Of course you can get something ridged but soft outside in between to gently pry them apart, (piece of wood, large screwdriver wrapped in shop towel, etc).
If needed you can stick something in between to keep the lower and tower the 1/2′ apart, turn upside down, stand motor on flywheel and run WD40 or something similar down (actually up) the driveshaft, trying to get wd40 to run into the driveshaft hole via the driveshaft. Spray, soak, repeat.

Whew that’s a mouthful.

Good luck!

Turn the flywheel a bit as you are dropping the gear case. There is a slot that the roll pin at the top has to line up with before it will drop.

Don’t turn it again until it is reinstalled. Have the drive shaft positioned so the pin is crosswise.

That is correct. They made the carbon seal captive somewhere about that year so it doesn’t fall apart if you pull the shaft out. The reason for pulling the powerhead was the carbon seal. Since the powerhead had to come off or the seal would fall apart, there was no need of a shift rod disconnect further down.

…………I’m 68 guess its prolly been going on for years…………..HaHa!
Jim