if you have the chedder and the time, the v8 swap is pretty nasty in a 2600 lbs car. I have an '88 Fiero I am going to swap in the engine from my old El Camino, aka Rust-amino. A mild 400hp 406ci sbc.... AFTER I finish my Mopar.

Check out V-8 Archie -- Pontiac Fiero V-8 Kits and Kit Cars for kits and advice. He as a complete kit with instructional video for $2,500. It even has brackets for mounting the accessories so you can use the original AC compressor. Of course, he has cheaper kits too.