It's important to have the right tools.
Serious bit: We took our time, carefully adjusted heights and angles of car, transmission and engine so as not to put strain on the shift rod - and it came out fine. We basically lifted the car away from the engine and used a trolley and trolley jack - with wooden blocks to support the strong bits and keep it all stable.
Next bit is to strip it down and see how many of the head studs are broken. Hoping it doesn't turn into too much of a nightmare as up 'til now the car has been very reliable. Good to see the underside of the car looks nice and solid - no rust. Only really rotten parts are the heat exchangers and heater control boxes. It'll be interesting to see if I still have the old rubber clutch.
Any thoughts on OEM parts over genuine Porsche parts?