Welp, after over 10 tries stabbing it in, tried pulling it together with the bolts while engaging/disengaging the clutch, and proved myself right. Broke the bellhousing. Wonderful.... NOTHING else looks bothered the least bit. What. The... F*&(..

 

Maybe that's why there was no bushing there when you took it apart?? I would be on my 3rd scotch by now.

 

That's my thought as well. We did actuate the clutch with it very close to mated, and my son reported that it felt MUCH firmer and seemed to have a more mid-stroke engagement. So, I can't understand HOW, but it appears that the missing pilot bearing is what made the clutch engagement occur WAY up on the clutch pedal.

Definitely having a few. Pissed that it broke. Absolutely ridiculous that this thing has been such a b1tch. I've done dozens of transmissions, and tried just about every suggestion I was given or could find. NOTHING worked. Good thing it's my kid's 3rd vehicle and not a daily. Now I get to figure out how to get it going again.