Rack and pinion on a straight axle is possibly the worst choice anyone could make. Power disc brakes are a pretty simple, straightforward conversion, and it's fairly simple to fit a Saginaw power steering box ahead of the front axle if you don't like the function and position of the OEM steering gear. About a year ago, I did a pre-purchase inspection of a resto-modded 54 Chevy pickup with all the bells and whistles- - - -350 crate engine, Turbo 350 trans, IFS, lowered, 4-link rear suspension, power disc brakes all around, custom stainless steel exhaust system, and enough chrome to give Ray Charles a headache from the glare. I think the asking price was somewhere around $75K. The way the steering shaft was routed from the column to the rack and pinion through about three universal joints made it try to lock up from the U-joints being flexed too far every time the steering wheel made half a turn. I cut the test drive short and slowly and carefully nursed the thing back to the dealership that had it for sale. In my opinion, it was dangerous to drive in anything except a straight line at very low speed.
At least a properly-aligned straight axle has the benefit of some real engineering behind it by something other than a wrench jockey with a torch, a MIG welder, and a sledgehammer!
Jerry
