V8 into XJ

Hey Guys. Yep, rookie here. Ok, I picked up an '85 XJ pretty much for free (did some welding work for a friend). The good news is squeaky clean and straight. The bad news is it's got the dreaded 2.8L and a rear main leak. I just spent the day going through every forum thread I could find.  I read a lot about everyone making the swap to the 3.4, but having to spend between $1500 - $2000 to buy the motor, swap harnesses, transmissions, ECUs and other stuff. Why is it that no one is just dropping in a Chevy 350 with a TH350 and uping the running gear? In the end it looks like the price would pretty much be the same. Advance Adapters and Novak make the adapters and even block hugger headers needed.  I'm not looking to make a rock crawler.  Just a boonie basher for me and my 5 year old son. Complete SBC setups are a dime a dozen out here in Nevada (running 350 w/ TH350 for about $250-$500) and smog won't be a problem.  I'm actually stoked about the project, so if I'm missing something here let me know. What do you guys think?  

A V8 turns the XJ into a rocket. The only downside is that almost every one has had a problem with overheating. Hell lots of stock XJ have a problem with overheating. The design of the XJ engine compartment is not very good at letting heat escape. I'd do it but put vents in the hood and dont cheap out on the radiator.  

I've personally seen an LS1 in an XJ run hard and not over heat. Still not real sure how he got it in there, but it was very cool!

Check out NAXJ, I'm pretty sure he's a member there an can point you in the right direction.  
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So it's not a Jeep... sue me... it's still faster!

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I installed a '95 LT1 in my '92 XJ, cooling is not a problem except it will cost about $1000 to do the cooling system right.  BeCool can build you the correct aluminum radiator with the fittings in the right location.  I called BeCool and for and extra $60, they added fittings and resized everything before it was shipped. I used 3 low profile electric fans from Spal, 2 are 10" fans and the other is an 11" fan.  http://www.spalusa.com/store/main.aspx?p=itemdetail&item=30100411  

I run 35" tires and tow a trailer with it across the So Cal desert, no overheating.  It did get hot once, not over heated, while climbing to the top of La Sal Mtn in Moab at speed on a dirt trail.  It was a hot summer day and we were climbing hard and fast with a tail wind.  Other Jeeps got hot too.  When I stopped, it cooled down to normal in about 2 minutes.