and the colour has a Verilac label (metallic) yet a Nitrolac type number (normally non-metallic). Does anyone have a complete original label from which they can supply a copy? There were a few cars sprayed Black (PXY) to special order. Finally, 'S' models were only available in Red, White, Yellow, Blue or Silver all with black/grey interiors.
Paint manufacturer codes were - Nitrolac (non-metallics): 3321 white, 3401 red, 3403 black, and 3405 yellow; and Verilac (metallics): 8391 Green, 8392 Corail, 8393 Platine, 8403 Titane, 8404 Cannelle, 8405 Bordeaux, and Bleu Colombia 3404. The bronze 2.2 cars had a brown/black diagonal striped velour trim as did the 1983 green 2.2 cars. The blue and yellow 2.2 cars, like the '83 2.2 red, white and silver cars, had a grey/black diagonal striped velour, in place of the plain buttoned velour.
