Fork too far back?
Well I got it “fixed”... Here is what I did and what worked and what didn’t work. I got a different fork from Brewers, one what is for a standard non-overdrive unit. That fork snapped right in and set much farther forward in the window. I though I had it licked. I set everything back up, 1/8” TO clearance, started the car and still... grrriiinnndddd into 1st or reverse with the clutch on the floor.
My last resort was an idea from another thread here I found. I got 6 matching 5/16 washers, they were .060 thick. I loosened the pressure plate bolts gradually while rotating to each one... once it was pulled away enough I took out 1 bolt at a time and slide in a washer. After all 6 were in and everything tightened/ adjusted... BINGO! Tranny stops Spinning within 3 seconds after depressing the clutch and no grind at all in any gear... and while driving it shifts like butter... it even is easier to get back into 1st after coming to a stop after driving.
A couple notes in case this might help someone else:
-Per the other thread I found I mic’ed my friction disk. Mine measured .375 and the other thread said the original disk would have been .305. With the thicker disk the PP fingers seemed to already be levered 1/2 way down compressing over the thicker disk.
-You need to grind the washers so they have a flat side (I ground about half of the one side of the washer) so the washer does not rub the friction disk. (I was told my car has brewers 10” disk which caused the disk to be close to the PP bolts, requiring this grinding)
This worked for me, no idea if it will work for anyone else, proceed with caution, your mileage may vary.