@Capriblue45 nailed the choke cable issue. The brass ferrule on the cable needs to be held in place for the cable to operate just like bicycle & motorcycle cables. Bowden cable is the proper term.
The fuel pump NEEDS the spacer, period. You can try running without, but the result is broken pieces of the fuel pump arm at the bottom of your oil pan and possibly damage to the cam shaft. Sometimes things get so caked with grease & grime that the spacer blends into the block and you can’t see it. Perhaps there was some wonky aftermarket pump that didn’t require it, but it probably wasn’t worth using. Buy a Koyosan or nothing at all.
I second
@MonPetiteShoe advice on the fuel tank, it sounds like you’re possibly sucking up small corrosion particles from the tank (among other possible explanations). Toyota has a recall on those from the 90s that’s still valid as long as it’s never been done. I’ve had two 60s where the dealership replaced the tanks for free under this recall. Go to
this website and type in your VIN number. If a recall for seat belts pops up you can ignore that. Look for an outstanding fuel tank recall. If it doesn’t show up, then it’s been done. If it DOES show up you can come back here for advice on the long process of getting it done.
Carb rebuilds, lots of ways to go wrong. The Bakelite spacer between the upper and lower half needs to be in place correctly among other things. Use some of the gaskets provided in the kit, but not others. The primary butterfly opening at rest and the secondary kick up angle need to be set precisely. The secondary diaphragm can easily have a vacuum leak even if you think you installed it correctly. The two ball bearing valves inside the carb are easily to switch/mix up (small one in the big hole, big one in the small hole). The carb also requires the spacer/heat shield below it. Check your vac hose connections 5 times just to be sure.
Also make sure the timing is set to stock, the valves are adjusted, and then tune the carb while it’s on the motor, following the “lean drop” method outlined in the manual. A vacuum gauge is extremely helpful here, bordering on necessary. Would be helpful for all of us to know your current vacuum gauge reading at idle after the truck is hot as well.