linkage issue resolved! how it was:

with the downpipe on it almost caught in neutral!
made a short shift without the need to weld:

Just warmed it up and bent it to suit, one hole and it's done. reduced throw by about 30-40%.
I made this too to swing the arm out of the way a bit more:

its a mk3 weighted rod made to be 25mm shorter than the stock mk1 item
to be on the safe side i've made a brass bush for the part nearest the DP in case it melts the stock plastic one, as well as a better bush made from nylon for the other end as the new one was sloppy!


This is with the linkage in second gear, it would nearly catch in neutral before!

It fits perfectly! I can now get all 5 gears and love the way the shift feels!!
The rebuilt pump also came back, the guy said it was caked in crud inside from old diesel ect and it was a suprise it did not damage the pump when starting the engine!
I refitted it, timed up to .95 advance this time, and after a minute or two bleeding the HP side it fired right up! tickover needed adjusting down and that was it!
took it for a little drive up and down, its loud! and the poly mounts i fitted are coming off today! i need new fillings in my teeth! I also have a slight oil leak from the sump and the filter housing, will run it for a bit and then swap the sump gasket and re-torque the housing. the oil line is closer to the driveshaft than i would like so if that has any signes of touching after a few miles i'll mod that to be how i initially planned, the hydro shop gave me the stiffest braided hose known to man so i could not bend it into the block to be p-clipped.
other than that, fit the I/C when it comes back and i'm done!!!! lol i could have chose an easier swap for my first engine conversion!