Steering column looks fine to me - normal Mini angle.
When a fresh air heater was fitted under the bonnet, that plate on the firewall would have been removed and replaced with a fitting for the tube from the heater to clamp onto.
The metal plate/box/thingy on the inside firewall which has been hacked about was fitted to all Aussie Non-Cooper Minis from 65ish to 71 (when the K with the Clubby heater canme along). It's purpose was to direct incoming air from the (optional) heater onto the screen - drivers side only! A flap under the dash stopped air from flowing around the driver's ankles.
When a heater was fitted (by the dealer or aftermarket) the heater box was simply bolted in under the bonnet, and the flap was added under the dash. The dash trims did not have to be removed to fit ducting to the screen, so teh whole process was pretty simple.
I would guess that someone has fitted your car with a Cooper or Clubman heater (under dash box, demists both sides of screen). When fitting these heaters the welded box ducting has to be cut away to allow the Clubman/Cooper/Moke ducts to bolt to the dash top. When I removed the box in my van I carefully drilled out the spotwelds and pulled it out. Soneone has done a very dodgy job on this one!!
Cheers.
