Well, even with our little mount situation and set back, I am still officially ahead of schedule. I had to work on my truck some today to get ready for a day trip to "The Cove" for a little day ride. While I was finishing that stuff up, the UPS man showed up with a package from Novak, it had the engine plates and the hardware that goes with them (which I didn't get the first time either). Big thanks goes out to them for making that happen.
Well, after finishing the truck, it was about 7 PM and I was feeling kinda froggy so I decided to keep on working and see if I could get the engine sitting in the XJ. I mounted up the plates and did some quick measuring. The GTO alternator was going to hit the Jeep PS box so I went ahead and took it and it's brackets off. I was go for launch and started jacking up the hoist. After about halfway up, the strap broke and the engine fell about 2 feet. When it hit the floor the oil pan broke really badly and also broke the block. At this point, you are probably like WHAT?!?, then of course Im gonna tell you that I am completely full of crap and I didn't drop it at all. :roflmao: So anyway, test fit #1. I got it started into the jeep and got it almost lined up, but ran into some more issues. The A/C compressor hit the frame, so without significant work and notching it out, it just wasn't going to fit. So, It came off as well. For some reason though, it still wouldn't drop down into place... I couldn't see anything hitting, but it just wouldn't go. I finally saw it... The GTO oil pan has a front sump oil pan. It isn't very deep at all, so I figured that it would clear and be just fine. I was wrong. The oil filter was hitting the Track Bar, and the steering stabilizer's mounting bolt was hitting the oil pan. So, I took both of those off as well. After 2.5 hours of struggling, cursing, pushing, pulling, and prying, it finally set down into place.
It is a tight fit, but actually fits very well. It sorta looks like it was meant to go there actually. Tomorrow I am going to work on the crossmember and get it in there. I had to pick up a different transmission mount, so that will take a slight amount of work to get in. I will then mount up the 231 and try to figur out a linkage. Novak claims that the factory linkage will work on their website, but I just don't see it happening, but... I am gonna give it another go once its in.
So enough chit chat.
Who's ready to see what an LS2 looks like in a cherokee?
Picking her up in preparation for the transplant:
Starting to get it in the hole!
And here it is!
I'll try to make another update tomorrow!
as a paying advertiser. I just didn't want anybody to get upset over me advertising in my screen name with out a blue name. Haha, I do have one, here it is. I just use the other one more because I had it first.
Even with their mistake, this was still a way better alternative to building mounts myself. 
