I used the std morrie rack and turned it up-side down and end for end the pinon.Re-drilled the end plates on the pinon housing. The car had triumph spitfire up-rights and discs fitted to tubular steel top and bottom suspension arms and the rack was forward mounted.
It was quick in a straight line but the handling was not very good. It was still road reg. no problems with that in those days.

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I'm sure the bloke was a hack, and never amounted to anything.

There's still a Minor with a 289 and two speed auto getting around Sydney... There are heaps with Datto A series motors, Toyota 3K/4K/5K/7K motors (one's even supercharged ), people are starting to do Toyota 4A-GE, there's at least one with a Commo V6, Subaru EA81/82... Fiat twin cam's been done a fair bit, too. And, of course, overseas, where it's legal, people put in Rover V8's. Or, in the US, Chev and Ford V8's...

Steering rack location's a common problem, mainly because the engine bay's so short! It's only about 500mm long if you use a radiator at the front. So modern 2L engines generally don't fit. Unless you cut the firewall... And then you've got to contend with the rack. Many people use Major steering arms and move the rack inside the car... People using Dattos usually notch the gearbox/bell housing.

But forward mounting the rack - whilst a not inconsiderable amount of work - is an interesting idea... Especially given that most new RWD cars are done that way - even Commodore's gone that way now... I'm guessing that the 289 probably sat a fair way forward... And there may not have been many thicker torsion bars available back then (just as there aren't many now)... So I'm guessing it handled like it had a boat anchor out in front..?

No torsion bars, coil over shockers all round. The problem was the back end. It was a CIG diff in a EH holden diff housing. I had watts linkage and 4 link assametrical arms, but I did not really know enough about the positioning of them. The thing suffered from axle tramp every time you spun the wheels and as it went around a corner the diff would steer the car as it changed the wheel direction as it tramped. The back caused it to fluctuate from over steer to under steer.
I learnt about suspension geometry from Doug Trengrove when he built all the suspension for Garrie Cooper's elfins and when I built my rear eng sports car[a copy of a elfin] I found out what suspension geometry was all about.
Of all the race cars I have been involved with driving a Elfin Formula 5000 is a magnificent experience. Up collingrove hillclimb in 1st gear and pull 70mph with 500 hp bolted to the back of your seat

A good rack for front positioning is out of a subaru, I have one in my sprint. They are very solid and the power steering set-up is very compact.

_________________
Research is the difference between speculation and investment. Anyone who copys some one else will always be second
www.minisprintgt.com