your ride plate is too long
post some pics

I'll post some pics tonight. Might be interested in that snoot.

Your set up looks fine... need to machine the down turn or ad a diverter, spacer, snoot...ect.  A wedge might not be enough.
I have this mini place with original powder lightly used and has a 3 1/2 degree pin with about 1/2" of droop. This would replace your nozzle adapter and lower the thrust line as well move it out giving you some reverse.
You could put a small block of aluminum under the cradle to get the feet at bowl. Measure it now to get your degree from keel or just the thickness of spacer above feet. I'm just suggesting what I see in your pic of the cradle and has nothing to do with reverse deal.

Get a ram horn style bucket, had the same problem with my daytona.

OK, so to temporarily solved the no reverse problem I decided to remove the ride plate. Hopefully this won't affect my ride. Now, the ride plate was attached to the shoe which was machined to accommodate the plate. It was held on with 4 flat head slotted machine screws. Of the four holes one was not blind. It goes straight through the shoe. My question is: Do I have to replace the screws? It won't cause a leak because it just goes through to the pickup.

In the meantime I am in the market for a diverter and an extended snoot.

Thanks Forkedup, I'll give Tom a call.