Starter not engaging?

Okay, I took off the flexplate from the 5th ave motor and bolted up the barracuda flexplate and same thing. So I'm not sure what is happening here. I measured the snout of the bell housing to the middle of the ring gear, it's about inch and a half. Took the starter back out tested it on the ground and from my measurements there's no reason why they shouldn't be engaging the ring gear. I don't know what else to do?

I guess I could just abandon this starter altogether, and go to the parts house and get a mini starter truthfully I haven't had a Chrysler big starter in a long time.

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