Looking good its going to be a neat installation when its all covered and in final trim.
Congrats on the new car too.

Looks good Mark. Definitely worth all the effort and thought you've put into it.
Maybe you could start a line in bespoke coffins
Yes, good luck with the Golf. Looks like you have the technical mechanical faults down pat.

Currently in the swing of holiday mode with the in-laws here - nothing happening on the car, it will be handed off to the panel shop in four weeks anyhow. 

Will update when anything exciting happens!

You cant make this stuff up.

I had the boot panels stacked against a wall in the garage, fast forward to today and I was grabbing some polish for the GTI and managed to bump them on the way past, they fell over and OF COURSE both curved panels were the ones that took all the impact from the pile falling over. They both snapped on the curve, so now I have to make new ones.... 

Bad luck
But take a positive; The new version will improve on any flaws in the first?

hey Mark, I was looking at some lining materials to do inside the van with, and found some black auto lining carpet and though of your boot project. $32/m 
https://www.homeupholsterer.com.au/apextm-unbacked-auto-carpet.html 

Hey all, been a while since a post, hasn't been too much going on on the Escort front since it went away for paint and panel. I am still waiting on the roof skin to arrive from the UK and and a few other bits and bobs that the shop will need to mock up.

I did however manage to get a hold of a Type 9 - had to drive over to Adelaide to get the bloody thing! It needs a bit of TLC, new seals and the thrust bearing tube needs a clean up where it looks to have some slight damage to the very end of it - nothing major though. Looking at the second gear synchros though I think it might be worth getting it rebuilt. Either that or just send it and see what happens . Here are some photos of the wear - 2nd gear is the worst (no shock there).


 
What do you think guys? In the third photo that's the worst teeth out of the lot on 2nd gear, the rest are more like the second photo, third and fourth look pretty good. There's no cracks or missing gear teeth that I can see and the brass rings look like new. Not fussed if it needs a rebuild but it would be a nice win if it doesn't.

Also how much play would be considered normal for the input shaft? The type 9 has slightly more play than the input shaft on my four speed. 
 
Also finally got around to detailing the MK5 GTI and fixing some other stuff on it - next is coil overs and a tune. I've got a new stage 2 clutch sitting there too to go in at some point - once you tune them the stock clutch usually cant hold the power - just need to pick up a new dual mass flywheel.
 

 
Last but not least here is a bonus photo of the Escort sitting on some ghetto dollys waiting for the tow truck to come get her 


 
Hope your projects are coming along nicely!
 

Started the pull down on the type 9 - I've got the longer layshaft needle rollers coming and a rebuild kit, also didn't have a 36mm socket on hand for the 5th gear nut so got one of those coming too.

They're actually a pretty easy gearbox so far, getting the speedo drive was a pain in the ass but everything else has been relatively smooth sailing. Apparently taking off the sandwich plate is where things get spicy. 


 
Once its stripped ill take the alloy housings down to a local mob to get some glass bead treatment. I'm keen to have a really close look at 2nd gears teeth, that's the only part I'm sketchy on so far. The front needle bearing has had it, way too movement coming from it - a new one comes in the kit so that will sort that.
 
 
 
5th gear synchro hub is in good shape, will go till the end of time and so far no debris in the box. All in all happy so far with the purchase, I don't think I'll find any surprises from here on out.

Is that the balk ring that spent, I think they are pointy so you can smash the gears, but I wouldn't know, gearboxes are not my scene.... Yet .
What part of Adel was it at, hope not Taffs workshop lol , I could've got it for you and freight it out, let me know next time!
Golf GTI, they have that silly strut spreader knuckle system, did my mates mk7gti strets (springs only) he didn't do the shocks while there, silly boy..
Duel mass fly, ok they are best as garden ornaments. Weigh up the benefits of a alloy flywheel from USA, Fidanza or Spec are the main guys but you could be lucky and find a good used one. Best way to get a light flywheel in your car.
I've fitted a few ally flywheels to zetec converted Escort and are well worth doing.
Even bought one for the Duratec for when I get around to conversion which was going in the courier but now plans shifted to a VTEC K swap 2.4 waiting in the shed

The wear on the outer points are my main concern, they're supposed to look like little coffins to draw in and engage the gear snugly, I'll be able to get up close and personal with them when this bloody socket arrives and I can disassemble the main shaft!

It was Taff's , do you know him? It wasn't a bad drive all told and I didn't pay for the accom so saved a bit of money there and the diesel didn't use much fuel so I'm telling myself I saved money on freight. I'll definitely keep that in mind though if anything else from there pops up that I need!
 
The spread type struts can be a real pain in the hoop, it's sometimes easier to just drop the whole lot out and do it in the vice. With the manual transmission on the MK5 they can be pretty agricultural, they rattle/chatter like all hell when you put a SMF on them, since it's a daily I don't really want the excessive NVH. The worst thing about the whole car though is the lack of LSD, even stock they will one wheel peel all the way to third with the traction control off and with it on the car suffers. It's a shame VW never bit the bullet with LSD for the GTIs until like 2015 because it really transforms the car - I have plans to rectify that though when the box is out!