Today I have been mostly

[Adrian Southgate]

refitting the engine and box to the Sierra, third time lucky and hopefully it won't have to come out again for a while.

Thanks to Dave T for pointing out the obvious grot on the splined part of the input shaft which I blatantly missed when assembling the engine and box the first and second times... :-)

cooling and lights/grill still to be put back but other than that she's back together.

[Adrian Southgate]

When I started this blog post I was putting the Sierra engine back in for the third time. Since the gearbox upped and died on me I haven't done a damn thing to the Sierra apart from rob bits out of it.

Over this lovely sunny weekend I hope to whip the engine out for a fourth time, this time to see to the gearbox. I thought if I started now then I wouldn't be dicking around with it come the cold weather. Nudge bar is off, front panel is off, I'd already stolen the radiator and pipes so only really the starter motor, engine mounts and gearbox mounts to take off. Engine crane ready and hope its a simple thrust bearing collapse rather than anything internal.

[Adrian Southgate]

We might have 'warmed it up' a bit when trying to get it moving the other week and as I got a genuine motorcraft friction plate for £15, I fitted it. Also changed the clutch cover for a slightly different design ( i seem to have a few spare) Hoping it's now fit for purpose.

Painted the firewall and rust treated some of the concealed bits of the chassis, just to stop it flaking really. Used hammerite blue on the fire wall and just slapped it on but it seems to have dried ok and looks better than the patchy glassfibre repairs.