Just got through with a rack replacement on my 82. It appears there were 6 different racks - 3 different CAM/TRW units and 3 different ZF units -- all with 19mm pinion and power steering. If you want to know what yours came with, there's a little build sticker on the trunk frame (on mine, on the passenger side near where the trunk hinge is located) that has different build codes on it. There is one line marked "Steering" (in about 4 different languages!). If that number is a 2, 4 or 5 then your car had a CAM rack originally. If it's a 3 - you had a ZF rack. Whether it was a CAM 1, 2 or 3 or a ZF 1, 2 or 3 can only be told by looking at the rack.

As others said, they're all interchangeable (unless you've mounted a Ford V8 with a Converse kit, as I recently discovered!). Mine was a code 3 - ZF - originally. I put a rebuilt in it in 2001 - that was a newer, small aluminum body CAM/TRW unit. And that's what came out of it at that time - so the rack had already been replaced at least once at that point. I couldn't find one of those rebuilt at this time, but did find a ZF rack that would fit and clear my driver's side motor mount. Haven't driven it yet - so don't know about 'feel'.

I believe that many 'remanufactured' rack and power steering pump failures are caused by debris in the fluid and hoses which deteriorate on the INSIDE. As the rack is going out, debris can and does damage the pump. When the pump is going out, debris can and does damage the rack. And hose debris gets to work on everything. I didn't appreciate this until recently. If you're going to keep the car a good long time I suggest replacing rack, power steering pump and both hoses. And put a filter/mag in the return line. And -- change the fluid every couple of years.