any thing different than original control arm geometry will definately effect suspension travel---------

Yes there has been some installs where the stuff is reversed side to side on vehicle to effect some slight change-----( it was fairly common to reverse sides with spindles on solid beam axles so steering rods could be moved to front of axle for more oil pan clearance, etc,etc---------however , solid beam axle and independant fronts are 2 entirely different beasts---------

If you want to do this in your garage, outside under shade tree or where ever it might not be perfectly flat-------park your car where it is setting with the stance you want-measure the shock length, make up some rods/tubes/wharever that length and install to hold the suspension at that height-because as you cut and move stuff the suspension heigth/travel will change and mess up yoir project--------Then/now--jack up the car, using 3 points (triangulated) to support the rear part of the car from firewall area back--------under the front construct some type of support structure that will solidly hold it and also be movable so you can cut the frame rails and move forward that 1 3/4 inches------put plenty of referance marks and measurements from several traangulated locations and using several taken from same 2 marks to different 3rd mark record them -------abC, abD abE, abF and bcA, bcD, bcE, bcF etc

If you want to ( I do this lots) used several locations in your shop where you can set a lazor level and record on frame where line and/or mark is) You can easily make these from bags of quick set cement and bottom halfs of plastic buckets with a piece of alum or steel plate as a surface for the lazor