Hemi starter issue on stick car

I have a Barton 572 with a World products cast iron block I'm putting in a Gary Jennings built 68 Barracuda. The car was built for SS/AH with a stick but I'm putting it on the street and using a Lenco 4 speed. It came with a Lakewood bell with a small driver side starter pocket. The car has a midplate and the starter hole on the midplate is only big enough for the pinion gear to stick through. I bought a McLeod Soft Lok from Hyatt Racing clutches, 2 disc with an aluminum flywheel. The starter pinion will not make contact with the flywheel ring gear. What do you stick guys use? Does the mid plate need to be cut open enough for the starter to bolt face to face with the bellhousing instead of having the mid plate sandwiched between the starter and the bell or is it mandatory that a flat flywheel be used instead of an OEM type like a McLeod? I haven't seen any starters that push the pinion out further than others.

Sounds like putting a "window" in the mid-plate might do it.
I would also suggest giving Tim Hyatt HRE a call. He`s more than likely been thru this with other customers clutch/flywheel combos.