nice one nick, thats a job i need to do

Nice how to, just thought i'd offer up some of my knowledge/experiences to you in this area of mini fun If you dont mind, that is

the tools ive found that make this pain in the backside job easiest are 1/4 drive long handle ratchet and wobble bar extensions (mine are Snap-On brand but im sure Kincrome have a long handle ratchet and wobble bar set), not a uni joint as it wont fit between the linkages etc and because the sockets dont cope with massive amounts of "load" you can grind the walls of the sockets to suit the available space. An extendable strong magnet with a sleeve is also just as imortant but im sure you already know this

Also i use the A+ inlet and exhaust manifold gaskets with the metal backing on one side (fuel injected type) as they "crush up" better with cars that have separate inlet and exhaust manifolds/extractors but they are about $18each. This is due to the slight height differences with the 2 manifolds and the washers. I find they seal better and last longer.
For a std inlet/exhaust manifold the normal manifold gasket is fine because there are no height differences (in theory)at the mounting points so you are getting a more even pressure at the mounting points.

Do you have inlet manifold locating rings? I didnt see any in your pictures, thats why im asking, for twins it make life so much easier when reassembling it all even though they do have the cut outs for the mounting studs but they dont locate them as well as locating rings. When fitting the rings put the "cut/gap" in the rings facing the top so as not to disturb the flow from the transition between the inlet manifold and the cylinder head.

Please note that these are my findings and opinions of which you are more than welcome to ignor, have a difference of opinion or take on board.

Cheers

I find the easiest way to take them off is to take the carbs off the manifold, and then the manifold off the motor. I do this because I hate undoing the choke and accelerator cable, and because it's easier to get to the manifold nuts to make sure they're done up properly.

If you take the carbs off the manifold, the accelerator cable stays in the linkage, and dangles off the manifold, and the choke cable stays attached to whichever carb it's attached to. You just poke that carb somewhere in the engine bay...

As for the accelerator cable staying on it's linkage, it's (supposed to be) a fairly exact science to set the position of the linkage, with the cable installed, so the carbs open at the same time - leaving it attached to the cable means this doesn't need to be reset

when you put them back on the manifold, it's just a matter of balancing the linkages on one carb, putting the other one up to it and holding the linkages between them, and shoving them on the manifold

so that's just what I do, doesn't mean it's better, or right...