As you all know, Ford changed BC type (fwd Fiesta, Escort) linkages and gearboxes in '86, the mechanism to prevent a direct shift from 5th to reverse was put from the linkage into the gearbox.

I've got a S1 box (1985) with standard short ratio and LSD in my car, but I'd like to use the later linkage because you'll get quickshift kits or you could change it for the standard Puma item which is nearly as good as a quickshift conversion.

Problem: When I do this conversion, I'll have to make sure I can't shift from 5th into reverse.

I found some pictures of the inside of a late BC 5 box on zetecinside.com, you can see the selector gate plate bolted onto the lowest part of the bellhousing. Does anybody know if there's a similar item inside of the early boxes? Or does anybody by chance have a picture of the open early bellhousing?



I fear that ford changed more than just the plate so I can't just use the plate out of my ruined 1.1 '88 5-speed box in the S1 box.
It might not be the problem, I've got a XR3i '87 box with the same ratio as the S1 item lying around, this has already got the later type selector gate plate, I'd just like to know which gearboxes have to be opened. 1.1 and RST to change selector plate or XR3i and RST to put the LSD into the XR3i box... Would be less work and dirt opening two boxes instead of trial and error with three

THX