If your clutch is dragging with the pedal pressed normally, then space the arm and nipple by means of a nut, with a slit cut in it to allow the cable to pass through so no dismantling, see if this helps.
The paddle clutches are not all for racing that's total garbish, they may well be used in racing but some have perfect road manners, and are actually better/lighter and just as progressive as the std ford clutch.
I would go for a alcon 6 paddle friction plate with a std ford cover/diaphragm, be warned there are two different ford supplied ones, can't remember which is which but one is good one is bad, if money can stretch use a alcon cover as well, AP's tend to be more on/off compared with alcon.
Reyland do a good kit for £350, but it is do able for under £100 using your own bits, and for around £150 you can get a concentric hydraulic clutch conversion, but this is for the chevy T5, so does need some adaptions to fit, just basic machining, it also uses a vastly better hydraulic unit than those fitted to cars as std, ie the std crap has plastic parts whereas the kit mentioned does not, it's fully metal.
tabetha