PJ- forum members are being gentle with you, as they were me in my beginning, only mentioning simple stuff to comfort you till actually trying to open up the fossil in first place, so not listing the few (many) other things that can cause KS to swing free. Beside the moving rachet pawl, there's the steel rachet stop, that's riveted on and KS works through the big 1st gear cog, which has the thinnest weakest wear prone to fracturing bushing, that can mess with KS engagement. If you got the kick lever off w/o mentioning much trouble, good omen. Outter cover removal can make you feel so incompetent as it hangs u on the shafts and shifter peg. I found levering more at bottom eases it off and replacing it by starting/bumps more at the bottom seems less frustrating. Once outer cover off the rest is comes apart rather too easy, which makes reassembly less easy. If gearbox only on 1st or 2nd time its been opened, expect a couple hindered bux in parts, bushes, bearings etc to replace. Manual and respected advisers all use gaskets, but I ran out of them so tired just goop to be pleased it also took care of the shaft end play shimming tedium delays. Oh yeah need to learn about the several options to seal KS shaft.
Btw the sleeve bushes that spin in 1-2-3 gears, sit below resting oil level, sling any oil out while in lower gears, to easy run dry in low gears, only getting some oil by drain down past thin bush cervices in 4th, so remember what it takes to replace these bushes while delaying shifting to 4th. Factory pair of sleeve bushes tend to slide out of best load baring positions, so can put a worn short bush in between or get the longer set/pair. Not bad idea to oil groove these. Oh yeah likely have to ream some bushes to fit so have those tools on hand or farm out.
Once you get back to replacing outer cover, with all the rusted stuff cleaned up and secured, spray with paint, color or clear to help keep it that way. Easy to over fill with oil, but no problem, as will leak back out to seek its own level to note there after.