[Wally]

I have a 1303 from model year 1975 with rack and pinion steering. The rack and pinion is a very nice system and play-free also at maximum turning. Its also very light to operate, but can also shutter at speed or small bumps (not that I have/had this problem tho). There is a reputable tuner in germany that offers a optional steering damper for these cars (1303 75-79). I have bought and installed it on my car and it is an absolute delight. The steering is just as light, but the steering returns faster when coming out of a turn and is less prone to tremble when a bump in the road is encountered at speed. At high speed (and I build the car for that) it feels more secure. The device consits of a Bilstein gas damper and is mounted at the steering rack at one end and a chassis bolt at the other. The damper unit doesn't give you less ground clearance and costed me appr. € 150,--. Oliver Knuf can get you probably one if you would want so.

When restoring my car and the one of my buddy, who has a '73 super, showed that the most difficult to modify would be the chassis front 'bulge'. The '75 -> supers have a lower chassis at the front where the rack & pinion resides. This is 2mm steel with a strengthening double steel plate (also 2mm thick) welded inside the bulk head. This is an important and difficult structural part of the chassis, since the 'flatter' bulkhead makes the chassis weaker than the pre-'75 if it would not have been strengthened inside from the factory. Other than that, you can pretty much imagene what other parts you would need. The double flexible shaft that mounts from the rack&pinion to the steering colomn is another part you would need. The sheet metal under the tank is therefore also a little different. It can be done, but it is a lot of work...
I hope I have given you the answers you asked for from my experience.
Walter