Seems mines not a ghia as i thought, thanks for the link scort, i havent seen that list before. Nice and simple and explains everything i needed. Just wondering if it is the original gearbox, i`ve taken boxes out without removing the engine on other escorts but this one needs the engine and gearbox removed in one piece as the tunnel is too narrow.
 
Very sorry to hijack your thread Gobet, didnt mean to
 

"Just wondering if it is the original gearbox"
There is a small manufacture date stamp (year and month) on the side of the gearbox extension housing.
It looks like a small clock with the last two numbers of the year in the centre and the first letter of each month around the outside like a small clock. If the date is the same month, or a few months earlier than the manufacture date of the car then can be assumed (or a high probability) to be the original gearbox.
 

PeterM
"Just wondering if it is the original gearbox"
There is a small manufacture date stamp (year and month) on the side of the gearbox extension housing.
It looks like a small clock with the last two numbers of the year in the centre and the first letter of each month around the outside like a small clock. If the date is the same month, or a few months earlier than the manufacture date of the car then can be assumed (or a high probability) to be the original gearbox.
 

Will check it out, i just dont understand why the box and engine wont seperate in the car. The bell housing is clearly too large for the tunnel but factory items seperate easily enough. Dont know for sure what the box is to ake things worse (and makes me look like a fool lol)

My reply was assuming the gearbox is a Mk2 Escort gearbox.
 
To remove the gearbox, the front of the engine needs to be lifted. 
Are you aware of this procedure, and exactly what to do?

yeah, done it plenty of times on other escorts. Cant lift the engine far enough to remove the box. I had it at about 30 degrees and while it would seperate it wouldnt come out, as it sits i dont have reverse lights because the tunnel crushes the sender unit. I`ll check the numbers and get a couple of pics tomorrow to see what you guys think.
 
 

Haha, all good troppo - it's been an interesting read!