Fuel Filter - which one?, For '74 1.8 w/ fuel pump relocated to front. Options

[auto_cran]

Previous owner relocated the fuel pump and filter to the front. Looks like a nice, clean job. I recently had some drive-ability issues and since the time I've owned the car (a few years now) I've never replaced the filter, so figure I'd start there and change it out - simple enough (so I thought).

Old filter was a very small plastic in-line filter which accommodated the different hose sizes.

Bought a NAPA Gold/Wix 3274 (square/box type), installed it, checked for leaks - all good, no problem. Figured I was all done, I went to reinstall the access panel to discover I can't get it back on without the new filter touching the steering rack, which I don't want it to do. There doesn't seem to be much room in there. This is probably why the PO used the small one he had.

I went to a few auto parts stores to find one that matched the one the PO had - and found one - except the flow (indicated by arrows) was in the opposite direction, so that was a no go.

For those of you that relocated the fuel pump to the front - what filter are you using?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Chris