Got a line on one that needs a engine that I can get for $650.
Wondering if any of you have put a V8 in one, liked it and not had regrets.
Seems better to do that than put in another V6. If I can get it professionally installed for $2500 or less I think this would be better than buying something else for more.
Opinions, critiques, comments?
Do it yourself. This is a grassroots project. 
I'm at the halfway point of putting a TBI 350 in my '91 GMC Sonoma. 
From what I understand that's an easy swap.
BTDT. Adapter plates from Hooker were the only special parts. Warmed up 355 SBC. Saginaw 4 speed. Had to ditch the bench seat for buckets as the shifter was too far back. I used junk yard exhaust manifolds because I was cheap, but the swap headers would be much better. Exhaust goes out the right side to miss the gas tank. Quickly had to replace the radiator with a Camaro unit. Tremendous fun truck.
4X4 or 2wd? if it's a 2wd, then it's easy. you can buy the parts. a 4X4 is a little more involved- but can be done. i once swapped the TBI 350 out of a 92 Caprice into an 88 S10 4X4. i just welded the sump from the 4.3 oil pan to the 350 oil pan and used a 4.3 oil pump. for the mounts, i used a set of 67 Chevelle big block mounts bolted to the stock 4.3 frame mounts, with a set of adapter plates on the motor side made out of 1/8" steel. i used the Caprice front accessories- the stock 4.3 setup would have worked better, but i didn't have it. the wiring all plugged with in, except for the TPS on the throttle body, and that was a simple matter of splicing the 92 end onto the 87 wiring. the 92 Caprice ecm plugged right in place of the 87 S10 ecm. the stock 4.3 radiator kept the big V8 right at the 195 thermostat temp. the hardest part was making the exhaust system- i wound up using the Caprice manifolds and pieces of the 4.3 y pipe with a couple of bends welded in, with the 3" exhaust and muffler from the Caprice thrown under the truck to keep it quiet. it looked like a stock install, and started and ran beautifully. i tried to get it stuck in the snowdrifts in my back yard, but it would not get stuck. i had to pull it apart since i couldn't get a title for the truck (which i only paid $100 for as a parts truck- i wanted the 4X4 700r4 for some reason..), but i've still got the parts just waiting for another cheap S series 4X4 to come along..
doing my 96 astro van right now, similar setup and replacing the same vortec 4.3
the OBD2 is a little tricky, i'm installing all the original sending units to the new engine to make the original ecm think there is still a v6 there so my factory gauge cluster works, and using a stand alone ecm to control the new engine/transmission.
