Rack and pinion steering.
Many great points and ideas & I will gladly say at this point, i am not smart enough to try any of it.
It's not hard to do it right. I did it because I moved the engine back 8 or 9 inches. There was no way to keep the OE **** and make it all fit, so I converted it to front steer R&P.
Again, it's not hard. It's just unnecessary work if you can get headers that fit. And the sad fact is that move to R&P unceremoniously screwed me. HARD.
I decided I could get rid of the pan with the center link through it because I didn't have the center link any more. That was a HUGE jack off on my part. That allowed me to try TWO different box style pans. Neither was worth a stinking ****. The Milodon was far better at oil control than the Stef's but both were a power loser to the Super Stock pan. That Stef's pan was straight garbage, but because it had a 1.5 inch kick out (IIRC) at 8500 and up it was 10-12 better. Maybe it was a bit better at 8k too but neither was enough to warrant all the parts that **** box pan broke.
Now you know why I try and get Milodon to start making that pan and pick up again, but they always talk me back off the ledge and remind me that no one would buy them because they smash them into **** all the time. I have never bashed mine in, or the Moroso pans I've used.
It's not can it be done or will it be safe. It can be done and it is safe. The issue is it worth the work. The answer is a resounding NO if you can get headers that fit. Or if you think you need more weight on the rear axle and you want to move the engine back. That too is not necessary any more.