https://youtu.be/gSzkrWlIQv0?si=NkodMEgnPMw_doZl   I hate that I know this car exists and it's totally possible for a NA crossflow to run 10's...it validates my dream of breaking in to 13's with a 250....just need to know the formula for to prove my 250 hating mates wrong...

@SPArKy_Dave Tassie based, be expensive to post to mainland for changeover surely? or do Repco do them. 

Me too, hoping its as easy as it seems.   Worst case scenario I end up transfering all the new bits over to the XF's block and suck it up with running cats and all that shit.   IIRC the crank, pistons and rods and other bits should transfer over. I need a new cam for the conversion so that wont be an issue.   Hmmmm starting to think my friends might be on to something with going for a 393 clevo and TKX...

I took my power steering box out 6 weeks ago, but I was going to elaborate more on that in my own thread and try leave this to stay more on topic 👍   Anyone have recommendations for a reco power steering box? Or at least where to avoid...

haven't seen that done before, so it will be interesting to know how it goes.     

there's very little movement in those 3 steering box mountings from memory.  

Well I found a machine shop willing to convert my pre xflow block to suit a crossflow head so I can use the rebuilt bottem end with a crossflow cam and the EFI head and valve train.   My pre xflow engine is a 72DA so I can avoid having to use emission gear with the later EFI setup...winning   Apparently the mods to make the xflow head fit is pretty easy to do, and as I have to disassemble the block to clean up a few scuffs on the bores it's worth while getting the mod done and the block decked to suit the upgrade.

Well I can't attest to having bent a drag link before... but in my case I just wasn't sure why it didn't line up well enough...after reading this thread and others it got me thinking that when the drag link is tightened to the pitman arm, you could see the alignment of these pins with idler removed, then rock the loosened steering box back and forth to see how close to straight that you can get it, and then tighten box...maybe...  

pedders picked my drag link once, quoted like $800 for a new one (20yrs ago) i said i've got 2 more at home (used to buy a car when i needed parts) fitted another, came back.. same thing.. (whatever they were crapping on about at the time i am not sure. but i brought the other 2 with me and they were all the same.. just ran with it, surely they weren't bent?)

being you had different angles, that is interesting though.  wonder if/how they get bent perhaps jumping a gutter or similar?

Personally, I'd give one a go... reducing that up and down movement should only help, as the other side is held firmly by the steering box and pitman arm, so should the idler arm... My XF van has always been really good in the steering with no need to replace stuff regularly, and in 26 years I'm on my 3rd idler arm which is a Super pro polyurethane one, which has shown to have the least up and down movement of any that I have used, and best I've used... It currently lives in the XG van, as I have swapped over the whole (outer tie rod to outer tie rod) to see if any difference could be seen (due to considerations of XG having a possible bent drag link). The XG had a very flogged out steering and suspension when I got it, and this process only concluded that I don't have a bent drag link... My XF has the mounting pins (visibly) at the same angle when idler arm is removed, but the XG's pins are noticeably not at the same angle, making it hard to even get the idler arm back on, so against advice to move the  chassis mounted pin, I marked it and moved it, but couldn't move it as far as needed to line up with the drag link pin, but was easier to get idler back on... I feel that the final position of the steering box (due to a little movement in the bolts and holes) may help with the alignment of the drag link pin for the idler... The XG front end rebuild is a story for my thread and not yet finished as I'm looking at a replacement box...