I would not put the battery in the back.When you do,then you have to add the cutoff switch,all the extra wiring...simpler to keep it where it is.Look at a lot of the stock eliminator cars..battery is up front.

I would change to manual steering,but think about the electric water pump.

I'm putting my car back on the street and am changing race stuff back to street duty,electric pump drive was the first thing to go.