Well!....what a joyous event that was!.

 Now to start with, the job would only have taken about 4 hours if I didn't have to keep the front pipes and cat ( back to that in a bit!). source of the rattly clutch was not a goosed release bearing (fine but new one fitted) or sealed bearing in the flywheel (perfect condition), but was actually the pressure plate being sheared from the clutch back plate (so every time the pedal was pressed, the pressure plate was free to rattle about!) .

 Whats all this about a clutch aligning tool then?....I found a socket wrench with tape round it to fit the holes and a vernier to double check does the job !!!!!!

The time was really eaten away by the need to use a dremel and flexi drive to cut and grind away four of the studs holding the front pipe assembly to the manifolds due to there being nothing left of the nuts to grip (new manifolds already bought, anticipating this problem!)

this front pipe was still needed in order to fit a new one piece twin pipe exhaust system, but still required a stub pipe off the old system to be welded to the cat, due to the rust bug (didn't want to ditch it as the cat is still in excellent condition other that the above) 

car now as quiet and smoothly shifting as new and with spanky twin tail pipes (however, when changing all the bushes in the gearchange mechanism, I crazily put the shift lever 180' out (probably due to delerium setting in as this whloe lot was done on wednesday, hottest day ever!!). This will be rectified once my back has recovered and I can face sliding under the car again!