It's a paper gasket, probably 0.5mm or somewhere close to that. It's ot that serious on a M40 if it is thick or thin.

The M40's and M41's that I have worked on all had the cork type gasket, relatively thin, 0.5 to 1mm, but as Roinik says, not a problem, just make sure you don't use 3mm cork sheet from Supercheap / Autobarn, since that will reduce the tension on your indent springs.

Just got home and measured the thickness of the cork gasket in question, it is actually 1.5 mm thick.

Thank you guys for the replies as I have closed off the top of the gearbox and it feels just fine.
As the gear lever is the sort one I will have to grease the connection steel to steel and then put it in.
I will have to get some help with posting some pictures,maybe some time later.