Hey.
I'm about to swap my 4 speed for a 5 speed box. I've got my haynes manual,... got my tool box and got a bit of technical skill,....(i can read, hold a spanner and I've owned old fords,..) This is my first venture into fwd fords,.... so,...my question is (finally)... once i've installed the box, can i get away with just replacing the guide selector plate/housing and how easy would it be?..,. or do I have to replace the whole gear selector mechanism, including gear stick?
Advice would be great.
Thanks.
Mark.

I think you will have to replace the whole lot. Gear selector and all, the swap will be an interesting process, and I hope your patient as well as brave as you will probably need it!

hi just stumbled accross this, i have an F reg escort wich had a 1.1 valenica engine ( pretty much a crossflow) and it had a 5 speed box, i decided to wip out the 1.1 and stick a 1.6 crossflow in wiccome from a mk1 fiesta with a 4 speed box however i decided to keep the 5 speed box and the transaction was pretty simple i kept the same flywheel clutch guide selector and to my suprise it fitted like a glove it was a pig getting it in the bay as the 5 speed was a bit longer however i just changed the mountings.. altho now u have me thinking as i have only recently had a rebuilt crossflow dropped in and trying to get it to start is a pig its tight as and there is a sort of grinding noise when i turn it over perhaps this is something to do with the gear box =/ altho all my gears work fine and slip into place and the flywheel ect is the same from my old engine so i cnt see y its beeing so stubborn ;( anyway hope my advice helped and good luck.