I used the version of UTFT 2013 as this has entries for SPFD5408A/B. The later UTFT 2014 does not.
Then what you have is custom version because the "official" UTFT library does not drop support for a chipset once it has been added. Further, you cannot download a "2013 version" from the UTFT website so it had to come from somewhere other than Henning Karlsen's site.
I assumed that the routines in HFTF like 'draw a line' would call on a primitive proceedure held within a SPFD5408 config file(which I have been unable to locate).
Nope, it does not work that way. The drawing primitives (line, circle, rectangle, text) are all performed within UTFT. The LCD driver only provides the memory and the scanning of the pixels. What you are calling a config file are typically the initialization code streams for each driver type.
I have been resigned to putting in some work with a digital scope.
IMO, a waste of time. Your problem is software based, not hardware.
The easy way is to mount the shield on some plug-in breadboard, and wire link it to the UNO so I can play around with some connections. I need to do this, as I intend to use the display (eventually) with a DUE. This is much faster and has some DSP facilities.
If you're going to end up with a Due, start with a Due and a Due specific LCD. The 2.4" LCD you currently have expects 5 volt I/O, the Due is 3.3 volt I/O. That's what the two chips are for on the back of the LCD shield.
Also, the SAM3X8E ARM Cortex-M3 on the Due ain't no TMS320. I think you'd best research the chip a bit further if you plan on any real DSP work since the chip isn't much more than a faster AVR with some additional analog I/O and memory. Granted, it has good DMA support and IIRC some saturation maths. Of course you'll be much happier with the DUE than with a 16mhz 8-bit processor with 32kb of flash...but there is no floating point and DSP specific code. Just saying...