Well I managed to get it off with a screwdriver. Scratched my paint job a bit on the block
Anyhow I put it on the right way round and it hand cranked much easier now. Hardly any resistance. So I tried putting the alternator pulley back on and started to do the bolt up. It seems I can't do the bolt up really tight without it making hand cranking virtually impossible. So I took it back off and didn't tighten as much and then tried starting it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkPJCcuOID8