Well I know but I was hoping he might have gotten a little to portly to launch : )

Made some more progress today. Installed the bevel gear left side bearing, and speedi-sleeve (with JB Weld in the voids), torqued it up with the original shims and it rolls over just nicely.
Now I'm putting the thrust bearing and components together but I have a question for anyone that's been in a D2 steering clutch. The parts catalog shows a circlip, a pressed steel cover, an o-ring, the thrust bearing, in that order in the cage. The serviceman's reference shows that too. The bit that I'm unclear on is that, when being greased, the grease comes into the cage on the "closed" side of the cage (second picture). Since that side is actually open , I can't see how the bearing would get greased as it seems to me that the grease would just ooze out the side instead of squirting through the bearing. Can someone help me understand if this is how it's supposed to be arranged. The other side of the cage has that pressed steel cover, which, along with the o-ring and the retaining nut, would stop any grease escape on that side. But I don't think this bearing's going to be greased properly the way I'm currently looking at it.
Dana from Florin sent me another pressed steel cover, slightly different profile, that if placed on the closed side, still wouldn't prevent grease escape. I realize that some has to escape in order to grease the bushing in the clutch pressure plate but I'm worried that the bearing won't get enough. Thoughts?

Also, the new retaining nut (a c-wrench nut) does not have the semi-holes for the locking setscrews that the original had, that screw in between the radius of the nut and the plate thread. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to drill and tap new "half-moons" or use some other technique to retain that nut. Obviously don't want it coming loose because it would be a pain to have to pull the final because it worked loose. What should I do?

Thanks Mike, had to cut the old one out and it's long gone. I did wipe the new one down and didn't notice a hole but will take another look

Thanks team! The cage itself has a couple of reliefs but they're on the pressure plate side, i.e. the side that would let grease out without having to go through the bearing. I'll take another look tonight but I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to grind a couple of slots in the cage. Even if I did that though, with those cage reliefs, the grease would likely take the path of least resistance and head out the pressure plate side.

Stephen, sounds like the grease would get to the bearing regardless? It's a pity that the condition of the bearing can't be assessed when the machine is assembly because it would be good to see the grease going into the bearing, much like grease going through a universal joint. I'll take the pressure plate and nut to my machine guy and get him to fit the set screw. I don't trust myself to do the Locktite approach properly : ) I think just one screw will be sufficient
By the way, I wrote grease and I have "regular" grease from a certain green colored dealer, but I'm wondering if I should go with something a shade lighter?
The all-new parts look awesome!