Here's a pic of the "newer" 2.3 in my '74 Mustang II. It was a lot of work to get the engine from an '88 Mustang to fit and make it all work together, and some bugs still have to be worked out, but it runs!
Some of the crazy stuff included cutting the dipstick so it'd clear the old-style pan, cutting off the power steering bracket so I could use all the other serpentine stuff, using a five-rib serpentine belt on six-rib pullies because apparently nobody makes a six-rib belt that short (won't hurt anything, there's no power steering or A/C to produce the big drag that would make six ribs necessary). I had to install an electric fuel pump because the '88 block has no mechanical pump provision, and the original alternator was re-used with the serpentine pulley and brackets so as to avoid having to re-wire the charging system.
The engine has NGK V-power plugs, Accel Superstock 8mm wires and Superstock coil, a Motorcraft 2100 carburetor rebuilt by ACDelco, a high efficiency cam from Sealed Power, an electric fuel pump from Purolator, and, of course, that awesome chrome valve cover (I found it on Ebay, it's one of two I've ever seen!) and the big Edelbrock air cleaner. I went back to a stock exhaust manifold and I'm using a Thrush Turbo Muffler on a 2" single-exit exhaust system.
I hope to have all the details finished (mainly finishing the exhaust system (going to exit in front of the passenger rear tire through a mid-90s Camaro Z/28 exhaust tip) and carb tuning, which isn't easy with the alternator that close, but it's doable!) Sorry about the small size of the pic, it was taken with my cell phone.
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1976 Ford Mustang II Ghia: 302 with a 600cfm Edelbrock carb, Edelbrock Performer 289 intake, Dynomax Blackjack headers, 2.5" exhaust with Flowmaster Super 44s. RJS 11-gallon fuel cell, C4 tranny, chrome 16" pony wheels, fuzzy dice, brown vinyl half-top, and painted in the tackiest color ever (harvest gold, that's why I call it "The Goldenrod").
Also have a 2003 Dodge Ram (lightly modded daily driver/tow rig/office/dining room/home away from home/workshop... I call it "The Big Blue Dawg".)
I've got so much going on right now I couldn't handle another project right now. I've got my truck which I'm doing a restore-it-as-I-drive-it on, I've got my '87 'vert as a very unreliable daily driver (didn't plan it that way, but it's a lemon) I've got my '74 that's my project from high school (runs and drives now, but now I've gotta get it looking good!) My 1987 GT hatch that's going to be an American Iron car if I ever get it finished, the 88 LX I'm helping a friend do a 5.0 swap on in both our spare time in his garage, My dad's '76 Capri I'm helping him restore, and right now we're hunting down an old Ford or Chevy pickup for him to put either my 460 or his extra 350 and TH400 in. Then I've got my 35-50 hour a week job. Not to mention I still do oil changes, tuneups, and brake work on the side for extra cash... I'm spread pretty thin. I can help you with advice for your swap, but I don't have the time or room to do it myself these days, not to mention, being a former tech (quit largely because it caused me to quit enjoying my cars as a hobby), I'd charge tech prices, and you're looking at a minimum of 20-30 hours of labor, plus parts.
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1976 Ford Mustang II Ghia: 302 with a 600cfm Edelbrock carb, Edelbrock Performer 289 intake, Dynomax Blackjack headers, 2.5" exhaust with Flowmaster Super 44s. RJS 11-gallon fuel cell, C4 tranny, chrome 16" pony wheels, fuzzy dice, brown vinyl half-top, and painted in the tackiest color ever (harvest gold, that's why I call it "The Goldenrod").
Also have a 2003 Dodge Ram (lightly modded daily driver/tow rig/office/dining room/home away from home/workshop... I call it "The Big Blue Dawg".)
2.3t seems so difficult.....maybe i can just take it to a shop......if i did a 5.0 swap wat year vehicle engine would i have to get from the 1987-1993 series...and i would jus do the same thang by gettin the wiring harness, computer, and tranny right??????.my cars a 88 lx notchback
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-1988 Mustang LX-
-Concept X9 Hood And Full Body Kit -All Black High Gloss Paint -Black 17x9 Pony Embelm Five Stars With Chrome Rivets -Reconstructed nterior -Smoke Tail Lens -Smoke Corner Headlights -Z3 Fenders -Dark Window Tint
-Short Shifter
SOON TO COME... 1985 FUEL INJECTED TURBO ENGINE FROM T-BIRD INTERCOOLER UPPER INTAKE LOWER INTAKE EXHAUST SYSTEM BOV
2.3 turbo would be about the same difficulty as the 5.0... You have to do all of the same work either way, a little extra, in fact, for the 5.0 as you'd be in the position of making a rear-axle swap mandatory instead of just optional/desirable, not to mention you'd have to change out your fuel and brake lines to do a 5.0, and pull off one of the fenders to get to a few parts that have to be swapped...
If you don't want to do the work yourself, you'd be better off (financially, anyway) selling what you have and buying a running and driving 5.0 or 2.3T car. They can be had in the $2000-8000 range depending on year, options, condition, and modifications, where as a 2.3T/5.0 swap done by a GOOD shop will run you 20-30 labor hours (at a minimum of $50 an hour) and a solid $1500 minimum in parts unless you had a donor car for them, and they'd probably provide little-to-no guarantee on their work, as straight-labor jobs aren't how most shops make their money (they do it via price markups on parts).
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1976 Ford Mustang II Ghia: 302 with a 600cfm Edelbrock carb, Edelbrock Performer 289 intake, Dynomax Blackjack headers, 2.5" exhaust with Flowmaster Super 44s. RJS 11-gallon fuel cell, C4 tranny, chrome 16" pony wheels, fuzzy dice, brown vinyl half-top, and painted in the tackiest color ever (harvest gold, that's why I call it "The Goldenrod").
Also have a 2003 Dodge Ram (lightly modded daily driver/tow rig/office/dining room/home away from home/workshop... I call it "The Big Blue Dawg".)
A pic and description of my crazy little 2.3 
