FIT A FIVE SPEED
Add an extra cog for better cruising
Difficulty: Time to fit: 7 hours
We’re not really surprised that the five-speed ’box swap is relentlessly popular - the conversion makes a huge amount of sense; the majority of classic Fords were designed and built before motorways and bypasses began to dominate the roads, and their standardfitment four-speed gearboxes run out of revs at motorway cruising speeds. Fitting a five-speed gearbox, with its typically overdrive fifth gear not only it makes cruising at these speeds more comfortable, it makes your classic Ford more usable, too — and isn’t that what classic Ford ownership is all about?
How much: £350 (used, Type-9,
GS Escorts)