Crud!

I always try to do things in order of risk.  The things I assess to be highest risk get dealt with first.  There is always the chance that a bad decision made early on can unravel a lot.  That sort of happened.  I cut out the old clutch location, and ground it out nice and big:
Streering column is long but looks mostly ok.

Here is the titular crud:  Steering angle from inside the car is much harsher than I expected.

So my assumption last may (?) that I could make this work with these headers was bogus.  I need a custom header, and I need the steering column to go where it should.  So, now I don't necessarily need the Wilwood MC.  I think the connections to the original Ford one will take less machining and adapters, so I will go back to that.  I unfortunately can not return the Wilwood since I had to cut its pushrod shorter.  I also will have to put the pedal box back how it was:

and make a plate to replace the area I chopped from the firewall (to be done later).  

While I was repositioning the the steering column I filled up the racetrack shaped hole where the old column went through:

I didn't have a hole saw big enough for my steering support bearing.  I marked with tape and a marker where I wanted it:

 Then burnt it out with the plasma torch, which was very sketchy due to endless flammables and expensive parts behind it.  I got close and touched up the last bit with a dremel.  To hide my poor workmanship, I mounted the bearing on the far side of the firewall:

Finished steering column connection from the engine side:

So now I am mostly recovered from that fiasco.  I start teaching again in two weeks.  I can't imagine I will get very many nights out there for a few months, so I need to make the most of this time.