i was trying to figure out how to align a bellhousing for my auto to manual conversion in another post, and some one mentioned installling a block saver. What exatly is that?

I may be way off, but in my world a block saver is a cylinder sleeve that you would use when you have damage to a cylinder wall that will not cleanup with a hone. If that's what you are talking about, then I'm not sure how that would help you situation.

The Lakewood scattershield/Blow-proof bellhousing comes with a steel plate that sits between the block and the flywheel (sandwiched between the bellhousing and the block)...

In the event of a flywheel explosion, that thin plate helps protect the block from the flywheel pieces... whereas the bellhousing will protect you from those flying pieces...

I am not sure if that plate affords any additional personal safety, so it shouldn't be completely necessary...

Be sure any measurments for the clutch-fork ball-stud height include the block plate or not (I know Centerforce includes those measurements with their clutch sets, not sure on other manufacturers)...

just to adding to what Tony said, here is Centerforce's instructions on setting the pivot ball height.

http://www.centerforce.com/technical_inserts/I93GM002.pdf

whether you have a block plate or not, the distance from the back of the block to the pivot ball face should be 4.75". the only thing that would require you to alter that height is a non stock thickness flywheel.