What starter do I use??

[NicoSlam]

I was able to make some progress this weekend on my truck and as I was installing the new Starter, I realized that it did not come close to the flexplate for gear engagement. There is a gap of an inch between the bendix gear and the gears on the flex plate. I called bowtie OD and I had purchased a 153 tooth flexplate and feel I have a 168 tooth starter. Being said, I rather change the starter to fit the flexplate then to change the flexplate to mathc the starter. I am having a hard time finding the starter because most parts stores cant search without using the computer and they need a specific year. Bowtie OD mentioned that the 168 tooth starter uses two long bolts while the 153 tooth starter uses 1 long and 1 short bolt. Can someone help.

[53burb]

usually on a starter for a 168 tooth flexplate, the bolt holes are diagonal from each other & a starter for the 153 tooth flexplate are straight across from each other.