383 chevy in 89 ranger

[midget]

Ok so Im new here and contemplating a bit of an extreme idea. I recently joined an offroad club thinking I would be ok using my daily driver 02 nissan Xterra and the first time out I managed to smack a tree and have to put a new grill and headlight in. I stumbled across a 88 ranger that has been lifted enough to fit 35s and has a detroit locker in the rear and is a descent starter truck. Now the 2.9 v6 runs damn good the problem is the 5 speed trans is all kinds of screwed up and it has an electronic transfer case. Meanwhile I just got out of figure 8 racing not long ago and still have my trusty 550hp 383 and th350 trans in the garage. How hard is it to swap one of these engines in and how much power can you make b4 the axles snap? The th350 is a 2wd version so Im guessin I need a divorced tcase or change the tail shaft and find a gm tcase. My plans for the truck so far are full exo cage tube doors flatbed big enough for a spare tire and small toolbox and after that upgrading as I break parts.

 

[midget]

forgot to mention exhaust wont be an issue as the engine has zoomie headers that go straight up through the hood which I would like to keep since this truck isnt ever going to see highway use.

 

[baddis]

there is an adaptor plate you use on a 2wd th350 for a t case. you will need a newer chevy t case for the left drop. and the d28 is marginal in a 2.9 truck so i would upgrade to a d35 out of a newer truck or explorer or go with an sas conversion

 

[midget]

thanks I'll prolly just hold off then not feelin like doing a sas yet.