What if, I did not have pedal panel?
 

Yea. Actually I drove all summer without the pedal panel because the PO had glued some ugly carpeting to the panel.
(and also without the panel my gas pedal goes deeper, but it still does not open full throttle)


Can there be any harm pushing the clutch all the way to the floor?

The panel not only prevents the pedal from going down too far, it also has an adjustment to position the 'rest' position. The travel between 'rest' and depressed is an important adjustment, so I would think you would want to get a panel in there.
Regards,