[Cobranut]

Jack,

What you're referring to I've always heard called "motor plate".

What he's talking about is the plate between the flywheel and block, sandwiched between the block and bellhousing.

My guess would be that this bellhousing depth does not compensate for the block plates thickness.

You'd probably have to fabricate a shield which would mount to the flange at the bottom only to cover the flywheel.