Convert CMC to rack and pinion?

Has anyone tried this? Does anyone have a good idea? I have someone interested in doing the labor but he wants some direction such as what fits and what others have done.

(Cory FYI its Sean @ Peek)

assuming your CMC is on a pan - what advantage does a rack offer over the steering box? (or does that require replacement?)

I just saw Sean this morning, when I picked up my car.
If he wants to know what not to do ... I can certainly help.
I would suggest letting him come up with a proposal. He's a very intelligent guy, and a fabricator of some reknown in this part of the country.

BTW, I was out the door there for $500 this morning -- in the rain -- with two of three major items on my punch list completely remedied.
One more big'un to accomplish before I start winter cosmetic work. The car is quite driveable right now, so I'm absolutely all-in for the Pumpkin Run.
You coming to that? I will have an open seat. Teresa will unable to make it.

I suspect an R&P set-up would improve steering feel considerably.

Ron, it's absolutely great. The problem comes in trying to find a place to put the steering rack. That decision may prove too difficult for someone who already has the body of their car mounted to the chassis.
I had a diferent problem. I had removed the body, but my fuel cell and shortened beam made my life a little more complicated.

Cory: Sean wants me to do the leg work - I haven't told him I'll pay for his time. Re: the pumpkin run - Glenn and I have entered the "Creamsicle" into Summer Cruisin in Ocean City that weekend. Thanks for the offer.

Mango-Smoothie: Steering box is sloppy and no longer adjustable. Besides, I want to bring some of the "creamsicle" into the 21st century. I figured a good rack and pinion w/b better than a Chinese steering box.

Paul

The rack in the Hoopty is always available for a look-see. There's a 3/16" plate welded to the top of the tunnel, directly ahead of the footwell.
The rack is welded to that. The modifications to the rack are primarily the removal of the tie-rod attachment plate; it was replaced with a pair of Heim joints, and the action pushes the wheels from one side to the other instead of pulling them, resulting in a lot of bump-steer.
My suggestion to you, then, is to figure out a place slightly ahead of the spindles. Make sure you use good "U" joints for a sector-shaft steering setup, and make sure you clear the bottom of the fuel tank.
You'll have to remove the fuel tank to see what space is left under it and to have a place to work from (above the beam).
You should probably make a cardboard mock-up of the fuel tank, then put a mock of the rack where you think you want it to go.
Put a dollop of shaving cream on top of the dummy rack, then put your dummy fuel tank in and see if it clears.
If not, you'll be able to see the old Barbasol on the bottom of it.
Either way, don't put the rack behind the wheels, and if you can still dampen it somehow, I think it's a good idea.
I'm using a rather robust Baja rack from JEG's.

Quote - Has anyone tried this? YES

Quote - Does anyone have a good idea? I think this is a YES

To the what fits and what others have done, statement! Wow, first off I was going to wait until I was further along before showing any new progress pics of this pie cut / front end relocation project I was undertaking. But the rack and pinion question on a CMC makes me want to hold your hand and give you counseling before you get any further along! It

That looks pretty similar so far.
I need to correct myself -- my rack is not welded to the plate on the tunnel.
It's fastened to it with the bolts it came with.

I know there are milder versions of the box I'm using, with a longer set of teeth, cut to a smaller notch size. A 180-degree turn of my steering wheel results in a stopper-to-stopper movement of my tires, all the way left to all the way right.
The longer box, the smaller teeth and the lower profile of, say, the manual rack from a 1971 Pinto, would probably result in a much more favorable steering setup for street driving.
The trick is making the tie rods reach all the way out to the attachment points, and the projected angle out to the wheels has to be either in direct line with the box, or you have to make Heim joints function as a part of the assembly.
I'm going from my own experience with ONE car here, also. I am absolutely not a genius at this, and my car is not the best one out there to drive in fast corners. Its inability to finesse a corner means you could get hurt in the blink of an eye.
My wife absolutely hates the way it handles curves. I remember what it used to be like, with the VW assembly mounted to the beam, and I like this much better.
If you'd care to drive it sometime, you're more than welcome. You'll see what I mean a whole lot better that way.

This is a better shot:

Cory, love that aerial photo!

That's my favorite picture of the Hoopty. I particularly like all of the obvious mechanical beauty offset by the tow rope behind the fuel cell.

Thanks to all of you for the advice and cautions. I forwarded some of your comments to my fabricator and he said he's ready and has lots of sawzall blades ready.

PCH

Cory, my wife would roll her eyes and give me a disgusted look, but if I lived nearby I

I have put a rack and P onto my spyder, I guess that it is easier to fit to the spyder as the chasis mounts are outboard of the beam. I laser cut some supports which are welded to the beam allowing the rack to be bolted on.

As it turn out my rach is about 30mm below the top beam. I used a standard rack from an Opel Corsa, not sure if these are available in the states, it came complete with tie rods, boots, and tie rod ends. The best part of it is that the tie rods and ends are suitable as purchased. The rack set me back about US$ 120. I have to say though I have not been able to test this yet!

CIP1 sells a bracket assembly that bolts to your beam and then you bolt up an R&P to it. Might save some time. I have an unused one somewhere, pobably packed and in storage. I just chucked the R&P I had for that project in the dump though. Still have a 911 R&P though, again, somewhere. Someday I'll gather up the stuff and sell it.

Brian:

How many truck loads of "stuff" will you be moving south?

When's the projected departure date(s)??