Triumph Repair: slave cylinder, insertion method, clutch pedal

Question
I just rebuilt and installed the slave cylinder on my '78 Spitfire.  I inserted the cylinder using a screwdriver from the side to line up the push rod with the center of the cylinder.  The first time I put it in and bled the system I tested it by putting the car in gear, depressing the clutch pedal and trying to turn the rear wheel by hand.  It did not turn.  I took the cylinder back out, scratched my head, pushed the plunger in the cylinder to the back using a screwdriver and repeated the insertion method stated above.  This time it worked fine, with the car in gear and the clutch not engaged the rear wheel would not turn by hand.  With the clutch depressed, and car in gear the rear wheel turned by hand freely.  I put the whole interior back together and started the car (it had been about 1 yr since last running).  After it warmed up I attempted to back out of the garage and with the clutch depressed I could not put the car in gear, it simply made the grinding noise of gears being angry.  If I roll the car with the clutch engaged and the car in gear it rolls fine, I let off the clutch the car comes to a halt as if the clutch is working normally.  Sorry for the long message, I hope you have a suggestion.

Answer
Hi John,
The Spitfire is noted for needing the pedal to be pushed hard to the floor to disengage the clutch so do this,
Roll the car out side and pump the clutch pedal in long slow strokes. Then note how much free play you have in the pedal you should not have much more than about an inch or so. Then push the pedal to the floor and note that you should have felt stiff resistance as soon as the free play was taken up. If it did that ok, put the car in second gear and depress the clutch and start the engine and note if the car tries to creep forward while the pedal is hard on the floor. If it does not quickly shift into reverse to see if it will go into gear. (BE SURE your idle is below 1000 RPM)
If that is ok drive the car a while and check the shifting again.
Also read my tech tip on how to make a straight stick transmission last. http://mg-tri-jag.net/tech4.htm
When a car has sat for a year the flywheel and pressure plate get rusty and it takes some driving to clean off that rust and smooth the surfaces again.
Let me know,
Howard