[T3] Clutch question

[James Lingenfelter]

Forgive me for asking a question about a type I on here, but you guys  
are a wealth of knowledge, and nobody else has been able to answer  
this question: a friend of mine just replaced the clutch in his '70  
Beetle. Now that it's back together with the motor in, the clutch  
cable is 2-3" too short to reach the arm. How is this possible? One  
thing that sounds fishy to me is that he says he can rotate the  
clutch pedal all the way BACKWARD onto the floor TOWARD the driver  
seat. Isn't there something within the pedal assembly that should  
absolutely prevent this? Is there something screwed up in the pedal  
assembly?
   Any help is greatly appreciated, this is his first experience with  
an aircooled VW, so he needs all the help he can get.
   Thanks,
    Jimmy