Brian,
I would guess you purchased the clutch and pressure plate as a set, so there is no problem with them being compatible.
I think the fingers on the pressure plate are on a pivot. The more the disc is worn, the more the fingers will protrude.
Having a brand new full thickness clutch, the pressure plate is compressed more, hence the fingers don't stick out as much.
I am not sure on this theory..but, if you bought the setup as a matched set, and the pressure plate is tightened all the way down as it should be, it should be fine.
Be sure the throwout bearing is installed correctly, adjust the clutch (cab off??) and it should work properly. The most common mistake is have the disc in backwards. It might have had a stamp on it that said "engine side".
Stuart
