What i would say is this: there doesn't seem much of a chance of installing the aca1230 without removing the mobo and physically pushing the two together (significant amount of gentle force required!) There are plastic runners on the a1200 plastic casing near where the card sits that protrude and prevent proper fitting if the mobo remains screwed into the lower outer 1200 white casing. I used some industrial strength (fiskar) scissor to chop away nearly all of the white plastic runner of the a1200 casing and then the aca1230 card JUST fits snuggly. I think i was on a hiding to nothing with fitting this card and trying to prevent the card touching metal shields etc without actually chopping and removing the plastic. The A1200 survived the surgery 
Anyway now that the upper metal shield has deparated the CF card is plugged in and laying freely on some chips !! Is this safe and stable for the system, it worries me slightly..
Hiya,
Yes I thought the plastic runners might be the problem (which is why I asked for a picture), I had the same issue with both of my 1200 cases and had to cut the runners back to get my ACA nice and snug.
As for your 'loose' CF don't just lay it on the chips because you might get a short, go for something snazzy like this instead ->
CF Extender
