THE SELECTIONPROCESS

Ford gearboxes were once the standardby which the rest were judged.

Interchangeability between differentmodels was a major "plus". Our expert,

Jeff Mann, goes through thepermutations, explains what fits what

Ford engines find their way into a widevariety of non-Ford manufacturedvehicles; Ford gearboxes, because of

their reliability, tend to follow on behind.However, such is the progress being madewith engine development, particularly inpower outputs, that Ford has not beenwithout its problems throughout its predomi-nantly reliable transmission range. There area whole variety of transmissions available forrace competition and fast road use, so wedecided to look back through the range togive this comprehensive guide to the cogs,looking at the good and the not-so-good andthe way that you can make the best selec-tion.

The five-speed Sierra Type 9 gearbox, forinstance, has been plagued with selectiondifficulties since its introduction in 1982 andan attempt was made to cure this by the useof synthetic oil. The gremlins continued toinhabit the gearbox which led, eventually, toFord's multi-million pound MT75 develop-ment programme. Such is the expectation ofthis latest transmission unit that even thenormally reliable Borg Warner gearbox wasscheduled for replacement on the two-wheeldrive Sierra Cosworth.

The five-speed Type 9 gearbox has beenthe only mainstream transmission unit toreceive what could be described as above-average criticism. Gripes directed at othertypes of Ford gearbox are more likely to beconnected with mechanical abuse or highmileages. On the whole, Ford has a thor-oughly reliable and varied range of stocktransmission units, the majority of whichhave been manufactured and developed 'inhouse' by the company.

When looking in detail at the Ford gearboxrange, there is really no point going back anyfurther than the 105E Anglia. Apart from thelack of synchromesh on first gear, thegearbox fitted to the 1-litre models of 1959was the ancestor of most subsequent lightseries units. Many variations have beenintroduced since those early days with thebasic principle proving itself perfectly adequ-ate for all types of club motorsport.

The first gearbox of this type to be fitted to

a production competition vehicle was theclose ratio Mk1 Lotus Cortina 'box. Thefoundation of its construction was the 113E(1200cc Cortina) Type 4 three-rail unit whichwas considerably modified from the stan-dard offering by Lotus Cars. Unique featuresincluded a close-ratio four-speed gear kitgiving a very high first and second gear,alloy bell and tailshaft housing, and a single-rail selector assembly enabling a shortquick-change gear lever to be locatedbetween the seats-. You can just imagine JimClark's frustration driving a works car awayfrom pole position fearing that the standard18in cranked gearlever might break off everytime a quick change was attempted.

The remote gearlever modification wasapplied to all Mk1 Cortina GT models, but itdid have one rather primitive aspect.Because of the way the aluminium selectorrail housing protruded through the transmis-sion tunnel, into the driving area and alongthe carpet, the internal appearance was oneof a bolt-on extra. This was unacceptable bymanufacturers' standards, the solution beinga neat full-length centre console factory-fitted to all Lotus and GT models.

During the late '60s and early 70s, it waspossible to upgrade the standard three-railLotus 'box by using roller bearing gear cogsand layshaft thrust washers. The roller thrustwashers were a real struggle to slot inbetween the cluster and gearbox case andwere very often discarded because of this.However, CCC mated a roller bearing Lotus'box to a Phase 4 BRM twin cam in 1973 andused this combination to good effect in aspecial saloon racing Anglia: 30 races werecompleted without a hitch.

Another competition gearbox founded onthe standard three-rail application was thefive-speed Hewland, marketed by C.T.Wooler. It was basically a five-speed gear kitfitted into a four-speed case and althoughconsidered 'state-of-the-art' in Broadspeedand Superspeed Anglia days, proved to beunreliable if used with an engine producingmore than 120bhp. Spares are now scarceand a replacement gear kit from Jack Knightor R.T. Quaife would set you back £800.

Nevertheless, a surprising number of theseunique gearboxes are still being used in clubracing circles.

The next three-rail Ford gearbox to beproduced at mainstream level, not with theintention of superseding the existing type,but to be partner to it, was the remote-shift"2000 Corsair" unit. Introduced originally forall 2-litre V4 Corsairs produced from 1966,the main differences were a single gearselector shaft enclosed in a new extensiontail housing, and different ratios. A uniquebellhousing was of course necessary tomate the 'box to the V4 block, but once againthe basic gearbox design took its originsfrom the Anglia and Mk1 Cortina. Of all theearly four-speed Ford gearboxes, the 2000Eis certainly the best-known and was univer-sally installed by Ford in many performancevariations of mainstream models.

Probably because of its integral short shiftfacility, the unit was issued as standardequipment to all Mk2 Cortina 1600GT,1600E and Lotus models produced fromAugust 1967 to October 1968. After thisdate, the familiar Type 3 unit with single-railaluminium tailshaft was used. However, thisrefugee from the Corsair also found anotherhome during 1968. When the Escort TwinCam was launched upon an enthusiasticpublic in January, it too featured the 2000Eunit, principally because, at the time, thenew car was considered to be a Mk2 CortinaLotus in different clothes. Instead of beingdropped in October 1968 in line with theCortina transmission change, this gearboxcontinued and went on to be used asstandard equipment on all Mk1 Escort Mex-icos and RS1600s. The continued use of thisgearbox could have been connected withFord's reluctance to modify the Escort trans-mission tunnel in the early days of their AVOfacility.

Production policy changed in 1973 whenthe first RS2000 appeared with the single-rail Cortina Mk3 2-litre gearbox. The trans-verse tunnel member was altered to gain thenecessary extra space. This is one way ofspotting an AVO bodyshell; all the originalMexicos and RS1600s had this transverse •

OHC Capri and itsgearbox, circa 1968

member in place and unmodif ied.In spite of the standard 2000E ratios

having a large gap between second andthird gears, Ford was obviously seriousabout the unit's competit ive future becauseduring the early 1970s magnesium castingsfor the gearbox case and tailshaft wereproduced, though these were by no meanscheap. Unfortunately no close-ratio gear kitwas available to complement these now veryrare components, except the non-Ford pro-duced Bullit type.

The magnesium gearbox case 9051385(H69AB7005AA) offered a weight savingover the standard cast iron case of 11 lbs andmagnes ium gearbox extension housing9051388 (H69AB7A039AA) a weight savingover the standard cast iron housing of 10lbs.

In addit ion, a magnesium bellhousing wasavailable to mate the lightened gearbox tothe Kent engine cylinder block under num-bers 9051393 (H69AB7505AA). Again thisoffered a substantial weight saving over thestandard item of some 13lbs.

Moving away from the 30 year-old Anglia/Cort ina design range, which nowadays isconsidered to be rather obsolete, referenceshould be made to the Type 2 Kent-enginedEscort gearbox (RWD of course). This was aunit manufactured only to serve mainstreamproduction cars and was not recommendedfor any type of serious competit ion usage.It's main identifying features are the all-in-one cast bellhousing and case and alumi-nium single-rai l extension housing.However, there were two different unit spe-cifications and this is where a logical swapcould be made. All GT, Sport and Ghiavariants of both Mk1 and 2 models wereproduction-fitted with slightly stronger andcloser-ratio gearboxes than the rest. Out-

ward dimensions are the same throughout,so the acquisition of one of these to fit into amodified non-sporting model would be asensible idea. The only changes required tomake with this conversion are to the speedo-meter driving cogs; everything else fits. Toascertain the correct ratio for your particularEscort, you will have to submit the axle ratiocode (located on the bright aluminium chas-sis plate) and tyre size to a Ford dealer sothey can supply a pair of gears with thecorrect number of teeth. Alternatively, youcould take advantage of Ford's recon-ditioned unit scheme by returning yourexisting 'box in exchange for the GT/Sportone. Ford operates a method by whichcertain life-expired assemblies can bereturned to various reconditioning plants viaan exchange group. Fortunately both typesof Escort gearbox fall into the same returnsgroup thus eliminating any surcharge likelyto be made by the dealer.

Type 2 GT/Sport gearbox 5004364 - 3.77:1 axle ratioType 2 GT/Sport gearbox 5004365 - 3.89:1

4.12:1 axle ratio4.44:1

On 1100cc Mk1 Escort models, the clutchassembly and flywheel will, of course, haveto be changed from the standard 61/2indiameter to 71/2in.

The next mainstream transmission tobenefit from competition activity was thatfitted to all 2-litre Cortinas, Granadas,Escorts and the 1975-78 Mexicos. Com-monly known as the 'E' Type gearbox it wasa four-speed unit based on a similar principleto those described earlier but was morerobust in all areas and capable of acceptingup to 180bhp without serious modification. Itfeatured a separate bellhousing, aluminiumremote tailshaft housing, quick-shift gearlever and evenly spaced ratios. The produc-tion origin of this gearbox extended back toAugust 1970 when the Mk3, 2-litre GT andGXL Cortinas appeared. July 1973 saw thissame driveline fitted into the first RS2000 butwith the addition of an aluminium bellhous-ing to combat vibration, and a 'short shift'gear lever. Prior to the introduction of thesecond RS2000 in 1976, came a competi-tion version of the 'E' 'box officially known asthe Rocket gearbox. Original cost price wasaround £200 but it was also possible toconvert an existing standard 'E' 'box toRocket specification by using a close-ratiogear kit. The use of these Rocket gears wasin fact the only difference between thestandard and competition unit. All genuinefull spec X Series RS2000S would havebeen fitted with a Rocket 'box as standard,so if you own one of these now classicmodels, make sure it's there.

During the time the Rocket box wasavailable, it was possible to fit one to a Mk1Escort RS1600 or Mexico via a specialinstallation kit available from Ford Motor-sport parts. The kit consisted of a uniquealuminium bellhousing with the hydraulicslave cylinder lug attached, modified andreinforced clutch release arm, specialrelease bearing assembly, larger clutch,modified propshaft and other assorted parts.The unique feature of this bellhousing was inits ability to mate the 'E' type or Rocketgearbox to the Kent engine cylinder block. It

proved to be very popular with all clubmenwho ran pushrod-engined Escorts. The partsfor this conversion are now obsolete but maywell be obtainable from large performancecentres such as Malcolm Wilson Motorsportin Carlisle. Part number details are asfollows:

Standard 'E' type gearbox

Motorsport Rocket gearboxRocket gear kitConversion bellhousingClutch cover plateClutch friction plateClutch release armClutch release bearingGearbox mounting spacer kitPropshaftShort shift gearlever kit

1613118 new5006655 reconditioned9052507905163790512039051405905140490519289054260905286790515599052908

(short shift gearlever also available from R.T. Quaife ofTonbridge, Kent)Clutch release pivot pin sleeveClutch release spacer

17473059052486

Transmission tunnel reinforcement 9052502plate3ellhousing gasketSpeedometer cableCapSealBolt - 4 offBolt - 4 offBo l t -4 offWasher-4 offCirclipBoltSpeedometer gear - 22 teethSpeedometer gear - 23 teethSpeedometer gear - 24 teethSpeedometer gear - 25 teeth

16325526060503142566214633421575317171588317570381613374341635414207371473921601105960110586011057

Apart from the heavy series Type 9gearbox normally found in post-1971 EssexV6 Capris and the oddball side selector TypeF 2-litre Capri unit, both of which areunsuitable for inclusion in any conversionplans, that concludes all four-speed rear-wheel drive transmission units.

Up until 1982, a fifth gear was reserved forexecutive car manufacturers and seriousmotorsport competitors. It was at this time,however, that Ford recovered lost groundfrom its rivals by commencing five-speedgearbox production. Initially this was anoption only to cover selected models withineach vehicle range. Prior to this, the onlyFord models to benefit from having fiveforward cogs were pure competition vehiclesusually built up from mere bodyshells andthe gearboxes so fitted took their originsfrom either specialist manufacturing or thelight commercial market.

As mentioned previously, the BTC Group5 Anglias of the mid-60s used Mk1 Cortina-based units with a five-speed Hewland gearkit. During the 1975-81 Mk2 Escort RS era,all full-Boreham specification cars wereequipped with the f ive-speed ZF;undoubtedly an extremely robust assemblybut with many agricultural features. Thedecision had been taken by Ford Motorsportofficials to use the ZF purely because noother transmission unit, at that time, seemedcapable of handling the power of a 260bhpBDA. Extensive modifications were requiredto the transmission tunnel before correctinstallation could be achieved but once upand running the advantages were obvious.

The 1300 BDA Anglia campaigned byCCC in special saloon car racing during1975 and 76 used a ZF five-speed withdirect top. (Other ZF 'boxes had the less

desirable overdrive top. Because of a veryhigh first gear, the car was often a swine todrive straight from the grid quickly andsmoothly but once away the gearbox wasfirm and close, albeit rather heavy. On one ofthe occasions when Terry Samuels carriedout a routine inspection of the 'box, I wasamazed to discover that the selector forkswere of a size resembling riding stirrups.Definitely not classed as delicate precisionengineering, although reliable nevertheless.

The Group 4 works rally Escorts continuedto use the ZF gearbox from conception untilDavid Sutton terminated his association withthis RWD legend in 1981. Throughout theseyears, many professionally-run privateteams equipped their Group 4 cars with thesame transmission units so it came as nosurprise when Ford issued a comprehensiverally preparation journal. Full details of howto install the ZF 'box was included togetherwith a list of unique motorsport parts thatcould be purchased through any RS agent.Most of the components used are nowunobtainable through the dealer network. Ifyou ever come across any parts and want tocheck their validity, the part numbers wereas follows:

ZF live speed transmission assembly 9053635Bellhousing ZF/BDA - Kent engine 9052595Propshaft ZF/Atlas axle 9052598Multi plate clutch assembly 9052594Clutch release pivot pin 9053625Clutch release bearing hub 9053623Clutch release 'O' ring - 2 off 9053616Oil seal 9053624Clutch release fork (reinforced) 1711392Cap 1745654Spring (release arm to pivot pin) 1711461Spring clip (release bearing carrier to fork) - 2 off 1711487Clutch hydraulic slave cylinder 1432754Push rod 1730981Nut 1730982Spring 1711421Bearing 1501250Gaiter 1707553Plate 1419265Support-2 off . 1434773Link 1707552

Significantly, most of the non-905 part num-bers listed have been taken from the Mk1Mexico and the release bearing belongedoriginally to a V4 Transit van.

In August 1982, production of the FordSierra commenced and with it came a newfive-speed transmission unit, based looselyon the four-speed Cortina/RS2000 'E' typegearbox. Officially catalogued by Ford as aType 9, it soon became apparent thatbecause of the similarities, a swap could bemade involving all Ford models which usedthe Pinto engine/'E' gearbox driveline. Someminor bodyshell alterations were of coursenecessary, particularly in connection withmounting points, but none were beyond theabilities of a competent DIY enthusiast.Because of its motorsport link, the mostpopular model to be so treated to thisconversion was the RS2000. Both Mk1 andMk2 models were included as was the Mk2Mexico, all having the same floorpan layout.

The method laid down for the RS2000f ive-speed gearbox convers ion isdocumented below. It is an exercise notofficially recognised by Ford, so whenapproaching your friendly local agent makesure you know exactly what parts yourequire.

The Sierra five-speed gearbox's Achilles

heel has previously been mentioned sobefore an assembly is obtained, care shouldbe taken to ensure that the unit is in firstclass condition throughout. Always buy froma reputable dealer. You can, of course, useFord's exchange unit scheme by procuringan old unserviceable five-speed 'box andexchange it against a reconditioned unit.This would eliminate the £150 surchargewhich would be required by the dealer in theevent of an old unit not being available. Iffinances are plentiful then a brand newgearbox would overcome any doubts con-cerning secondhand parts, but that rathergoes without saying!

If serious competition is envisaged, con-sideration might be given to substituting thestandard cogs for a close-ratio Quaife gearkit. This same specification was a popularoption available on the HPC CaterhamSeven sports car and although rather noisy,certainly kept the BDR engine 'on cam'.

Now on to the Escort RS2000 swap. Themost obvious external difference betweenthe four and five-speed gearboxes is that themain housing has an alloy extension whichis needed to accommodate the longer gearclusters. This means that the rear gearboxmounting has to be repositioned about80mm towards the rear of the car. This is theonly major modification required in theconversion.

Because of limited clearance, the enginewill have to be lowered by at least 5in toenable the four-speed gearbox to beremoved from the cylinder block. To achievethis, all that is required is to remove the fourdowels and bolts securing the front cross-member to the left and right-hand chassisrails and disconnect the steering rack at itsflexible coupling. Use a trolley jack under thesubframe to support the engine weight. Donot compromise this method by using long3/8in UNF bolts because any movementcould dislodge the captive nuts which aremerely tack-welded to the inside of eachchassis rail.

Before completely removing the four-speed gearbox, measure the distancebetween the top of the transmission tunneland the centre of the output shaft. For thesake of correct propshaft alignment, it isimportant to have the rear of the five-speedsecured in the same position as its prede-cessor.

The first non-standard task is to removethe original gearbox mounting brackets, butbecause new replacements are no longersupplied by Ford, the existing items shouldbe carefully detached from the floor bydrilling through the spot welds. Beforeremoving these brackets, their original posi-tions should be marked with a scriber so thatresiting can be accurately achieved.

To ascertain the correct position of theresited mounting brackets, it will be neces-sary to measure the difference between bothgearbox crossmember mounting lugs. Asreferred to earlier, this is approximately80-85mm. A line should then be scribedrearwards from the first mark to the pointwhere the brackets will be positioned toaccept the additional length. By using a pairof prefabricated reinforcing plates, cut and

shaped to match the brackets, all four piecescan be bolted to the tunnel sides after firstdrilling six holes for each bracket.

Before raising the new gearbox to its finalposition, a couple of components should ofcourse be transferred. These include thebellhousing, using a new gasket, and thereversing light switch. It would also besensible to inspect the clutch friction platesand flywheel. Due to the fact that thetransmission tunnel is narrower at the pointwhere the repositioned brackets are fitted,the gearbox crossmember bolt hole slots willhave to be extended inwards by 5mm. Inaddition, the rectangular spacer blocks willrequire some extra packing of between 6and 10mm in order to drop the extensionhousing enough to allow for correct prop-shaft alignment. Reference can, at this point,be made to your earlier tunnel-to-output-shaft measurement.

When all the loose ends relating to theabove procedure have been tied up, thegearbox can then be securely fixed intoposition. Assuming that everything has goneaccording to plan and the need to removethe gearbox again does not arise, yourattention should focus on the ancillary items.A longer speedometer cable will be requiredfor Mk2 RS2000 models. The replacementcable carries the Ford part number 6060503

Production policy changed in1973 when the first RS2000appeared with the single-railCortina Mk3 2-litre gearbox. Thetransverse tunnel member wasaltered to gain the necessaryextra space. This is one way ofspotting an AVO bodyshell. . . .

Escort gearboxfeatures integralbellhousing andcable-operatedclutch

Latest Ford in-linegearbox is MT75,

designed to countercriticism of 'Type

9" gearshift quality

and was fitted as standard to the 2-litreCort ina and Mk1 RS2000.

Secondly, the standard f ive-speed Sierragear lever, wh ich fits perfectly through theoriginal tunnel aperture, has been found tobe unsuitable if the 'short shift ' facil ity is tobe retained. The surplus RS2000 lever canstill be used but in conjunct ion with theSierra lever's three-bolt base plate. Thisplate must be str ipped clean of all at tach-ments and the teeth removed f rom thecentre hole. Unscrew the metal spacers leeve from the four-speed gearbox exten-sion housing and posit ion through the centrehole of the Sierra lever base plate. Mig weldthese two components together, screw theRS2000 gear lever into the sleeve and theassembly wil l now be ready for fitting

through the tunnel aper ture and on to thefive-speed extension housing. The endresult will enable you to retain that exclusiveshort shift movement. Finally, refit the stan-dard propshaft, connect the reversing lightswitch wire, recheck all the hardware fortightness and choose whatever gear leverknob you feel most comfortable with.

On most of the five-speed gearboxes, thefirst four cogs are the same as in the originalRS unit. Fourth gear gives 18.6mph per1000rpm on original wheels and tyres. Thismeans that 70mph is attained at 3760rpmand at the peak power figure of 5500rpm, thecar will be travelling at 102mph. This clearlyshows how 'underdriven' the standard car is.With the fifth gear, 70mph cruising isreduced to 3070rpm and now at a theoretical

5500rpm the car would be travelling at125mph, confirming the 'overdriven' natureof the new box. Perhaps a good compromisewould be to change the rear axle ratio to3.77:1 or even 3.89:1.

Final recommendation to consider withthis four to five-speed swap concernsspeedometer gearing. The equation for anaccurate reading, as stated earlier, isachieved by taking into account the tyre sizeand rear axle ratio of the vehicle receivingthe new 'box. A selection of driving anddriven gears ranging from five to seven teethon the former and 21 to 25 with the latter areavailable. The 25 tooth driven gear is thecorrect choice here and when fitting it,remember to include the little oil seal.

Parts and lubricant required:1 x gearbox (Type 9 five speed)

1 x tailshaft seal1 x speedometer driven gear (25 tooth)1 x speedometer cable1 x speedometer gear shaft oil seal1 x gear lever (Sierra type to modified)3 x bolts for above1 x gasket (gearbox case to bellhousing)1 x gear knob (suggestion)2xgearbox mounting brackets (now

unobtainable part number for referenceonly)

1 x clutch pressure plate standard*1 x clutch pressure plate Group 1*1 x clutch centre plate standard*1 x clutch centre plate Group 1*1 x clutch release bearing**only if required

5014001 ex1649015 new159044160110576060903157986061491926121433163255216138821434773

60558529094210610784890942096124270

Synthetic gear oil Ford recommend ESDM-2C175A1x litre bottle 5015547

Rather less is known about the versatilityof two other five-speed Ford gearboxes,both of which drive through the rear wheels.Ford's latest addition to their comprehensiverange of transmission units is the type'MT75' which will eventually replace theType 9 gearbox altogether. Currently thereare just five passenger car models to benefitfrom its production fitment which are theSierra 2-litre Twin Cam, Sapphire Cosworth4x4, Granada 2 litre Twin Cam, 2.9 V6 andDiesel. Undoubtedly there will come a timewhen this gearbox finds its way into 'unin-tended' Ford models, particularly theRS2000 but the newness of the unit meansthat is unlikely to have occurred yet.However, if anyone has already made theswop, you know our address

The other five-speed gearbox that has justfinished it's four year association with theCosworth turbo engine is the Borg Warnerassembly listed by Ford as a Type T5 andused exclusively in all rear-wheel driveSierra Cosworth models. In spite of this unitbeing generally available for purchase sinceits introduction four years ago, less is knownabout its non-standard useage. Justrecently, however, some Cosworth engineand T5 gearbox assemblies have found theirway into special build vehicles. We have yetto hear if the T5 transmission can be graftedon to the rear of say, a Kent engine. Perhapsthe retail price of £1022.30 is enough todiscourage such experiments. However,there are surely by now a fair number ofused 'T5' gearboxes on the market to temptpeople into the belief that "it may just fit".

Next month we hope to bring you the frontwheel drive gearbox story.•

FORD GEARBOX RATIO CHART

Cortina Mk1 Type 4Lotus Cortina-Oct 1964Lotus Cortina from Oct 1964Corsair 2000EBullit competitionQuaife straight cut four speedHewland five speed compEscort Mk1/2 1100,1300Escort Mk1/2GT, Sport2-litre Type ERocket Type E competitionR.T. Quaife Rocket Type E (without

synchromesh)R.T. Quaife Rocket Type E (with

synchromesh)ZF five speed (overdrive)ZF five speed (direct top)Sierra five speed Type 9Sierra five speed Type 9 with straight cut close

ratio R.T. Quaife gearsFive speed Type MT75Sierra Cosworth Type T5

1st3.3432.5003.5432.9722.2962.502.843.6563.3373.652.542.04

2.39

2.992.303.652.39

3.892.95

2nd2.3961.6402.042.0101.6971.641.782.1581.9951.971.6661.54

1.69

1.761.801.971.54

2.081.94

3rd1.4121.2301.4121.3971.2801.221.471.4251.4181.371.2551.21

1.34

1.3051.361.371.21

1.341.34

4th1.001.001.001.001.001.001.211.001.001.001.001.00

1.00

1.001.141.001.00

1.001.00

5th--

---1.00----

-

0.8741.000.820.91

0.820.80