Clutch Noise - please advise

Specs -
72 Duster, 408 stroker, dyno'd 538 hp/564 tq (yep pretty hot), 8 3/4 rear w/3:23s, M/T ET streets (275/50R-50)..... pulls real well due to the tq. My old drag racer butt says high/mid 11 sec car (ran a 10 sec Barracuda for a spell). Mainly built (3 yr build) for street use, but not a daily driver.

Rig has about 700 miles on it thus far, no racing, just 400 miles of clutch break-in and around 300 miles of freeway and 2 or 3 hard street romps to shake things out (no racing). Have a std freshen'd 4-spd, re-surfaced light-weight Mopar flywheel, Center-Force dual friction, Federal Mogul T/O Bearing (#614036-BCA... the good one!), Pilot Bearing has about 2000 miles on it (didn't change it). So there's what we're talking about.

What's happening -
While letting the clutch out something in there growls like the T/O Bearing is chattering, but clutch engagment is smooth. At times it doesn't want 1st gear (stopped), sometimes getting momentary (minor) teeth grind. I checked everything out yesterday and all looked just fine/perfect. Have approx 1" pedal play, T/O Bearing has approx .100" gap to PP fingers, T/O Bearing spins freely by finger, no rattles or rough spots, with pedal depressed the clutch departure gap is .042" and disc is easily turned/spun by finger, no weird noises, rubbing or binding present.

NOTE: With the clutch fully dis-engaged, I can press UP on the clutch disc and can see it will move up & down roughly .110" or so. I do not know if this is normal or excessive (not a whole lot of experience with 4 spds).

"Did I hose myself by not changing that Pilot Bearing/Bushing" (not a roller style).....? OR could this be a sign my Input Shaft Bearing is going away or gone or am I on the wrong track al together...?

Q: If it is the Pilot Bearing/Bushing, would it be better to switched to one of those large dia roller style Bearings? I see it must fit in the larger cavity area in front of the current Bearing... would it require any special tools to install or just gently tap it into place...? Will the Input Shaft worki with one of those?... or will the roller style work on all of them...?

Any comments, opinions would be very helpful. Drop'n the trani on this is a MEGA pain in the arse, and I'm not a young man anymore... can't just drop it on my chest and muscle it around, ha... It took everything I had just to get it in there (no trani jack)... and I'm only 53...THIS SUCKS! :angry5: