You talking SBC or ?

The problem becomes with the unibody and properly making motor mounts that won't rip off. Yes plenty of people have shoved a V8 into the XJ/MJ engine bay, however I have YET to see one that I'd own due to the lack of a good install and the "shady" motor mounts people come up with.

Another issue is the tranny/tc issue in the small tunnel tube. You either have to clock it (read less ground clearance) or cut the tunnel depending on with what combo you go with. Not something I'd be willing to do, without bracing the crap out of it since it's a uni-body.

The majority of the reading/talking to people who have done it all have 1 thing they same in common. They all have a major problem with cooling. The way the front is setup, you almost always will have to use the factory radiator, and they are not good enough with a V8. Thier just isn't enough room to go aftermarket and make everything fit (unless your willing to cut once again).

Another thing you need to consider is that the V8's may not be as long, but are definatly going to be "taller". So with the oil pan and the way they are, you will probally get into the suspension in the front unless your lifted probally 4+".

Also with an air cleaner on the top, you may have to do a custom hood as well for clearance issues.

Agree, in the width dept. of a V8,  a longarm(radius style) would have to be used, 5"+ lift (thats a given if your thinking of 33s or bigger), drive train upgrades (another given)
but what I am trying to get across is if a builder was to spend say $1500-2000 over what it would cost to put a stroker motor/HD rad/ etc in.
could you see yourself paying the extra amount to do so?
the 4.0l is nice, strokers are better, but still thats really the limit and roughly $3500 for a long block. 
where as SBCs can be built really cheap for less than $3.5K , full swaps from wreaks are sometimes 1500-2000 with low miles.
golan 4.6L---------$3500+------------260HP-----drop in
SBC (say 5.7L)----$4000+------------325+HP----A little work (if a lot of the issues were sorted out)

whats your choice?

thats what I was thinking...
the 4.0 is good , I've been in stroked 4.6L but stll it is not a V8 .
agree a V8  is not a "budget-build" but for  builder considering a long arm sus', ugraded etc. really is another $1500 going to kill you?
no I'm not rich, but anything affiliated with 4x4 or HP is not going to be cheap 

building HP costs $
controlling HP costs $
making educated decisions is priceless  

-- Edited by hytechMJ at 01:06, 2007-09-29

-- Edited by hytechMJ at 16:53, 2007-09-29