It appears that the ball stud bracket is at an angle from your pics and it should be level. I have never had good luck with Lakewood bellhousings for big block A-Body's as they are best a compromise. I always used Ansen as they were specifically made for that application. If you can take a better pic of the bracket on the bellhousing I can tell you for sure.
The funny thing about science is that if you change one miniscule parameter you change the entire outcome to the way you want it.
