shifter issue Help !

What shifter adaptor are you using? That is the piece that the shifter bolts to. Or the piece between the gear vendors plate adaptor and the shifter. Looks like you might have an early abody unit ('64ish). That unit tips or angles the shifter forward quite a bit. Try one from later model 68 -75 abody. Years ago ran into that problem when I converted an old ball and trunnion 833 4spd to a standard slip yolk tailshaft. I was after the 3.09 first gear in the early trans. I reused the shifter adaptor from the early trans and the shifter was angled forward. Hope this helps.