[niles]

John;

We clevies have to stick together
Think you prob is pretty simple.

Sounds like mismatch of cyl. volumes and stoke capability.

Since you have eliminated all the hard and expensive stuff lets got back to basics.

Assuming you have the numbers right and your clutch releases at .45 in. and your 7/8 mc can only move the clutch .496; thats only .044 leeway. Not near enough. The thermal expansions of hot discs etc will take .050 in out of the system. Your discription of adjustment being sensitive and goes out if the adjustment is moved 1/8 in make sense. If your numbers are right your dragging the clutch. Do the Mr fixit test; jack you rear up, start up, at idle push clutch in and put it it first. I'll bet you a bottle of scotch you hear a thud and the wheels start turning. I bet you have to put a fair amount of e-brake to stop them with the clutch in.
Solution -simple: if your 7/8" mc moves the TO bearing .496 in; then your 7/8 moves .60 cubic in of fluid at 1" stoke. going to a 1.0 dia mc will move 1.0 cu inch or 40% more TO stoke and fully release the clutch. Now doing the math a 1 in mc will move the TO .700 in.
This will clearly release the clutch but will put you too close to exceeding the throw of your TO. Do some carefull measurement and put a pedal stop so the total is only about .65in TO.
movement.

gn