[Benson]

1. My car is not a show car so I do not worry about paint on lever.

I use a large pair of Vise Grips on the part of lever where the shaft goes through (near the pin). If Vice Grip leverage is not long enough I have used a piece of EMT (Electric Metallic Tube) Conduit pipe to extent the leverage.

2. I do not remember ever installing the clutch release FORK backwards (Maybe I just do not remember) BUT:

After looking at a working clutch throw-out bearing with flywheel and flywheel housing removed:


If the clutch release FORK is installed backwards on the shaft, the FORK is moved forward about 3/8ths inch or so and the angle on the fork where it pushes the throw-out bearing carrier is changed also.