Big Bird,
Thankyou for your detailed description, understood. It reminded me of what I should've known and I used this explanation to push for my own idea of top mounted Formula Ford style shocks. Excellent. We are now designing the angle between pushrod and shock to be a bit greater than 90 degrees (reduces forces at the pivot as you say).
My 2nd personal option is also to have the shocks up the top, inline with the rocker as you suggest.
We have considered direct acting but don't want to do it because we have already bought the shocks and don't think they have a suitable stroke for direct mount.
Jay, (Steering)
I don't know the term toe-base, but at a guess we have a front toe-base (effective steering arm) of 70mm, and 75mm at the rear. I know it is small but I was constrained by a few things. The main thing was wanting to keep the steering rack low without bump-steer and fitting the mounting point inside the wheel etc... And our lecturer was asking us to keep all the upright mounting points the same as on the 2002 car if possible. I think we are ordering the Stiletto rack. Will try 2 uni-joints close together forming a cardan joint up near the steering wheel. I guess we should keep the rockers fairly big for less movement if that's what your getting at?