My car is a similar age to yours and I have taken the engine out a few times.
You can get it out without taking the gearbox out with it, but you have to take the fan off the front and taking the water pump off gives you an extra few inches wiggle-room! You do need a proper engine hoist as it is heavy and needs to be angled slightly to get it out. You do not need to take the cowl off, but it does make it slightly easier to get the engine out and then put back.
