If you have a one inch gap all the way around, and the starter motor is out, then either the throwout bearing has gotten hung up or the clutch plate has gotten cocked on the transmission input shaft. The transmission must come straight out, the gap between the engine and transmission must be the same all the way around.
You may have a clearance issue on the top of the transmission, make sure the linkage has been disconnected. Often the engine mounts must be removed and the engine hanging from the cherry picker lowered to get the transmission out.
Edit: If the transmission input shaft is hung up, then use a wrench to unbolt the pressure plate from the flywheel. Turn each bolt only a couple of turns, rotating the engine flywheel to get at each of them. Eventually when the pressure plate is far enough from the flywheel, the clutch plate can slip taking pressure off the transmission input shaft.
