Well, we've got a few more hours in on the motor, and things are now looking very close to getting on the road.

We replaced the knackered fuel pump with a new Bosch 044 unit, and after several attempts on the pumps outlet banjo, we managed to get it leak free (i still dont trust it not to leak in the future, so another one is on order).

i had a few tries cranking her over, but was getting nothing, fuel injectors were all clicking and there was a stink of fuel, so it looked all good there.
I decided to open up the dash cover again and have a test around the ecu to check the ignition amp was getting a signal, which it was, anyway, long story short, i had connected the output from the ignition amp to the positive side of the coil and grounded the negative to the chassis, not realising that the amp modules output was negative .
A few adjustments to my wiring were made temporarily and then on the first turn of the key...... LIFE!!

She's a little spluttery, possibly due to the bubbles i can hear in the fuel lines, which wont seem to clear as it has literally fuck all petrol in, i tipped a full 5l can in, but its only just lifting the needle on the petrol guage, and i suspect that as its returning to the cup inside the tank there are bubbles floating around in there which are just getting sucked back in by the mazda pump in the tank. i reckon once there is enough juice there to fill it properly all the bubbles will clear from the system. The thing that im really suited with is that the guage clusters are working which was one of my biggest fears, im 100% confident that the engine management light will now fool the MOT man, the rev counter is working as it should be, fuel and temp guage both work as they should do, i could do with thumbing through the mazda schematics again and having a look at how the oil pressure indicator works, as i cant get the light to go off even if i ground the wire manually, but thats only a minor problem Really need to get some stainless welded up now for temp sensor to go into one of the coolant lines, and a downpipe, as i'm pretty sure i have successfully pissed off the entire estate with just a few seconds running lol.